International Trade Department

International Trade Department homepage | A-Z on trade

U

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

UNCTAD is an organisation which in the last forty years has been the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated treatment of trade and development and related issues in the areas of investment, finance, technology, enterprise development and sustainable development.

Established in 1964, UNCTAD promotes the development-friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy. UNCTAD has progressively evolved into an authoritative knowledge-based institution whose work aims to help shape current policy debates and thinking on development, with a particular focus on ensuring that domestic policies and international action are mutually supportive in bringing about sustainable development.

The organization works to fulfil this mandate by carrying out three key functions:

• It functions as a forum for intergovernmental deliberations, supported by discussions with experts and exchanges of experience, aimed at consensus building;
• It undertakes research, policy analysis and data collection for the debates of government representatives and experts;
• It provides technical assistance tailored to the specific requirements of developing countries, with special attention to the needs of the least developed countries and of economies in transition. When appropriate, UNCTAD cooperates with other organisations and donor countries in the delivery of technical assistance.

The Secretary-General of UNCTAD is Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi (Thailand), who took office on 1 September 2005. In performing its functions, the secretariat works together with member Governments and interacts with organisations of the United Nations system and regional commissions, as well as with governmental institutions, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, including trade and industry associations, research institutes and universities worldwide.

Back to top

Uruguay Round

The Uruguay Round brought about the biggest reform of the world's trading system since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was created at the end of the second-world war. The Uruguay Round was the work programme that came out of the 1982 Ministerial Meeting of GATT members in Geneva that the ministers agreed formed the basis for what was to become the Uruguay Round negotiating agenda. Out of these negotiations the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was born in 1995 and is a result of negotiations, the bulk of which comes from the 1986-94 Uruguay negotiations and the earlier negotiations under GATT.

The Uruguay Round negotiations included a major revision of the original GATT. GATT is now the WTO's principle rule-book for trade in goods. The Uruguay Round also created new rules for dealing with trade in services, intellectual property, dispute settlements, and trade policy reviews. The current WTO negotiations are those leading up to the Doha Development Round (DDA) that will take place in Hong Kong in December 2005.

Last updated: 4 October 2005

Back to top