Countries Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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United Nations – Business Travel
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Information on business travel related to United Nations projects is specific to the countries in which the projects are conducted, not to the United Nations itself. As such, many segments of a traditional Country Commercial Guide are not included here. To learn about these aspects of doing business in countries of interest to your firm see the “Business Travel” section of each country’s Country Commercial Guide.

Business Customs

Understanding ethical guidelines is essential to procurement within the United Nations system. All UN staff members make a written declaration that they will “exercise in all loyalty, discretion and conscience the functions entrusted to the [staff member] as an international civil servant of the United Nations, to discharge these functions and regulate [their personal] conduct with the interest of the United Nations only in view, and not to seek or accept instructions in regard to the performance of [the staff member’s] duties from any Government or other source external to the organization.”

Of particular importance to suppliers wishing to do business with the UN is the prohibition on gifts. Staff members acting in an official procurement capacity must not be placed in a position where his/her actions may constitute or could be reasonably perceived as reflecting favorable treatment to an individual or entity by accepting gifts and hospitality or other similar considerations. No procurement officer or staff member involved in any aspect of procurement may accept any gift from any outside source that is soliciting business with the United Nations, regardless of the value. All staff members involved in procurement shall decline offers of gifts, including drinks, meals, tickets, hospitality, transportation, or any other form of benefits, even if it is in association with an “official working visit.”

Travel Advisory

If you are traveling to an overseas bidder’s conference or for other work related to a United Nations mission or tender, please consult the U.S. Department of State for any relevant travel warnings: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html.

Currency

Bids, proposals and quotations submitted in different currencies will be converted into a single currency, usually U.S. dollars, using the United Nations operational rate of exchange in effect at the date specified in the solicitation document.

Language

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages of the United Nations. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat and are used in day-to-day professional exchanges. Most UN tenders published on United Nations Global Marketplace are published in English, although there are certainly exceptions, especially for solicitation documents issued directly by a country office. Companies bidding on tenders are expected to be able to conduct business in the local language.