UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, is the UN body focused on trade and development and was founded in 1964.
The first UNCTAD conference was held in Geneva in 1964. It was created amid concern that developing countries had limited influence over international economic rules and faced structural disadvantages in world trade.
UNCTAD conducts research, produces statistics, and provides policy analysis and technical assistance. Unlike the WTO, it is not primarily a treaty-based organization that negotiates and enforces binding trade rules between members.
In 2024, the organization adopted the short name “UN Trade and Development,” while retaining the acronym UNCTAD. Its work covers trade, investment, finance, technology, commodities, and sustainable development.