United Nations Economic Research Articles

Public-Private Partnership as a Challenge for EAEU Cooperation

In this article the author analyzes perspectives on the Eurasian Single Economic Space’ concerning infrastructural investment projects. These perspectives are considered with a consideration of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) principles and the traditional framework of EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) integration. The article examines national legal differences, such as the existence of regulations for PPPs, possible models for project realization and spheres where PPP could be used. The author also analyzes the characteristics of the most famous PPP projects in the EAEU.
 The purpose of the article is to identify practical recommendations for the development of public-private partnerships to further cooperation between the EAEU countries.
 This research stems from the study of international experiences of public-private partnerships, the adaptation thereof, and clarification of the necessary steps for the most efficient development of PPP in EAEU countries. As such, the following priority steps for EAEU countries are suggested:
 1) EAEU countries should take steps to unite their respective legislative bases in terms of mutual compatibility so that public and private partners could act as inhabitants of the Union everywhere, removing not only customs barrier obstacles for them, but also additional tax restrictions;
 2) EAEU countries should create an international council for problems and disputes pertaining to PPP which will include representatives of the countries of EAEU, representatives of the business and scientific communities and non-profit associations. Such a council was recommended to be set up at the United Nations during the third session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the problems of international public-private partnership, held in Geneva (Switzerland) on 18-19 April 2011;
 3) EAEU countries should make use of practical experience in the implementation of interstate PPP projects. An example of a successful interstate PPP - the project for expansion and modernization of the international airport in Warsaw, through which more than 85% of all passengers of international flights have passed.

Environmental assessments in the context of climate change: The role of the UN Economic Commission for Europe

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has played an important role in the recognition of a customary international law obligation for States to conduct an environmental assessment (EA) when a proposed activity is likely to have a transboundary impact. It is unclear, at present, whether this customary norm applies to the impacts of an activity on the global environment. In recent years, the EA frameworks of many UNECE member States have been construed or revised so as to include consideration for the impact of proposed activities on climate change. The UNECE could help to establish this growing practice as a norm through the adoption of a dedicated instrument on EA in the context of climate change. This article documents ongoing developments in UNECE member States and discussions that have taken place under the auspices of the UNECE and discusses next steps.

A Détente Equation: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and Socialist Experts before Helsinki (1947–1975)

The article explores the main features of cooperation between economic experts during the pre-csce (Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe) period (1947–1975) under the aegis of the most comprehensive all-European organization of the period, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (unece). At scientific and policy levels, contacts and exchanges between socialist and capitalist economic experts were circumscribed by common priorities and challenges faced by the unece staff and governments from both sides of the Iron Curtain. The article presents four types of activities pertaining to East-West cooperation: international conferences, training programs, institutionalized consultations (under the Committee for Trade Development and the group of Senior Economic Advisers to the unece Governments), and direct collaboration with the unece Secretariat and its subsidiary bodies. The contribution focuses on the institutional aspects of the socialist economic experts’ participation in the unece’s cooperative framework and the pan-European epistemic community. The study argues that the unece’s efforts towards détente also took into account community-building in the fields of economics, development of trade, and harmonization of policy-making from a transnational, all-European perspective.

State Socialist Experts in Transnational Perspective. East European Circulation of Knowledge during the Cold War (1950s–1980s): Introduction to the Thematic Issue

State socialist experts were at the center of Eastern Europe’s internationalization from the mid-1950s until 1989. They acted as intermediaries between their states and other national, regional, and international environments. The contributions integrate national milieus within broader frameworks mostly circumscribed by inter- and nongovernmental specialized organizations (the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; International Theater Institute, or the un Commission on Population and Development). The issue is an innovative initiative to identify within four fields (economy, demography, theatre, and historical studies) state socialist experts’ contributions to international debates and institution building. We argue that these groups were fundamentally characterized by their transnational dynamism. The resultant forms of mobility and transfer resituate specific systems of knowledge production from Eastern Europe within the larger story of postwar globalization. The collection also includes an anthropological study about the internationalization trajectories of lower-ranked professionals and the resilience of their expertise ethics after 1989. Socialist experts’ mobilities can be circumscribed at the intersection of multiple phenomena that defined the postwar: national settings’ impact on inter- and supra-state interactions; Cold War politics; the tribulations of international organizations; and global trends determined by the accelerating interconnectedness of the world and decolonization. Our findings de-center established narratives about the Cold War and they show how representatives from the East participated in and sometimes determined the conditions of Europeanizing and globalizing trends in their respective fields within particular organizations.

Identification of Handbrake Patterns of Young Motorcycle Riders in Thailand Using a Newly Invented Force Measuring Device

The paper aims at identifying handbrake control behavior of young Thai volunteer riders by focusing on small underbone-type of motorcycle using a newly developed force measuring device. The device has been invented to measure the handbrake force using the potentiometer through the fulcrum of hand control lever. Through calibration with the discrete static loads, the relation between the rotational hand control lever and the handbrake force has been determined. This technique is applicable for both hydraulic or cable handbrake systems. It has been employed to measure each rider’s handbrake force against both handbrake levers during brake application. Our sample included thirty volunteers and a professional rider. We conducted the tests based on transportation standard regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulation No. 78, under speed of 40 km/hr. Three types of handbrake patterns have been identified from these tests. Consequently, the force response characteristics from hydraulic and cable systems in motorcycle are notably different. The number of rider’s finger actuation and various patterns applied at the hand brake levers have been revealed to improve the brake skill from young motorcyclists.

A shield in battle: the contingent value of human rights treaties to INGOs in autocracies

ABSTRACTHuman rights treaties make a difference under certain circumstances. Advocates find them useful in their work. In autocracies, where the ground is less fertile, human rights agreements can be particularly valuable. I contend that the impact of ratification depends on the type of advocacy organisations present in the autocracy. My theory points to the importance of INGOs expressing a commitment to international values by obtaining consultative status with the United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Council. I expect that human rights treaties will be a more profitable resource for these advocates in a repressive environment, serving as a shield in a high stakes battle. My primary findings support my expectations. However, the results are not robust to different model specifications. I conclude that distinctions among INGO types have important implications for the impact of treaty ratification, but the consequences may not be what one would expect, and may depend on the form of abuse analysed.

“The duck that broke the mule’s back” by Haifa Zangana

Haifa Zangana is an Iraqi author and activist. She was an advisor for the UNDP Report Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World in 2005. As a consultant for ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Soc...

Diversification of economic development of EU countries on the basis of gravity growth model

The aim of the article is to present the differentiation of economic development of the European Union countries in the years 2000—2015 and to simulate changes in labour productivity in the perspective of 2050. Two macroeconomic aggregates describing dynamics of development processes, i.e. labour productivity and capital-labour ratio, connected with the so-called gravity effects were used in the research. It was based on data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The results lead to the formulation of two key conclusions. Firstly, assuming that the average investment rate from 2000—2015, 2000—2008 and 2009—2015 is maintained in the perspective until 2050, the strongest annual average dynamics of labour productivity changes is observed in the countries belonging to the post-communist group. Secondly, the adoption, for the 2016—2050 period, of the average investment rate for the entire EU economy for 2000—2015, 2000—2008 and 2009—2015, will lead to the assumption that in 2050 the productivity of large groups of analysed countries will be shaped at a very similar level.

Non-potable use of Lisbon underground water: microbiological and hydrochemical data from a 4-year case study

Mitigation of global warming scenarios by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) water convention requires better water use policies by all management parties. One of Lisbon's municipal contributions to target a sustainable urban water cycle has been to assess the microbial and hydrochemical quality of groundwater. The aim is to clarify the possible existence of contaminations and respective sources, seasonality, and to assess non-drinking alternative uses of those waters. To this respect, five water sources over a 4-year period were monitored for physical, chemical, and microbial parameters (temperature, pH, NO2-, NO3-, NO4-, oxidability, conductivity, total hardness, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, enterococci, and heterotrophic plate count at 22°C and 37°C). The results show mean values of physical and chemical parameters within the WHO and national drinking water guidelines and regulations. However, microbial parameters exceed these limits, showing no seasonality. Microbial contamination may not necessarily imply the uselessness of groundwater for uses other than for drinking. For routine water quality assessment, a selection of a more adequate group of microbiological indicators is necessary, in order to evaluate potential public health risks, regarding the use of the identified water sources for non-potable purposes like irrigation or street cleaning. This approach is being promoted by the UNECE's protocol for water and health, article 6, 2 (i); in accordance with the scope of the UN's sustainable goals.

Moving from advocacy to activism? The fourth WHO global forum on human resources for health and implications for dentistry

As we debate shaping the future oral health workforce within the UK, to meet the needs of current and future populations, it is helpful to take an international perspective on this very important issue. Globally, there is a strong recognition that human resources for health (HRH) are fundamentally important to deliver effective care, accessible to all people. This paper reviews the outcome of the fourth global forum held by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Dublin which highlighted the urgency for action. The main objectives of the forum were to advance the implementation of (i) the WHO Global Strategy on HRH 2030 and (ii) the United Nations High-Level Commission's Health Employment and Economic Growth recommendations. From an oral health perspective, the global burden of oral disease remains huge with untreated dental caries, periodontal disease and tooth loss ranking among the most prevalent conditions worldwide. Major considerations are how dental education, practice delivery and/or oral health systems as a whole could and should innovate to accommodate the growing needs of the population. As dental professionals, it also becomes necessary for us to engage and play a proactive role in this change process. Due to growing differences between population needs and available services, it is necessary for oral health personnel to work more closely with the broader health workforce so as to identify solutions that are in the best interests of the patients and populations at large.

The ECJ Rules Environmental NGOs Must Have Access to Justice in Water Law Procedures

The Aarhus Convention was adopted in 1998 within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, following Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. This principle states that “[e]nvironmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens [...]”. The Convention is an international treaty with three pillars, namely (1) Access to Information; (2) Public Participation; and (3) Access to Justice. As the Implementation Guide makes clear: “The three pillars depend on each other for full implementation of the Convention’s objectives.” The Convention has as of the date of this publication 47 Parties. Austria ratified the treaty in early 2005, as did the EU. As made clear by the EU’s declaration upon ratification, implementation of the Aarhus Convention partly falls within the competence of the EU and partly within the competence of the Member States. With regards to Art. 9(3) in particular, the EU declared upon approval of the Convention that “the legal instruments in force do not cover fully the implementation of the obligations.” Yet the EU has recognized the drawbacks of this lack of implementation at the EU level repeatedly, and most recently issued a Notice on Access to Justice for the Member States so as to achieve better implementation and consistency within the Member States. This article assesses the current developments of implementation with regard to Access on Justice in Austrian Water Law. The ruling in question can certainly be seen as milestone in environmental case law.

Development Indicators at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, 1980-1990

This article reconstructs the discourse built by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on socio-economic indicators in the first decade of structural adjustment. While in the early 1980s such indicators were envisaged as a statistical language to translate the alternative ideas of the Lagos Plan of Action into an operational reality, over the course of the decade they were increasingly seen as tools to evaluate the human and social costs of the policies imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. This shift in emphasis informs a reflection on the “governance of indicators”, problematizing the relationship between development visions and quantification, and the dynamics which prevented the ECA’s vision from shaping African statistics in the way that was intended.

Evaluación mediante software de la efectividad de los anclajes de cinturón de seguridad de un asiento comercial de autobús según la regulación ECE R14

El cinturón de seguridad es un elemento importante para mantener al ocupante sujeto al asiento durante un accidente; sin embargo, si el anclaje del cinturón no resiste durante la colisión, el ocupante es expulsado del asiento, por tanto, es indispensable analizar su efectividad. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la resistencia de los anclajes para cinturones de seguridad de dos y tres puntos de anclaje de un asiento comercial de autobuses, aplicando la Regulación de la Comisión Económica de las Naciones Unidas para Europa (ECE-R14). Las propiedades de los materiales de la estructura del asiento y de los anclajes del cinturón se obtuvieron mediante ensayos de tracción y flexión. Estos valores se utilizaron para elaborar un modelo de elementos finitos utilizando el material Piecewise Linear Isotropic Plasticity de Ansys – LsDyna. Los anclajes se evaluaron aplicando fuerzas en los bloques pélvico y torácico sujetos a través del cinturón según lo especificado en la regulación. En el análisis los anclajes presentaron grandes deformaciones llegando a la ruptura, modificando la forma y posición de los anclajes e incrementando refuerzos estructurales en áreas de mayor solicitación los anclajes cumplieron con la regulación. Este trabajo pretende crear una metodología para la industria de asientos que permita evaluar sus modelos previos a homologaciones.

Nurturing young leaders: Training young African leaders can take societies to great heights

Thanks to a unique fellowship at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as an Ibrahim Leadership Fellow, Marian Yinusa is making an impact in the lives of school-age girls in her birthplace of northern Nigeria.

WRF and WRF-Chem v3.5.1 simulations of meteorology and black carbon concentrations in the Kathmandu Valley

Abstract. An evaluation of the meteorology simulated using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model for the region of south Asia and Nepal with a focus on the Kathmandu Valley is presented. A particular focus of the model evaluation is placed on meteorological parameters that are highly relevant to air quality such as wind speed and direction, boundary layer height and precipitation. The same model setup is then used for simulations with WRF including chemistry and aerosols (WRF-Chem). A WRF-Chem simulation has been performed using the state-of-the-art emission database, EDGAR HTAP v2.2, which is the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, in cooperation with the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (TF HTAP) organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, along with a sensitivity simulation using observation-based black carbon emission fluxes for the Kathmandu Valley. The WRF-Chem simulations are analyzed in comparison to black carbon measurements in the valley and to each other. The evaluation of the WRF simulation with a horizontal resolution of 3×3 km2 shows that the model is often able to capture important meteorological parameters inside the Kathmandu Valley and the results for most meteorological parameters are well within the range of biases found in other WRF studies especially in mountain areas. But the evaluation results also clearly highlight the difficulties of capturing meteorological parameters in such complex terrain and reproducing subgrid-scale processes with a horizontal resolution of 3×3 km2. The measured black carbon concentrations are typically systematically and strongly underestimated by WRF-Chem. A sensitivity study with improved emissions in the Kathmandu Valley shows significantly reduced biases but also underlines several limitations of such corrections. Further improvements of the model and of the emission data are needed before being able to use the model to robustly assess air pollution mitigation scenarios in the Kathmandu region.

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Enhancing ICT connectivity in China-Central Asia Corridor

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to enhance connectivity and collaboration among 60 countries and beyond in Asia, Africa and Europe. Information and communications technology (ICT) is an indispensable component of the initiative, critical in providing fundamental communication channels for global financial transactions, trade exchanges and transport and energy connectivity, and socio cultural collaboration and scientific exchanges between people, organizations and countries along the BRI corridors. Previously constrained by infrastructure deficits in ICT, the Asia-Pacific region is accelerating its efforts to provide reliable and affordable broadband networks throughout the region, to contribute to successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).Within the BRI corridors, this study which has been undertaken as part of the research programme of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on promoting regional economic cooperation and integration, focuses on the China-Central Asia Corridor (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), giving attention to the sub-region’s specific challenges, namely limited international transit opportunities and an increase in bandwidth requirements that is expected to grow exponentially, as the fourth industrial evolution centered on automation and artificial intelligence gathers momentum. The sub-region is characterized as highly dependent on the ease and costs of connecting to neighboring countries for transit, as many countries in the sub-region are landlocked developing countries (LLDC). Because of the geographical features and other factors, the development potential of Central Asia and its integration into globalization, continues to be stymied by insufficient international bandwidth and high transit costs to access international links. Therefore, improved ICT connectivity in Central Asia through the BRI corridor could result in improved availability and affordability of broadband networks and services in the sub-region.For the purpose of this study, a gap analysis is the methodology that underpins the proposed topology for the China-Central Asia Corridor. The analysis included examining the current state of the optic infrastructure, such as existing and planned fiber-optic networks, existing Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and international gateways. The study also identifies the key factors that determine the desired future state of infrastructure deployment for the BRI initiative. A topology that consists of connecting Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Urumqi (China), as core nodes, is proposed based on a partial mesh topology. Over and above this core finding, the study concludes that digital infrastructure connectivity has a tendency of lagging behind the rapid opportunities evolving, and the study therefore advocates for sub-regional and regional approaches, including the BRI and Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) in further expanding regional broadband networks. A key recommendation of the study is co-deployment of broadband infrastructure along passive infrastructure, as an additional cost effective means of achieving fast and affordable broadband connectivity for all.

Estimation of light commercial vehicles dynamics by means of HIL-testbench simulation

The high level of active safety of vehicles is impossible without driver assistance electronic systems. Electronic stability control (ESC) system is one of them. Nowadays such systems are obligatory for installation on vehicles of different categories. The approval of active safety level of vehicles with ESC is possible by means of high speed road tests. The most frequently implemented tests are “fish hook” and “sine with dwell” tests. Such kind of tests provided by The Global technical regulation No. 8 are published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe as well as by ECE 13-11. At the same time, not only road tests could be used for estimation of vehicles dynamics. Modern software and hardware technologies allow imitating real tests with acceptable reliability and good convergence between real test data and simulation results. ECE 13-11 Annex 21 – Appendix 1 “Use Of The Dynamic Stability Simulation” regulates demands for special Simulation Test bench that could be used not only for preliminary estimation of vehicles dynamics, but also for official vehicles homologation. This paper describes the approach, proposed by the researchers from Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev (NNSTU, Russia) with support of engineers of United Engineering Center GAZ Group, as well as specialists of Gorky Automobile Plant. The idea of approach is to use the special HIL (hardware in the loop) -test bench, that consists of Real Time PC with Real Time Software and braking system components including electronic control unit (ECU) of ESC system. The HIL-test bench allows imitating vehicle dynamics in condition of “fish hook” and “sine with dwell” tests. The paper describes the scheme and structure of HIL-test bench and some peculiarities that should be taken into account during HIL-simulation.

UNITED NATIONS AS AN INSTRUMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The UN and its affiliated organisations play an important role in promoting global cooperation in the economic and social spheres. The UN believed that global economic and social progress was required for long-term peace. As a result, a significant portion of UN funding is directed towards social and economic initiatives. Since 1960, the primary focus of the United Nations has been on the economic and social development of newly independent developing countries. Numerous initiatives are being launched in these areas to address issues such as food insecurity, housing instability, and illness, all of which have economic and social ramifications. The United Nations Economic and Social Council is an organisation comprised of some of the United Nations' member states that assists the General Assembly in international economic and social cooperation and development programmes. This council works to make international peace more effective by addressing social issues. According to this, the only way to achieve global peace is not through political means. It was founded in 1945. This council began with only 18 members. By amending the UN Charter in 1965, the number of its members was increased to 27, and in 1971, the number of members was increased to 54. Each member serves a three-year term. Every year, one-third of the members are relieved, resulting in 18 new members. A relieved member may be re-elected as well. The United Nations believed that stable peace could not be achieved unless all nations invested in economic and social development.

Strengthening multi-hazards early warning system in the pacific through BMKG-UNESCAP collaboration pilot projects

On the period of September to December 2017, three pilot projects were implemented in Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands aiming to strengthen the multi-hazards early warning system in the respective countries through close collaboration between the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). Main activities during the implementation phase were tailored based on gap analysis and risk assessments conducted beforehand. Thus, installation of high-resolution numerical weather, ocean wave, and climate prediction and forecasting tools were chosen to fill in the assessed gaps. These activities were incorporated with capacity building activities and high-level meetings with related stakeholders in disaster risk management using the concept of Fast-Leveraging-Easy-Economical-Sustain (FLEES). All three pilot projects had successfully proven to achieve their objectives by improving the capacities of National Meteorological Services in those three countries to produce multi-hazards early warning in higher resolution at a regional scale for disaster management in their respective countries.

Інституціональний вимір утворення латиноамериканської регіональної медійної системи.

The article examines the political aspects of the formation of international specialized nongovernmental organizations in the field of mass media in the Latin American region. In particular, the example of the Inter American Press Association, the International Association of Broadcasting, and the Ibero-American Telecommunications Organization shows how the imbalance of global and regional information flows, the processes that determined the foreign policy of the countries of the region and the international relations of that time in general, as well as the situation with the assurance of freedom of speech and media activities have determined and determine now the key tasks of the Latin American regional media system development. In particular, it has been shown that one of the most important reasons for creating that associations was to counteract the restrictive policies of some countries in the region, and the willingness of governments to use the mass media to address domestic and foreign policy objectives. It was found that the initiators of the establishment of regional institutions in all cases were Latin American media organizations themselves, which suggests that the need for such associations was and remains urgent and that their creation was an attempt to answer the challenges to Latin American regional media system, and to join efforts to strengthen Latin America’s voice outside the region. The consultative status of these institutions at the United Nations Economic and Social Council points to their credibility and weight. The core of all associations is cultural unity based on the Spanish language, which allows to speak about these institutions as Ibero-American or even Hispano-American. Proactive reaction to the processes of convergence of mass media on the basis of the Internet platform indicates the dynamism of these associations and their willingness to transform in accordance with the realities of the development of mass communications and regional and global information space.