GENERAL INFORMATION
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – is a specialized organ of the United Nations General Assembly in charge of trade, investment and development. It was founded in 1964 as the UN Conference on Trade and Development. It has 195 member states, which are members of the UN or its specialized agencies.
UNCTAD forms part of the UN Secretariat and reports to the UN General Assembly and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is also a part of the United Nations Development Group. It has its own management and budget. UNCTAD’s regular annual budget amounts to approximately USD 65 million, with a further USD 40 million in extrabudgetary funds from the Technical Assistance Fund.
UNCTAD serves as a coordinating center within the UN system for the comprehensive regulation of trade and development, as well as interrelated issues of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development. UNCTAD’s main focus is on achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the expansion of trade relations, introduction of inclusive e-commerce and development of investment opportunities. Another key dimension of UNCTAD’s work is to provide technical assistance to the least developed countries (LDCs) with the aim of strengthening their trade capacity.
The UNCTAD Secretariat regularly publishes its own research on issues relating to competition, consumer protection, digitalization and investment trends. It also provides practical assistance in the development and implementation of measures aimed at attracting investment and new technologies into countries’ economy.
The UNCTAD Conference is the highest quadrennial decision-making body of the UNCTAD, where member states evaluate global trade and development issues and set the organization's four-year mandate and priorities. The 16th session of the Conference (UNCTAD-16) took place on 20-23 October 2025 in Geneva, attended by over 170 delegations and more than 80 Ministers of trade and economy. Following the Conference, the “Geneva Consensus for a Just and Sustainable Economic Order” was adopted, setting out the further work in the areas of trade, investment, digital economy, financing for development and support for the least developed countries. The Conference also witnessed the launch of the Sevilla Forum on Debt - an international dialogue platform to help developing countries manage and resolve severe sovereign debt crises.
Since 2021, the post of UNCTAD Secretary-General has been held by Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica.
Further information on the work of UNCTAD can be found on its official website www.unctad.org.
UKRAINE’S COOPERATION WITH THE UNCTAD
Ukraine has been an UNCTAD member since its inception. As part of the implementation of the Ukraine-UN Partnership Framework Programme, UNCTAD remains one of 20 key UN agencies providing support to the Government of Ukraine in such areas as good governance, social policy, economics policy and promotion of sustainable development.
Ukraine’s cooperation with UNCTAD takes place in different formats and dimensions. Delegation of Ukraine actively participates in the work of UNCTAD’s main working bodies, in particular the sessions of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board, and in different thematic events. Ukraine is an active member of Regional Group D in UNCTAD. Ukraine and the UNCTAD Secretariat are actively engaged in implementation of a number of joint projects in Ukraine on small and medium-sized enterprises development, international financial reporting standards, competition policy, creation of favorable conditions for attracting foreign investments.
Ukrainian experts are frequent participants of different UNCTAD’s Expert Working Groups. A representative of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine was elected to the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR UNCTAD). Participation in ISAR UNCTAD contributed to further integration and harmonization of Ukraine’s accounting and auditing system with international standards and procedures, and enhanced the quality of corporate reporting. During 2025-2026, within UNCTAD’s relevant working bodies, Ukraine shared its practical experience on the digitalization of trade, e-commerce regulation, functioning of sustainable supply chains, and presented on numerous occasions country’s investment portfolio.
COUNTERING RUSSIAN MILITARY AGGRESSION WITHIN THE UNCTAD
After the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UN Secretary-General has appointed UNCTAD Secretary-General R.Grynspan as coordinator of the newly established UN Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance (GCRG) to respond and minimize the negative consequences of Russia’s war, particularly in the context of addressing the global food and energy shortages.
The UNCTAD team acted as a mediator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) from July 2022 to July 2023 till Russia unilaterally withdrew from this initiative. Within the BSGI, the Government of Ukraine, UNCTAD Secretary-General and UN Coordinator maintained regular contacts to address delays in vessel inspections and expand the list of Ukrainian seaports covered by the initiative. With a view to countering Russia’s false narratives on global food security an analytical report by the UNCTAD Secretariat «A Trade Hope: The role of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in bringing Ukrainian grain to the world» on positive impact of the BSGI on global food prices was published https://unctad.org/publication/trade-hope-role-black-sea-grain-initiative-bringing-ukrainian-grain-world.
Since 2022 the UNCTAD Secretary-General has been represented regularly in the Kyiv International Summits on Food Security to support international community’s efforts in implementing the Ukrainian humanitarian initiative “Food from Ukraine”. UNCTAD Secretary-General visited Kyiv on numerous occasions to maintain at the highest level a bilateral dialogue on the current state of Ukraine’s maritime food exports, needs for UN assistance, and securing free and safe navigation in the Black Sea.
The devastating consequences and impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, particularly on world foodstuffs trade, continue to remain on the agenda of different UNCTAD’s working bodies and Trade and Development Board.
At the Global Leaders’ Forum, marking the 60th anniversary of UNCTAD (12-14 June 2024), a Joint Statement of 36 UNCTAD member states was adopted condemning Russia’s actions. It was stressed that Russia’s war has exacerbated global food security challenges, negatively impacted energy security and debt sustainability, contributed to the deepening of the global cost-of-living crisis, which has hit the most vulnerable population around the world the hardest. UNCTAD Members condemned Russia’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its regular attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure and grain storage facilities.
In 2025, 31 UNCTAD member states issued an appealed to the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, condemning Russia’s armed aggression and its impact on world trade and development. UNCTAD member states conducted a joint demarch during the speech of the Russian representative at the UNCTAD Commission on Science and Technology.
The delegation of Ukraine at the 16th UNCTAD Ministerial Conference (20-23 October 2025) presented its analysis of the devastating impact of the ongoing Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine on the achievement of the SDGs, global food security, worsening global cost-of-living crisis. The participants were informed on the outcomes of the 4th Kyiv International Summit on Food Security further expansion of “Food from Ukraine” Programme, and launch by Ukraine of regional food hubs in Africa, starting with Ghana.
Throughout 2026, in light of intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure and civilian merchant vessels in the Ukrainian Black Sea Maritime Corridor, cooperation between Ukraine and the UNCTAD-based component within the UN Task Force on Food Security and Trade Facilitation was stepped up to mitigate the consequences of Russia’s actions, secure an immediate ceasefire and restore security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.