The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement was signed by the majority of African Union Member States in March 2018, ratified by the required number of countries by May 2019, and came into force in January 2021. If all members ratify it, the agreement will bring together 1.2 billion people with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than US$ 3 trillion. Regional integration is contributing to economic prosperity and sustainable development. Achieving the aim of “Creating One African Market” will critically depend on addressing non-tariff measures (NTMs) – not only tariffs. The global economic restrictiveness of NTMs is several times higher than that of current tariffs. This report analyses the most recent non-tariff measures (NTMs) data, collected over the last 4 years and covering two-thirds of the continent. Based on this data, we estimate Africa-specific ad-valorem equivalents of NTMs and assess the cost-reducing potential of regulatory convergence. The potential impacts of adhering to international and regional standards will also be estimated.

Este informe ofrece una introducción a las NVS como instrumentos para mejorar la sostenibilidad del comercio internacional. En el capítulo I se describen las NVS, su creación y su evolución. Se muestra que han crecido significativamente como herramienta de gobernanza transnacional en lo que respecta al número de NVS, el número de sectores y productos básicos en los que se aplican y la proporción de producción certificada de algunos productos básicos respecto de la producción mundial total de esos productos. En el capítulo II se profundiza en la contribución de las NVS a la consecución de los objetivos de sostenibilidad. Se describen detalladamente el funcionamiento de las NVS y los distintos agentes que intervienen en el proceso de certificación. También se destaca la gran diversidad de NVS que existe. En el capítulo III se revisan las publicaciones y las evidencias acerca de la eficacia de las NVS. La eficacia se aborda desde dos dimensiones diferentes: la primera se centra en la adopción o aplicación de las NVS y la segunda se ocupa del impacto de las NVS sobre el terreno según diferentes indicadores de sostenibilidad, prestando especial atención a sus efectos sociales y ambientales. En el capítulo IV se describe el uso de las NVS en el marco de otros instrumentos de política comercial. Se detalla la integración de las NVS en las políticas públicas como instrumentos complementarios para alcanzar los objetivos de esas políticas.

Au moment de célébrer le soixante-quinzième anniversaire de l'Organisation des Nations Unies, le monde a dû faire face à la plus grande épreuve collective qu'il ait eu à surmonter depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale: la pandémie de maladie à coronavirus (COVID-19). Alors même que notre bien-être et la pérennité de la vie humaine ne peuvent être assurés que si nous sommes capables de collaborer, la coopération internationale se dérobe chaque jour davantage. Le présent rapport a été établi à la requête des États Membres, qui ont démandé que leur soient présentées des recommandations visant à faire avancer notre programme commun et à relever les défis actuels et futurs. Dans les propositions qui y sont formulées, on préconise avant tout de bâtir un nouveau contrat social adapté aux enjeux du siècle, de faire une place aux jeunes et aux générations futures et de nouer un nouveau pacte mondial qui permette de mieux protéger les communs mondiaux et de fournir des biens publics mondiaux. Appelant à une plus grande solidarité – dans chaque pays, entre générations et au sein du système multilatéral –, notre programme commun ouvre la voie à un avenir meilleur, plus vert et plus sûr.

This annual publication provides technical information on the licit movement of the internationally controlled narcotic drugs. The relevant 1961 Convention establishes strict controls on the cultivation of opium poppy, coca bush, cannabis plant and their products, which, in the Convention, are described as “narcotic drugs”; (although cocaine is a stimulant drug rather than one that induces sleep). Control is exercised over 136 narcotic drugs, mainly natural products, such as opium and its derivatives, morphine, codeine and heroin, but also synthetic drugs, such as methadone and pethidine, as well as cannabis and coca leaf. The production and distribution of controlled substances must be licensed and supervised, and governments must provide estimates and statistical returns on the quantities of drugs required, manufactured and utilized and the quantities seized by police and customs officers.

The expansion of non-contributory pension systems in the region has been one of the major milestones in the development of social protection architecture in a context of high levels of informal labour, rapid population ageing, and significant gaps and inequalities, including gender inequalities. Non-contributory pension systems have expanded substantially in the twenty-first century, approaching a coverage rate of 3 in 10 persons aged 65 years and over in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2022. Establishing non-contributory pension systems and strengthening those that already exist in the countries of the region can decisively contribute to the civilized objective of eradicating poverty in old age, helping to significantly reduce inequalities and to ensure protected levels of income during this phase of life. This publication proposes a collective approach to addressing the risks associated with old age, one that focuses on building revitalized architecture for well-being to advance towards universal coverage centred on sustainability and solidarity. The achievement of sustainable non-contributory pension systems is foundational to the pursuit of solidarity and the full exercise of rights in old age.

This volume, prepared by the Division for the Development and Codification of International Law of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of the United Nations, is the twenty-second in the United Nations Legislative Series, a systematic collection of those national legislative texts which deal with matters of international concern and constitute evidence of the practice of States in the field of international law. The purpose of this series is to fill a gap in international documentation by gathering together materials which are at present widely scattered and often difficult of access. The preparation of such a collection has been advocated by many official and unofficial bodies, and was recommended by the International Law Commission in its report of 29 July 1950. The content of this volume concerns the regime of the high seas, one of the three topics selected by the International Law Commission for early codification.

This volume, prepared by the Division for the Development and Codification of International Law of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of the United Nations, is the twenty-fourth in the United Nations Legislative Series, a systematic collection of those national legislative texts which deal with matters of international concern and constitute evidence of the practice of States in the field of international law. The purpose of this series is to fill a gap in international documentation by gathering together materials which are at present widely scattered and often difficult of access. The preparation of such a collection has been advocated by many official and unofficial bodies, and was recommended by the International Law Commission in its report of 29 July 1950. The content of this volume concerns the regime of the high seas, one of the three topics selected by the International Law Commission for early codification.

This volume, prepared by the Division for the Development and Codification of International Law of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of the United Nations, is the sixteenth in the United Nations Legislative Series, a systematic collection of those national legislative texts which deal with matters of international concern and constitute evidence of the practice of States in the field of international law. The purpose of this series is to fill a gap in international documentation by gathering together materials which are at present widely scattered and often difficult of access. The preparation of such a collection has been advocated by many official and unofficial bodies, and was recommended by the International Law Commission in its report of 29 July 1950. The content of this volume concerns the regime of the high seas, one of the three topics selected by the International Law Commission for early codification.

This volume, prepared by the Division for the Development and Codification of International Law of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of the United Nations, is the nineteenth in the United Nations Legislative Series, a systematic collection of those national legislative texts which deal with matters of international concern and constitute evidence of the practice of States in the field of international law. The purpose of this series is to fill a gap in international documentation by gathering together materials which are at present widely scattered and often difficult of access. The preparation of such a collection has been advocated by many official and unofficial bodies, and was recommended by the International Law Commission in its report of 29 July 1950. The content of this volume concerns the regime of the high seas, one of the three topics selected by the International Law Commission for early codification.

The National Accounts Statistics: Analysis of Main Aggregates, 2015 is the forty-sixth issue of this publication which comprises in the form of analytical tables a summary of the principal national accounting aggregates based on official national accounts data for more than 200 countries and areas, covering 1970-2015. It also contains a section on the estimation methods used for compiling data. It is prepared by the Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations in cooperation with national statistical offices. Tables include analysis of data on gross domestic product (GDP) by different structural components. They are classified into: 1) analysis of the level of total and per capita GDP; 2) analysis of the percentage shares of GDP by type of expenditure and gross value added by kind of economic activity; 3) analysis of economic development expressed in terms of real growth of GDP and its components by type of expenditure and gross value added by kind of economic activity, and 4) analysis of price development reflected by implicit price deflators of GDP.