Home | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Timur, Indonesia - 14 April 2024: A farmer is harvesting rice in a field. He is wearing a brown shirt and a scarf around his neck. He is holding a large bundle of rice in his arms.

GDP is not enough to tell if people are better off

UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno speaks on 6 May in Yerevan.

Acting Secretary-General speaks on challenges of international cooperation

A graph showing that developing countries face rising tariffs and high non-tariff measure costs

The costs of invisible trade barriers

What's the Borrowers' Platform?

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Explore the report

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Explore the report

GDP is not enough to tell if people are better off

Acting Secretary-General speaks on challenges of international cooperation

The costs of invisible trade barriers

What's the Borrowers' Platform?

Featured publications

A promotional card for the May 2026 version of the Global Trade Update

Global Trade Update (May 2026): Invisible barriers – the costs of non-tariff measures

Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Artificial intelligence for investment promotion

Critical minerals, critical decisions: Industrial policy for the energy transition

More publications

More news

08 May 2026

Invisible barriers are reshaping global trade

06 May 2026

AI investment boom risks widening global development divide

28 Apr 2026

Hormuz disruption shows why early-warning data matters

28 Apr 2026

Bangladesh investment reforms offer lessons for developing economies facing tougher FDI climate

27 Apr 2026

Oil shocks ripple through plastics, but trade barriers hold back their greener alternatives

23 Apr 2026

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

22 Apr 2026

As trade routes shift, transparency tools move to the frontline of global commerce

All news

Data stories

a map showing that most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

Beyond tariffs: Most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

A line graph shows Strait of Hormuz disruptions are a shock to global trade, which is expected to slow

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain across trade, prices and finance

A map showing country and regional scores on the Productive Capacities Index for 2024

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

Line graph showing that when gas prices go up, fertilizer prices often go up

Fertilizer disruptions raise risks for food security and trade

A graph showing how energy markets have reacted to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Energy markets react immediately to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Meetings and events

18 – 22 May 2026

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 4 in Nigeria: Module 4 on challenges of sustainable ports

Warri, Nigeria

18 May 2026

13th Trade Policy Dialogue: Trade Preferences Outlook 2025: Navigating in times of uncertainty

Geneva, Switzerland

20 May 2026

Kick-off of Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026

Online

25 – 29 May 2026

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 1 in Panama: Module 8 on technical management and human resource development

Panama City, Panama

27 May 2026

Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026 – Module 1 on Understanding trade facilitation

Online

9 – 12 June 2026

Training Workshop on advancing satellite-based crop and water monitoring technology to enhance the agricultural resilience using the CropWatch and ETWatch cloud platform for African Countries

Ethiopia

All meetings and events

Videos

Borrowers' Platform: Toward a fairer global financial system

WTO MC14: UNCTAD calls for bolstering the multilateral trading system and investment in developing countries

Global Trade Update (March 2026): Reforming trade rules to drive development

Secretary-General

Geneva, Switzerland

Rebeca Grynspan

Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica was appointed the eighth Secretary-General of UNCTAD on 13 September 2021. She is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the organization.

Statements

12 May 2026

12th World Free Zones Organization World Congress

Panama City, Panama

5 May 2026

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Geneva, Switzerland

20 April 2026

Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 29th session

Geneva, Switzerland

More statements

We help developing countries benefit from the global economy more fairly and effectively, providing data and analysis, facilitating consensus-building and offering technical assistance on issues related to trade and development.

We help countries achieve inclusive, sustainable growth by transforming the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals into actions that deliver concrete results. Our work focuses on:

We provide reliable and timely data and statistics to help countries better understand trade and development trends and design more effective economic, environmental and social policies.

Featured

In focus

Our research and publications provide authoritative and evidence-based analysis on trade and development and policy recommendations to help countries tackle today’s biggest challenges.

Featured

In focus

Our meetings and events convene governments, businesses, civil society organizations, academia and international organizations to discuss and build consensus on the most pressing trade and development issues.

Featured

Meeting series in focus

Our technical cooperation helps developing countries better integrate into the global economy by transforming their economies, tackling vulnerabilities, improving competitiveness and empowering people.

Featured programmes

In focus

For registered journalists

Latest

GDP is not enough to tell if people are better off

Acting Secretary-General speaks on challenges of international cooperation

The costs of invisible trade barriers

What's the Borrowers' Platform?

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Explore the report

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Explore the report

GDP is not enough to tell if people are better off

Acting Secretary-General speaks on challenges of international cooperation

The costs of invisible trade barriers

What's the Borrowers' Platform?

Featured publications

Global Trade Update (May 2026): Invisible barriers – the costs of non-tariff measures

Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Artificial intelligence for investment promotion

Critical minerals, critical decisions: Industrial policy for the energy transition

More news

Invisible barriers are reshaping global trade

AI investment boom risks widening global development divide

Hormuz disruption shows why early-warning data matters

Bangladesh investment reforms offer lessons for developing economies facing tougher FDI climate

Oil shocks ripple through plastics, but trade barriers hold back their greener alternatives

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

As trade routes shift, transparency tools move to the frontline of global commerce

Data stories

Beyond tariffs: Most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain across trade, prices and finance

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

Fertilizer disruptions raise risks for food security and trade

Energy markets react immediately to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Meetings and events

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 4 in Nigeria: Module 4 on challenges of sustainable ports

13th Trade Policy Dialogue: Trade Preferences Outlook 2025: Navigating in times of uncertainty

Kick-off of Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 1 in Panama: Module 8 on technical management and human resource development

Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026 – Module 1 on Understanding trade facilitation

Training Workshop on advancing satellite-based crop and water monitoring technology to enhance the agricultural resilience using the CropWatch and ETWatch cloud platform for African Countries

Videos

Borrowers' Platform: Toward a fairer global financial system

WTO MC14: UNCTAD calls for bolstering the multilateral trading system and investment in developing countries

Global Trade Update (March 2026): Reforming trade rules to drive development

Secretary-General

Rebeca Grynspan

Statements

12th World Free Zones Organization World Congress

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 29th session