Rebeca Grynspan was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in September 2021, becoming the first woman to lead the organization in its 60-year history. An economist and former Vice President of Costa Rica, she brings extensive experience in government, UN diplomacy, economic policy, and multilateral cooperation.
Before joining UNCTAD, she served as Vice President of Costa Rica, Minister of Housing, Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs, and Deputy Finance Minister. She also led the Ibero-American Conference, served as UNDP Associate Administrator, and represented the UN in the Haiti Reconstruction Commission.
At UNCTAD, she has led key negotiations addressing global trade and development, including the Istanbul Agreements and the Black Sea Initiative to ensure safe grain exports and stabilize food prices. She chairs the UN Global Crisis Response Group and has received awards such as the Doha Negotiator of the Year (2024) and Spain’s Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism Prize (2025).