The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, abbreviated UNCTAD, was established in 1964 to focus on trade and development.
UNCTAD was created amid concern that developing countries were not benefiting equally from the postwar international trading system. Its work examines how trade, investment, finance, technology and development interact, with particular attention to developing economies.
The organization produces research and statistics, provides policy analysis and supports discussions among governments. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and operates as a permanent intergovernmental body within the United Nations system.
UNCTAD is not the same institution as the World Trade Organization. The WTO administers global trade agreements and dispute procedures, whereas UNCTAD’s central role is research, consensus-building and development-oriented policy support.