Globalisation has remained at a historically high level despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainty about future trade policies.

This is contained in the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026, released yesterday by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business.

DHL Global Connectedness Report provides insights into globalisation by analysing 14 types of international trade, capital, information, and people flows.

The 2026 edition ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, accounting for 99.6 per cent of global gross domestic product and 99.0 per cent of the world’s population. A set of 180 one-page country profiles summarises each country’s pattern of globalisation.

Based on more than nine million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information, and people, the report offers the most comprehensive view of globalisation available.

Against this global backdrop, the report presents a nuanced picture of Sub‑Saharan Africa. While levels of connectedness differ significantly across the region, several economies are strengthening their integration into global flows, underscoring steady progress over time, and highlighting scope for further gains in others.

Namibia ranks among the countries with the largest increases in connectedness since 2001, with Mozambique also featuring among the strongest long‑run improvers. More recently, Nigeria and Zambia are listed among the countries with the largest connectedness gains since 2022, reflecting growing momentum in trade, investment and people flows.

CEO, DHL Express Sub‑Saharan Africa, Hennie Heymans, said: “As supply chains across the globe continue to develop and trade routes expand into new territories, connectedness is emerging as a key differentiator for businesses and nations alike. The countries in our region that are strengthening their global links are becoming more visible in international trade networks.”

Beyond trade and investment, the report finds that people flows have recovered fully from the COVID‑19 collapse. In tourism, UN data show that Africa recorded a 17 per cent increase in international arrivals in 2025 compared with 2019, the second‑largest increase among world regions, behind the Middle East.

Also, CEO, DHL Express, John Pearson, said: “Globalisation is holding its ground and that alone speaks volumes about its value. From poverty to climate change, the world’s biggest challenges can only be solved through global thinking.”

At the same time, the current level of globalisation underlines how far the world remains from being fully globalised. In many areas, international flows could expand further in the absence of policy constraints.