UN Global Auction & Disposal Services

The United Nations disposes of surplus from its field operations, and UNGDS is the platform UNHCR runs to do it. Most sales are in the places the UN works — Rwanda, Tanzania, Chad, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo among them — but the European entries are the reason it appears here: Hungary and Serbia both host regular sales, and lots are explicitly open to global bidders.

What you can buy

• Vehicles from UN field fleets — typically hard-used four-wheel drives and trucks.
• IT and office equipment from closing offices.
• Generators and field equipment.
• Miscellaneous operational assets.

How the bidding works

Sales are timed auctions with a stated closing time in CEST, and each lot names the warehouse holding the goods. Viewing is strictly by appointment, requested by email in advance. The platform runs in English, French and Spanish.

What to check before you bid

The UN is explicit about what the buyer carries, and it is more than usual: loading, export and import clearance, duties, taxes and any related costs are the buyer's responsibility. On a lot stored outside the EU that can exceed the hammer price. Check which country a sale is in before bidding — a Hungarian sale and a Tanzanian one are entirely different propositions.