ABSTRACT
The Conference is United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD’s) highest policymaking body. It meets every four years at ministerial level to formulate major policy guidelines and to decide on the organization’s mandate and work priorities. The UNCTAD secretariat undertakes policy analysis; monitoring, implementation and follow-up of decisions of intergovern-mental bodies; technical co-operation in support of UNCTAD’s policy objectives; and information exchanges and consultations of various types. UNCTAD serves as a global centre of excellence in managing trade data, statistics and related analytical software, and maintains the UNCTADStat database, comprising data collected, and regularly updated, from national economies and international sources. Within the UN system UNCTAD provides intellectual leadership and serves as a source of expertise in the areas of science, technology, innovation and information and information and communication technologies. UNCTAD aims support to enable the participation of developing countries and transition economies in international discussions and policy debates.
