Internship: Economic Affairs

Job Description

Job Opening ID: 272624
Job Network : -
Job Family : Economic Affairs
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : GENEVA
Department/Office : United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Date Posted : Feb 18, 2026
Deadline : Mar 3, 2026

Work Location: Geneva

Expected duration: 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UNCTAD contribution – research, consensus building and technical assistance - as related to debt and development finance issues. The unit prepares the UN Secretary General’s annual report to the UN General Assembly on external debt sustainability and development and provides Secretarial support to the bi-annual international UNCTAD Debt Management Conference.

It conducts research and provides technical assistance on the mobilization of external and domestic, public and private, financial resources for development, debt and debt sustainability issues and the Sustainable Development Goals, systemic issues underlying developing countries’ debt vulnerabilities and reform proposals to improve the global financial and debt architecture from a developmental perspective.

The internship is for six months, starting as soon as possible.

The internship is offered on an in-person basis. For in-person internships, interns must have a valid visa. All costs of travel, accommodation, medical insurance and living expenses must be covered by the intern.

This Internship position is in the Debt and Financial Analysis Unit (DFAU) of the Debt and Development Finance Branch (DDFB) in the Division on Globalisation and Development Strategies of UNCTAD.

The intern reports to the Head of the Branch.

The intern will support the DDFB work with the following tasks:

• Conduct research through Desktop reviews
• Assist in compiling statistics
• Assist in updating existing databases and dashboards and creating new databases and dashboards
• Assist in preparing PowerPoint presentations
• Assistance in convening virtual meetings
• Assistance for events organized by the Branch, such as meetings on the sidelines of the IMF/WB Spring meetings and the 15th Debt Management Conference

More generally, interns shall:

1. Observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Organization notwithstanding their status as described in section 4 of the UN Internship Programme Administrative Instructions ST/AI/2000/9 & ST/AI/2005/11.
2. Provide the receiving departments/offices with a copy of all materials prepared by them during the internship. The UN shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material which bears a direct relation to or is made in consequence of, the services provided under the internship. At the request of the UN, the interns shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to the UN in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.
3. Respect the impartiality and independence required of the UN and of the receiving department/office and shall not seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed under the internship agreement from any Government or from any authority external to the UN.
4. Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the receiving department/office, they may not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or any other external source any information which has become known to them by reason of their association with the UN or the receiving department/office, that they know or ought to have known has not been made public. They may not use any such information without the written authorization of the appropriate official, and such information may never be used for personal gain. These obligations also apply after the end of the internship with the UN.
5. Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the UN or on the receiving department/office and will not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the UN.

There should be no expectation of employment within the UN after an internship. Interns shall not be eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, positions at the professional level and above carrying international recruitment status in the Secretariat for a period of six months following the end of their internship.

Qualifications/special skills

The United Nations internship programme is intended to expose students or recent graduates to the United Nations in order to enhance their educational experience and to help them to gain experience in the work of the Organization. Therefore, applicants to the programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or,
• (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent).

Moreover, interns should:

• Be computer literate in standard software applications;
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advanced course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint and MS Teams.

Candidates will be assessed based on their Personal History Profiles (PHP). Individual interviews may be conducted for further assessment. A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The cover Note must include:

• Title of degree.
• Graduation date (when will you be graduating from the programme, if not yet graduated).
• List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in.
• Explain why you are the best candidate for the internship position.

In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references.

Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Information

ASSESSMENT:

Candidates will be assessed based on their Personal History Profiles (PHP). Individual interviews may be conducted for further assessment. A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The cover Note must include:

• Title of the degree;
• Graduation date (when will you be graduating from the programme, if not yet graduated);
• List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in;
• Explain why you are the best candidate for the internship position.

In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references.

Due to high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

This profile is for the sole purpose of the Internship Programme of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development. There should be no expectation of employment within the UN after the internship.

Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, positions at the professional level and above carrying international recruitment status in the Secretariat for a period of six months following the end of their internship.

Applicants who are children or siblings of a staff member are not eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. Applicants who are otherwise related to a staff member may be engaged as interns, provided that they are neither assigned to the same work unit as such staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of such staff member.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.

Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS.

DEADLINE: March 3, 2026