UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a permanent United Nations body founded in 1964 and headquartered at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. It helps developing countries participate equitably in the global economy through three connected functions: research and policy analysis, consensus-building among member States, and technical assistance on the ground.

Its work spans international trade, investment, finance, technology, transport and logistics, trade facilitation, the digital economy and sustainable development. It publishes reference reports relied on by policymakers worldwide, among them the World Investment Report, the Trade and Development Report and the Review of Maritime Transport.

It also runs widely deployed technical programmes, including ASYCUDA, the automated customs data system used in dozens of countries, and TrainForTrade. UNCTAD has 195 member States, holds its ministerial conference every four years, and convenes specialised global forums including the Global Supply Chain Forum and the World Investment Forum.