United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 30, 1964 with headquarters in Geneva.

The BSSR was one of the initiators of the convocation of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

UNCTAD membership consists of 195 states.

In September 2021, Rebeca Grynspan from Costa Rica was named Secretary-General of UNCTAD.

The supreme governing body of UNCTAD is its quadrennial Conference, a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly. The Trade and Development Board was established as a permanent subsidiary organ of the Conference and is, as such, part of the UN intergovernmental machinery in the field of trade and development.

The main UNCTAD goal is to promote integration of developing countries into the global economy and their inclusive and sustainable development through trade and investments.

The Conference mandate is embodied in three basic forms: intergovernmental dialogue on topical issues on the international economic agenda, analytical work and technical cooperation. UNCTAD does not work on regulatory arrangements, mandatory for all members of the organization.

Its activities are advisory by nature.

In April 2010 the Government of Belarus and UNCTAD signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the priority areas of cooperation in the field of international trade, investment and development.

Priority areas of Belarus – UNCTAD cooperation are: accession to the WTO and trade facilitation, investment promotion, debt management, competition, accounting and reporting.

In July 2007 Dr. Supachai Panichpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, paid an official visit to Belarus.

Since 2007 the Belarusian State Economic University participates in the UNCTAD “Virtual Institute” – international education and research network on trade and development. In 2008 the Center for International Studies of the Belarusian State University was included in the global network of UNCTAD-launched think tanks on development issues.