View source for UN Trade and Development

{{Short description|Permanent intergovernmental body}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{Infobox organization
| image                    = File:UNCTAD Master Logo Blue.png
| image_size               = 
| name                     = UN Trade and Development
| map                      = 
| map_size                 = 
| map_caption              = 
| type                     = 
| abbreviation             = UNCTAD
| leader_title             = Head
| leader_name              = [[Rebeca Grynspan]]<br />(Secretary-General)
| status                   = Active profit organization 
| formation                = {{start date and age|1964|12|30|df=yes}}
| headquarters             = Geneva, Switzerland
| website                  = {{URL|https://unctad.org/}}
| parent_organization      = [[United Nations General Assembly]]<br />[[United Nations Secretariat]]
| subsidiaries             = 
| footnotes                = 
}}

[[File:UN Building E View.JPG|thumb|right|260px|The Headquarters of UNCTAD are located at the [[Palais des Nations]] in Geneva.]]
{{United Nations series}}
'''UN Conference on Trade and Development''' ('''UNCTAD''') is an [[intergovernmental organization]] within the [[United Nations Secretariat]] that promotes the interests of [[Developing country|developing countries]] in the governance of international trade, financial flows and technology transfer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Oatley |first=Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4GJoDwAAQBAJ |title=International Political Economy: Sixth Edition |date=2019 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-03464-7 |pages=185 |language=en}}</ref> It was established in 1964 by the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) as the '''United Nations Conference on Trade and Development'''<ref>{{cite web |title=UN Trade and Development brand materials |url=https://unctad.org/brand |publisher=UNCTAD |access-date=18 May 2024}}</ref> It reports to both the General Assembly and the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]] (ECOSOC).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/about|title=About UNCTAD &#124; UNCTAD|website=unctad.org}}</ref> UNCTAD is composed of 195 member states and works with [[non-governmental organization]]s worldwide;<ref>{{cite web| url=http://unctad.org/en/docs/tdngolistd12_en.pdf | title=List of non-governmental organizations participating in the activities of UNCTAD | publisher=UNCTAD | access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref> its permanent secretariat is at [[UNOG]] in [[Geneva]], Switzerland.

The primary objective of UNCTAD is to formulate policies relating to all aspects of development, including trade, aid, transport, finance and technology. It was created in response to concerns among developing countries that existing international institutions like [[GATT]] (since replaced by the [[World Trade Organization]]), the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF), and the [[World Bank]] were not properly organized to handle the particular problems of developing countries; UNCTAD would provide a forum where developing nations could discuss and address problems relating to their economic development.

One of UNCTAD's principal achievements was conceiving and implementing the [[Generalized System of Preferences]] (GSP), which promotes the export of manufactured goods from developing countries. In the 1970s and 1980s, UNCTAD was closely associated with the [[New International Economic Order]] (NIEO), a set of proposals that sought to reduce economic [[dependency theory|dependency]] and [[economic inequality|inequality]] between developing and developed countries.

UNCTAD conferences ordinarily take place every four years, with the first occurring in Geneva in 1964; fifteen subsequent meetings have taken place worldwide, with the most recent held in [[Bridgetown]], Barbados, from 3–8 October 2021 (albeit virtually, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]).

UNCTAD has 400 staff members and a biannual (2010–2011) regular budget of US$138&nbsp;million in core expenditures and US$72&nbsp;million in extra-budgetary technical assistance funds. It is a member of the [[United Nations Sustainable Development Group]], a consortium of UN entities that work to promote sustainable socioeconomic development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P%3D13 |title=UNDG Members |access-date=15 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144047/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 |archive-date=11 May 2011 }}</ref>

== Membership ==
[[File:UNCTAD map.png|thumb|right|334px|{{legend|#00FF00|UNCTAD Members}} {{legend|#008000|UNCTAD Members at the Trade and Development Board}}]]
[[File:UNCTAD List ABCD map 2021.png|alt=UNCTAD List ABCD|thumb|334x334px|{{legend|#E1575A|Members, List A}} {{legend|#4F79A7|Members, List B}} {{legend|#77B7B2|Members, List C}} {{legend|#F28E2C|Members, List D}} {{legend|#DDDDDD|Members, to be assigned}}]]
UNCTAD has 195 member states:<ref name="UNCTAD Members">{{cite web|url=https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/tdbinf_261_en.pdf |title=Membership of UNCTAD and membership of the Trade and Development Board|publisher=unctad.org|access-date=2025-12-04}}</ref> all [[Member states of the United Nations|UN members]] plus UN Observer states, the [[Holy See]] and [[Palestine]]. One member state - the [[United States]] is in the process of leaving. UNCTAD members are divided into four categories based on [[United Nations Regional Groups]],<ref name="UNCTAD Members"/> with six members unassigned: Kiribati, Nauru, Palestine, South Sudan, Tajikistan, and Tuvalu. List A consists mostly of countries in the UN's [[African Group]] and [[Group of Asia and the Pacific Small Island Developing States|Asia-Pacific Group]]. List B consists of countries of the [[Western European and Others Group]]. List C consists of countries of the [[Latin American and Caribbean Group|Group of Latin American and Caribbean States]] (GRULAC). List D consists of countries of the [[Eastern European Group]].

The lists, originally defined in 19th General Assembly resolution 1995<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://undocs.org/A/RES/1995(XIX)|title=A/RES/1995(XIX) - E - A/RES/1995(XIX) -Desktop|website=undocs.org}}</ref> serve to balance geographical distribution of member states' representation on the Trade Development Board and other UNCTAD structures. The lists are similar to those of [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization#Membership|UNIDO]], a UN [[specialized agency]].

The full list is as follows:
:'''List A''' (98 members): Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

:'''List B''' (32 members): Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.{{efn|name=US Withdrawal|The US is in the process of withdrawing from UNCTAD}}

:'''List C''' (33 members): Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.

:'''List D''' (26 members): Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

:'''Not assigned countries''' (6 members): Kiribati, Nauru, Palestine, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Tuvalu.

Other states that do not participate are [[Cook Islands]], [[Niue]], and the [[List of states with limited recognition|states with limited recognition]].

=== Member in the process of withdrawing ===
* {{flagdeco|United States}} [[United States]] - In January 2026, [[United States President]] [[Donald Trump]] announced that the United States would withdraw from the organization.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-08 |title=These are the 66 global organizations the Trump administration is leaving |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-global-organizations-un-daaa4c9f459d7a492536a1a4e3b7697c |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

== Meetings ==
The inter-governmental work is done at five levels of meetings:
* The UNCTAD Conference – held every four years:
{| class="wikitable" 
|UNCTAD XV
|[[Bridgetown]]
|{{flagu|Barbados}}
|3–8 October 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/meeting/fifteenth-session-united-nations-conference-trade-and-development-unctad-15|title=Fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15) &#124; UNCTAD|website=unctad.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unctad15.bb/|title=UNCTAD 15 Barbados - Development Through Trade|website=UNCTAD 15 Barbados}}</ref>
|- 
| UNCTAD XIV || [[Nairobi]] || {{flagu|Kenya}} || 17–22 July 2016<ref>[https://archive.today/20160610210335/http://unctad14.org/] UNCTAD 14 Home Page</ref>
|-
| UNCTAD XIII || [[Doha]] || {{flagu|Qatar}} || 21–26 April 2012<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unctadxiii.org/|title=Home &#124; UNCTAD|website=www.unctadxiii.org|access-date=16 December 2011|archive-date=30 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930015259/http://www.unctadxiii.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|- 
| UNCTAD XII || [[Accra]] || {{flagu|Ghana}} || 21–25 April 2008<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.unctadxii.org/ |title=UNCTAD XII Adopts Wide-Ranging Conclusions |access-date=26 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826034148/http://www.unctadxii.org/ |archive-date=26 August 2007 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
|- 
| UNCTAD XI  || [[São Paulo]] || {{flagu|Brazil}} || 13–18 June 2004<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.unctadxi.org/ |title=Unctad Xi |access-date=26 March 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040326123257/http://www.unctadxi.org/ |archive-date=26 March 2004 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
|- 
| UNCTAD X || [[Bangkok]] || {{flagu|Thailand}} || 12–19 February 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unctad-10.org/|title=Welcome to the Tenth Session of the Conference (UNCTAD X), Bangkok 12–19 FEB. 2000|publisher=unctad-10.org}}</ref>
|- 
| UNCTAD IX || [[Midrand, Gauteng|Midrand]] || {{flagu|South Africa}} || 27 April – 11 May 1996
|- 
| UNCTAD VIII || [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]] || {{flagu|Colombia}} || 8–25 February 1992
|-
|UNCTAD VII
|[[Geneva]]
|{{flagu|Switzerland}}
|8 Jul – 3 Aug 1987
|-
|UNCTAD VI
|[[Belgrade]]
|{{flagu|Yugoslavia}}
|6–30 Jun 1983
|-
|UNCTAD V
|[[Manila]]
|{{flagu|Philippines}}
|7 May – 3 Jun 1979
|-
|UNCTAD IV
|[[Nairobi]]
|{{flagu|Kenya}}
|5–31 May 1976
|-
|[[UN Trade and Development III|UNCTAD III]]
|[[Santiago]]
|{{flagu|Chile}}
|13 Apr – 21 May 1972
|-
|UNCTAD II
|[[New Delhi]]
|{{flagu|India}}
|31 Jan – 29 Mar 1968
|-
|UNCTAD I
|[[Geneva]]
|{{flagu|Switzerland}}
|23 Mar – 16 Jun 1964
|}
* The UNCTAD Trade and Development Board – the board manages the work of UNCTAD between two conferences and meets up to three times every year.
* Four UNCTAD Commissions and one Working Party – these meet more often than the board to take up policy, programme and budgetary issues.
* Expert Meetings – the commissions will convene expert meetings on selected topics to provide substantive and expert input for Commission policy discussions.

The 15th quadrennial meeting took place virtually in [[Bridgetown, Barbados]], from 25 to 30 April 2021.<ref>UNCTAD, [https://unctad.org/meeting/fifteenth-session-united-nations-conference-trade-and-development-unctad-15 Fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15)], accessed 27 October 2020</ref>

=== Geneva, 1964 ===
In response to developing countries ([[Least Developed Country]], LDC) anxiety at their worsening position in world trade, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] voted for a 'one-off' conference. These early discussions paved the way for new IMF facilities to provide finance for shortfalls in commodity earnings and for the Generalised Preference Schemes which increased access to Northern markets for manufactured imports from the South. At [[Geneva]], the LDCs were successful in their proposal for the conference with its secretariat to become a permanent organ of the UN, with meetings every four years.<ref name="UNCTAD VI: background and issues">{{cite web|title=UNCTAD VI: background and issues|url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5412&title=unctad-vi-issues-prospects-ldcs|work=ODI Briefing Paper|publisher=Overseas Development Institute|access-date=19 July 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026162118/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5412&title=unctad-vi-issues-prospects-ldcs|url-status=dead}}</ref>  At the Geneva meeting, [[Raúl Prebisch]]—a prominent Argentinian economist from the [[United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean]] (ECLAC)—became the organization's first secretary-general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/en/Pages/About%20UNCTAD/A-Brief-History-of-UNCTAD.aspx|title=History|website=United Nations Conference on Trade and Development}}</ref>

=== New Delhi, 1968 ===
The New Delhi Conference, held in February and March 1968, was a forum that allowed developing countries to reach an agreement on the basic principles of their development policies. The conference in New Delhi was an opportunity for schemes to be finally approved. The conference provided a major impetus in persuading the North to follow up on UNCTAD I resolutions, in establishing generalized preferences. The target for private and official flows to LDCs was raised to 1% of the North's [[GNP]], but the developed countries failed to achieve the target by a specific date. This has proven a continuing point of debate at UNCTAD conferences.

The conference led to the [[International Sugar Agreement]], which seeks to stabilize world sugar prices.<ref name="UNCTAD VI: background and issues"/><ref>{{cite web|title=The UN Conference on Trade and Development|url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5262&title=unctad-trade-development|work=ODI Briefing Paper 1|publisher=Overseas Development Institute|access-date=27 June 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026145017/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5262&title=unctad-trade-development|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Santiago, 1972 ===
The Santiago Conference, 15 April 1972, was the third occasion on which developing countries confronted the rich with the need to use trade and aid measures more effectively to improve living standards in the developing world. Discussion centred on the international monetary system and specifically on the South's proposal that a higher proportion of new special drawing rights (SDRs) should be allocated to LDCs as a form of aid (the so-called 'link'). In [[Santiago]], substantial disagreements arose within the [[Group of 77]] (G77) despite preconference meetings. There was disagreement over the SDR proposal and between those in the G77 who wanted fundamental changes such as a change in the voting allocations in the South's favour at the IMF and those (mainly the Latin American countries) who wanted much milder reforms. This internal dissent seriously weakened the group's negotiating position and led to a final agreed motion which recommended that the IMF should examine the link and that further research be conducted into general reforms. This avoided firm commitments to act on the 'link' or general reform, and the motion was passed by the conference.<ref name="UNCTAD VI: background and issues"/><ref>{{cite web|title=ODI Briefing Paper|url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5314&title=unctad-iii-problems-prospects|work=UNCTAD III, problems and prospects|publisher=Overseas Development Institute|access-date=27 June 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026165140/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5314&title=unctad-iii-problems-prospects|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Nairobi, 1976, and Manila, 1979 ===
UNCTAD IV, held in [[Nairobi]] in May 1976, showed relative success compared to its predecessors. An Overseas Development Institute briefing paper of April 1979 highlights one reason for success as being down to the [[1973 Oil Crisis]] and the encouragement of LDCs to make gains through producers of other commodities. The principal result of the conference was the adoption of the Integrated Programme for Commodities. The programme covered the principal commodity exports and its objectives aside from the stabilisation of commodity prices were: "Just and remunerative pricing, taking into account world inflation", the expansion of processing, distribution and control of technology by LDCs and improved access to markets.<ref name="preview">{{cite web|title=UNCTAD V: A preview of the issues |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5369&title=unctad-v-preview|work=ODI Briefing Papers 2 |date=April 1979 |publisher=Overseas Development Institute|access-date=28 June 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026150532/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5369&title=unctad-v-preview|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UNCTAd VI: background and issues|url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5412&title=unctad-vi-issues-prospects-ldcs|work=ODI Briefing Paper|publisher=Overseas Development Institute|access-date=19 July 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026162118/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5412&title=unctad-vi-issues-prospects-ldcs|url-status=dead}}</ref>

UNCTAD V, held in [[Manila]] in 1979 in the wake of the Nairobi Conference, focused on the key issues of protectionism in developing countries and the need for structural change, trade in commodities and manufacturing aid and international monetary reform, technology, shipping, and economic co-operation among developing countries. An Overseas Development Institute briefing paper written in 1979 focuses its attention on the key issues regarding the LDCs' role as the [[Group of 77]] in the international community.<ref name="preview"/>

=== Belgrade, 1983 ===
The sixth UN Conference on Trade and Development in [[Belgrade]], 6–30 June 1983, was held against the background of earlier UNCTADs which have substantially failed to resolve many of the disagreements between the developed and developing countries and of a world economy in its worst recession since the early 1930s. The key issues of the time were finance and adjustment, commodity price stabilisation and trade.<ref name="UNCTAD VI: background and issues"/>

=== Bridgetown, 2021 ===
The fifteenth session of UNCTAD was originally scheduled for 2020 but was delayed until 2021 due to [[COVID-19]].
This was the first time the conference was held in a [[Small Island Developing States|Small Island Developing State]] (SIDS).

== Achievements ==
One of UNCTAD's earliest and most notable accomplishments was the formulation and implementation of the [[Generalized System of Preferences]] (GSP), which offered special tariff concessions to exports of manufactured goods by developing countries. Accepting this argument, the developed countries formulated the GSP scheme under which manufacturers' exports and imports of some agricultural goods from the developing countries enter duty-free or at reduced rates in the developed countries. Since imports of such items from other developed countries are subject to the normal rates of duties, imports of the same items from developing countries would enjoy a competitive advantage.

==Reports==
UNCTAD produces a number of topical reports, including:
* The Trade and Development Report<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/webflyer/trade-and-development-report-2022|title=Trade and Development Report 2022 |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131112738/https://unctad.org/webflyer/trade-and-development-report-2022 |archive-date= 31 January 2023 }}</ref>
* The Trade and Environment Review<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://unctad.org/ter |title= ''Trade and Environment Review Series'' |website=UNCTAD |access-date=1 July 2014 |archive-date=23 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123105500/http://www.unctad.org/ter |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The World Investment Report<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report|title=World Investment Report |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240423041623/https://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report |archive-date= 23 April 2024 }}</ref>
* The Economic Development in Africa Report<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://unctad.org/webflyer/economic-development-africa-report-2022 |title=Economic Development in Africa Report 2022 |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202094355/https://unctad.org/webflyer/economic-development-africa-report-2022 |archive-date= 2 December 2022 }}</ref>
* The Least Developed Countries Report<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/webflyer/least-developed-countries-report-2022|title=The Least Developed Countries Report 2022 |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203102239/https://unctad.org/webflyer/least-developed-countries-report-2022 |archive-date= 3 December 2022 }}</ref>
* UNCTAD Statistics<ref>{{cite web |url=https://unctad.org/statistics |title=Statistics |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217104411/https://unctad.org/statistics |archive-date= 17 February 2024 }}</ref>
* [[Digital Economy Report]] (formerly known as the ''Information Economy Report)''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/topic/ecommerce-and-digital-economy/digital-economy-report|title=Digital economy report |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231011073731/https://unctad.org/topic/ecommerce-and-digital-economy/digital-economy-report |archive-date= 11 October 2023 }}</ref>
* [[Review of Maritime Transport|The Review of Maritime Transport]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://unctad.org/webflyer/review-maritime-transport-2022 |title=Review of Maritime Transport 2022 |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217133018/https://unctad.org/webflyer/review-maritime-transport-2022 |archive-date= 17 December 2022 }}</ref>
* The International Accounting and Reporting Issues Annual Review<ref name="unctad.org">{{Cite web |url=https://unctad.org/publications-search?f[0]=product%3A582 |title=Accounting and Reporting Issues (Series) |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207230452/https://unctad.org/publications-search?f[0]=product%3A582 |archive-date= 7 December 2023 }}</ref>
* The Technology and Innovation Report<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unctad.org/webflyer/technology-and-innovation-report-2021|title=Technology and Innovation Report 2021 |publisher=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210184644/https://unctad.org/webflyer/technology-and-innovation-report-2021 |archive-date= 10 December 2022 }}</ref>

== Other ==
UNCTAD conducts technical cooperation programmes<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unctad.org/projects/formal-requests-for-technical-cooperation|title=Formal requests for UNCTAD technical cooperation |website=UNCTAD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221053636/https://unctad.org/projects/formal-requests-for-technical-cooperation |archive-date= 21 December 2023 }}</ref> such as [[ASYCUDA]], [[DMFAS]], [[EMPRETEC]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://worldinvestmentforum.unctad.org/session/empretec-women-in-business-awards-2018/|title=Empretec Women in Business Awards 2018 |website=World Investment Forum – UNCTAD |language=en-US|access-date=29 November 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030406/http://worldinvestmentforum.unctad.org/session/empretec-women-in-business-awards-2018/ |archive-date= 30 November 2018 }}</ref> and [[WAIPA]].

In addition, UNCTAD conducts certain technical cooperation in collaboration with the [[World Trade Organization]] through the joint [[International Trade Centre]] (ITC), a technical cooperation agency targeting operational and enterprise-oriented aspects of trade development.

UNCTAD hosts the [[Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting]] (ISAR).<ref name="unctad.org"/>

=== Partnership initiatives ===
UNCTAD is a founding member of the United Nations [[Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative|Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative]] along with the [[Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)|Principles for Responsible Investment]], the [[United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative|United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI)]], and the [[UN Global Compact]].

== List of secretaries-general and officers-in-charge ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Nr
!Secretary-General
!Dates in office
!Country of origin
!Remarks
|-
|1|||[[Raúl Prebisch]] ||1963–1969||{{flagu|Argentina}}||
|-
|2||| {{ill|Manuel Pérez Guerrero|es}} ||1969–1974||{{flagu|Venezuela}}||
|-
|3||| [[Gamani Corea]] ||1974–1984||{{flagu|Sri Lanka}}||
|-
|4||| Alister McIntyre ||1985||{{flagu|Grenada}}||Officer-in-Charge
|-
|5||| [[Kenneth K.S. Dadzie]]||1986–1994||{{flagu|Ghana}}||
|-
|6||| Carlos Fortin ||1994–1995||{{flagu|Chile}}||Officer-in-Charge
|-
|7||| [[Rubens Ricupero]] ||1995–2004||{{flagu|Brazil}}||
|-
|8||| Carlos Fortin ||2004–2005||{{flagu|Chile}}||Officer-in-Charge
|-
|9||| [[Supachai Panitchpakdi]] ||1 September 2005 – 30 August 2013||{{flagu|Thailand}}||
|-
|10|||[[Mukhisa Kituyi]] ||1 September 2013 – 15 February 2021||{{flagu|Kenya}}||
|-
|11|||[[Isabelle Durant]] ||15 February 2021 – 11 June 2021||{{flagu|Belgium}}||Officer-in-Charge
|-
|12|||[[Rebeca Grynspan]] ||Since 11 June 2021||{{flagu|Costa Rica}}||
|}

== See also ==
{{portal|border=no|Politics|World}}
* [[Foreign direct investment]]
* [[Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries]] (GSTP)
* [[International trade]]
* [[List of countries by received FDI]]
* [[UN Trade and Development III]]
* [[United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection]]
* [[World Development Information Day]]
* [[Common System of Tariff Preferences of the Eurasian Economic Union]]
* [[Developing Countries Trading Scheme]]
* [[Everything but Arms]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book|first=Paul |last=Berthoud |url=http://www.edinter.net/paulberthoud/narrative |title=A Professional Life Narrative|year= 2008}} worked with UNCTAD and offers testimony from the [http://www.edinter.net/paulberthoud/narrative/#gva inside].

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://unctad.org/ United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]
* [https://unctad.org/about/membership UNCTAD member states]
* [https://libraryresources.unog.ch/unctad Research Guide about UNCTAD (UN Library at Geneva)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210145434/https://libraryresources.unog.ch/unctad |date=10 February 2022 }}
* [https://www.intracen.org/ International Trade Centre]
* [https://archive.globalpolicy.org/socecon/trade/unctad/unctadin.htm Global Policy Forum – UNCTAD]

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[[Category:United Nations Development Group]]
[[Category:United Nations General Assembly subsidiary organs]]
[[Category:International development organizations]]
[[Category:International trade organizations]]
[[Category:International factor movements]]
[[Category:United Nations conferences]]
[[Category:Diplomatic conferences in Switzerland]]
[[Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences]]
[[Category:20th-century diplomatic conferences]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1964]]
[[Category:United Nations organizations based in Geneva]]