Published On 27/11/2025
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Last update: 09:25 (Mecca time)
One of the most prominent figures in international institutions, she served as Vice President of Costa Rica, and held a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Housing, Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Affairs, and Deputy Minister of Finance. She also served as Secretary General of the Ibero-American Conference between 2014 and 2021, and moderated summits of heads of state and government in the region.
She was Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Development Programme, and Regional Director of the Program in Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to her membership in the United Nations Reconstruction Commission for Haiti as representative of the Secretary-General.
Birth and upbringing
Rebecca Greenspan was born in 1955 in San Jose, to Jewish parents who fled Poland and settled in Costa Rica.
Study and scientific training
Greenspan earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Costa Rica and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Sussex.
She also received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Salamanca, the University of Extremadura, and the European University of Madrid in recognition of her professional career, and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Professional path
Greenspan began her political career at the national level, as she served as Vice President of Costa Rica between 1994 and 1998, during which time she held several ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinating for Economic and Social Affairs, and Deputy Minister of Finance.
In 2001, Greenspan joined the High-Level Group of Experts on Financing for Development, formed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, paving the way for her involvement in UN institutions.
Between 2006 and 2010, she served as Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, before being appointed in 2010 as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of the Programme, and she led strategic development projects in the region.
In February 2014, Greenspan was elected Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference, and officially assumed her duties in April of the same year, and her term was renewed in 2018 for an additional 4 years.
She was also appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Institute for Environment and Development, thus becoming one of the most prominent figures in the field of development and environmental policies at the international level.
In September 2021, she achieved a milestone by being appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and became the first woman to lead the organization since its founding.
In this position, she played a pivotal role in strategic initiatives, including the Black Sea Grains Initiative, which helped export more than 32 million tons of grains, reduced global food prices by 22%, and prevented millions of people from falling into the traps of food insecurity.
She also led the global crisis response group in the areas of food, energy and finance, and represented the United Nations at the G20 summits.
In addition to official positions, Greenspan has held important memberships in international institutions, including the Steering Committee of the UNICEF Scaling Up Nutrition movement, the Governing Council of the Association for International Development, the Future of Work Commission of the International Labor Organization, and the Board of Trustees of the Complutense Institute of International Studies.
On October 8, 2025, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chavez announced that his country would nominate Rebecca Greenspan for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Awards and honors
Greenspan has received numerous awards and honors during her career. In 2017, she received the Forbes Award of Excellence, and the Spanish government awarded her the Grand Cross of the Order of Alfonso X the Wise.
In 2020, she received the “Woman of the Year” award from the Women’s Legal World Organization.
In 2024, it won the “Doha Negotiator of the Year” award in recognition of its efforts to restore trade routes across the Black Sea.
In 2025, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation awarded her the first edition of the “Isabel Oyarzabal Award for Women in Multilateral Action” in recognition of her contributions to supporting international cooperation.