Former Costa Rican vice president, Rebeca Grynspan, has been appointed to the top job the UN’s trade and development body. UNCTAD promotes trade with and investment in lesser-developed countries.
Her nomination to the UNCTAD’s secretary-general post by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was approved on 11 June by the UN General Assembly.
Ms. Grynspan is an economist and is also the current Ibero-American secretary-general.
“I am grateful and honoured for the trust UN Secretary-General António Guterres has placed in me with this appointment as secretary-general of UNCTAD,” Ms. Grynspan said. “I look forward to bringing my experience and commitment to development to this unique organization, whose history, mandate and recognized world-class expertise make it a key partner for all countries facing the challenges of post-pandemic recovery.”
She added: “I believe that, at this critical time, UNCTAD can make an essential contribution for a more just, sustainable and inclusive recovery for all.”
Ms. Grynspan has had a career spanning several high-level positions including, among others, former under secretary-general of the UN and associate administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
She has also served as UNDP’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, a member of the High-level Panel on Financing for Development, and vice president of Costa Rica (1994 to 1998).
UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General, Isabelle Durant, welcomed the appointment.
She said: “This is great news for UNCTAD. The timely coming on board of Ms. Grynspan as our secretary-general will be key to leading us in the implementation of a new chapter and mandate that will be decided by our 15th ministerial conference, UNCTAD15, in October this year.”
UNCTAD is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland, and it will have offices in New York and Addis Ababa. UNCTAD is part of the UN Secretariat.
UNCTAD has 195 member states and runs 218 projects in 80 countries.
