ASEAN is forecast to see 5.6% export volume growth over the five-year period, trailed by South and Central Asia at 5% and sub-Saharan Africa at 4.4%. 

These three regions are "new poles" of trade growth, based on the new DHL Trade Growth Atlas report, which gauges important trends and prospects for global trade, covering 173 countries. 

The report, by DHL Express, shows that, when assessed by the level of economic development, emerging economies are expected to generate 45% of the absolute amount of global trade growth between 2021 and 2026.

“The good news, especially for Asia, ASEAN, and Thailand, is that Southeast Asia and South Asia perform very well,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. 

ASEAN and emerging markets will play a larger role in global trade in the future, according to the report. 

The report says that Vietnam, India, and the Philippines stand out on both the speed and scale of projected trade growth through 2026.