- The former vice president of Costa Rica is the first woman and Central American to serve as UNCTAD’s secretary-general
- She takes up her new role for a four-year term
Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan is the new secretary general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the first woman to assume this role.
Grynspan was nominated for the post by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and her nomination was approved by the General Assembly in June. She took up her new role on September 13 for a four-year term.
“I am honoured to begin work at UNCTAD at a critical time for our world,” Grynspan said. “COVID-19 has exposed the widespread inequalities and vulnerabilities of the world and the development model. As we recover from the pandemic, we have an opportunity to rebalance the global economy, boost resilience and ensure shared prosperity.”
“We must take action today to transform trade and reshape our global economy to overcome barriers to greater prosperity for all and embark on a sustainable development path that will benefit everyone.”
Grynspan has had a career spanning many years and has held several high-level positions.
Prior to her UNCTAD appointment, she was the Ibero-American secretary-general. Also there she was the first woman to lead the organization.
She’s also a former under secretary-general of the UN and associate administrator of the UN Development Programme, and a former regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the organization.
Prior to joining the UN, she served as vice president of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998. She was also minister of housing, minister coordinator of economic and social affairs and deputy finance minister.
Photo courtesy of UNCTAD
