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Tag: UN report

  • 3m Nigerians suffering from drug use disorders – UN report

    3m Nigerians suffering from drug use disorders – UN report

    • Cannabis remains most widely used illicit substance

    Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance in Nigeria with over 3 million people suffering from drug use disorders, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the World Drug Report 2025 launched on Thursday in Abuja.

    The report claimed that one in three users report needing treatment or counseling, underscoring a significant gap in health services and support.

    It indicated that with a national drug use prevalence of 14.4%, nearly three times the global average, and with over 3 million people in Nigeria suffering from drug use disorders, the toll of illicit drug use is significant and growing.

    Particularly alarming is the 9.2% HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs, and the still limited access to evidence-based treatment services.

    “This is not just a health crisis — it is a development, security, and peace-building concern,” declared Representative, UNODC Country office, Nigeria Cheikh Toure.

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    The report asserted that a new era of global instability has intensified challenges in addressing the world drug problem, empowering organised crime groups and pushing drug use to historically high levels.

    According to data, the number of cocaine users globally has also continued to grow with an estimated 25 million people used the drug in 2023, up from 17 million in 2013.

    There is also sharp increase of 85 per cent rise from the previous year recorded in cocaine seizures and transshipment in emerging markets in Africa and Asia and also indications of increased use in West and Central Africa.

    The non-medical use of tramadol and pregabalin (and codeine) continues to plague West and Central Africa, UNODC reported.

    There is also an increase in the trafficking and use of “Captagon”, an illicitly manufactured product usually containing amphetamine, and methamphetamine in Africa.

    On the report, Executive Director of UNODC Ghada Waly said: “This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organised drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations.

     “We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses, by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks. Through a comprehensive, coordinated approach, we can dismantle criminal organizations, bolster global security, and protect our communities.”

    Specifically, 316 million people used a drug (excluding alcohol and tobacco) in 2023, or six per cent of the population aged between 15 and 64, compared to 5.2 per cent of the population in 2013. With 244 million users, cannabis remains the most widely used drug, followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million) and “ecstasy” (21 million).

    It warned that new groups of vulnerable people fleeing hardship, instability and conflict could cause these numbers to increase further.

     Globally, as indicated by limited sex-disaggregated data, 5.5 per cent of women with drug use disorders were in treatment in 2023, as compared with 13.6 per cent of men with such disorders.

    Production, seizures, and use of cocaine all hit new highs in 2023, making cocaine the world’s fastest-growing illicit drug market. Illegal production skyrocketed to 3,708 tonnes, nearly 34 per cent more than in 2022. Global cocaine seizures reached a record high at 2,275– a 68 per cent rise over 2019-2023. Use of cocaine, meanwhile, has grown from 17 million users in 2013 to 25 million users in 2023.

    Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new markets across Asia and Africa, the report notes. The abuse of pharmaceutical opioids, especially tramadol, has also reached alarming levels, with the majority of global tramadol seizures taking place in Africa.

    Also, due to factors like low operational costs and reduced risks of detection, the synthetic drug market continues to expand globally, dominated by Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) like methamphetamine and amphetamine (including “captagon”).

    Seizures of ATS reached a record high in 2023 and accounted for almost half of all global seizures of synthetic drugs, followed by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.

    Though estimates vary, the illicit drug trade generates hundreds of billions of dollars per year with criminal groups innovating constantly, through boosting production, finding new ways to chemically conceal their drugs, and using technology to conceal communications and increase distribution.

    The report indicated that though resilient, organised criminal networks can be disrupted – but a deeper understanding of the aims and structures of drug trafficking groups is required. Mapping criminal groups can highlight their vulnerabilities, key actors, enablers, and pinpoint possible areas for intervention.

    Law enforcement agencies could also consider investing in technology and skills training that match the sophistication of tools used in the drug supply chain.

    In Africa, for example, only 3.4 per cent of the estimated number of individuals with drug use disorders receives treatment. To strengthen evidence-based treatment, the report urged governments to prioritise cost-effective interventions based on public health principles.

  • How to adapt to flood, storm, by UN report

    A newly-released United Nations (UN) report has   detailed how to adapt to climate change impacts, such as increased flooding or intensifying storms in human settlements, from mega cities to villages.

    Importantly, the report provides hands-on tools that national and subnational governments can use to build climate resilience in collaboration with communities, civil society organisations, research centres and the private sector.

    Released by UN Climate Change and prepared under the Nairobi work programme, the report, titled: “Adaptation in human settlements: key findings and way forward”, aims to share good practices and lessons learned to date and will be taken forward at an event at the May Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany.

    The report is said to be timely as both the contribution to climate action by cities as well as urbanisation are increasing world-wide. Already, more than 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a number which is expected to about 70 per cent by 2050.

    Climate change is reportedly exacerbating the vulnerability of human settlements to natural and human-made hazards globally to a disproportionate degree, especially in developing countries, coastal and delta regions and Small Island developing States (SIDS).

    Increasing the climate resilience of human settlements is thus an important measure to protect lives and livelihoods, preserve development gains, and promote sustainable development, according to experts.

    Cities around the world have begun realising this and more and more are taking action to increase resilience. Yet given the rate of urbanisation around the globe, more is needed to protect people and infrastructure going forward, says the UNFCCC.

    This often includes the need to close knowledge gaps around the issue for decision-makers and planners at the national and local levels.

    The report – available in all six UN languages – synthesises the latest experiences of resilience-building in human settlements by governments and organisations, as well as the latest research in this area.

    Its key findings concentrate on the following areas: assessing vulnerability and integrating short and long-term climate considerations into adaptation planning; the role of national governments in supporting local adaptation, including through national adaptation plans; city to-city partnerships on adaptation to climate change; a key event to build on the report as a launch-pad for boosting resilience in cities, towns and villages.

    During the May Climate Change Conference, which commenced last Monday, a side event will take place to build on the report and its findings and take it forward in concrete terms.

    The side event, tagged: “Closing knowledge gaps on Human Settlements and Adaptation: The way forward”, will discuss opportunities to close knowledge gaps related to human settlements and adaptation for decision-makers and planners at the local and national levels.

    The aim of the event, it was gathered, is to identify concrete proposals with partners to address knowledge needs in the short and medium term. The report and the side event are the result of a seven-step approach that aims at advancing resilience in cities, towns and villages through knowledge.

  • UN report on oil crises ready next year

    The report of the United Nations’ (UN) findings on the problems rocking the oil and gas, maritime and other sectors will be ready in the first quarter of 2017, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) Managing Director Dr Amy Jadesinmi has said.

    She told The Nation that the UN was relying on the Business and Development Sustainable Commission (BDSC) – to get the findings ready as well as map out strategies on how to facilitate growth in the petroleum and allied sectors.

    Jadesinmi said the UN was keen on solving problems affecting downstream and upstream sub-sectors of the petroleum industry and other areas. The global body  wants to see women playing important roles in this regard.

    Jadesinmi said: ‘’The findings will be finalised in the coming months and will take the centre stage in the Commission’s report, which aimed at spurring growth of privately-driven initiatives in the oil and gas, maritime and others.The Commission was launched in January 2016 by UN, to advance the world’s transition to a more prosperous and inclusive economy. Though the findings were yet to be released, significant growth opportunities in the petroleum and other sectors of the economy are going to be found in the findings.

    “In the findings, we will identify major financing challenges, as well as potential solutions. The solutions include  prioritising the long-term investments in private sectors, making businesses, governments and civil societies create enabling environment, with a view to provide sustainable growth.’’

    The LADOL chief, a participant at the just-concluded UN’s General Assembly in the United States, said the Commission is key to the growth agenda initiated for the development of the global economy by the United Nations.

    She said sequel to the UN’s high- level panel on Women Economic Empowerment Report released on September 22, 2016, the International Commissioners Forum, in which she was a participant, was organised to discuss modalities on how to engender growth in the oil and gas, maritime and other sectors.

    The Commission’s vision, Jadesinmi said, is in line with that of LADOL, which seeks to develop investment opportunities in the nation’s oil gas, by partnering with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) Korea to build a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and fabrication yard for the operators.

    According to her, LADOL has built a $500million Free Trade Zone, urging other operators to leverage the idea known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to record success.

    She said Nigeria is leveraging its potential to be the hub of oil and gas business in West Africa, stressing that LADOL was working to fulfill the dream.

  • Chemical weapons used in Syria – UN

    Investigators have “reasonable grounds” to believe chemical weapons have been used in Syria, according to a United Nations report.

    The organisation’s human rights group said they had received allegations that both the government and rebels had used limited quantities of toxic substances, but most testimony related to their use by state forces.

    Paul Pinheiro, the chair of the commission, said: “It has not been possible, on the evidence available, to determine the precise chemical agents used, their delivery systems or the perpetrator.”

    Sky News says the inquiry examined four reported toxic attacks in March and April, interviewing victims, medical staff and refugees who had fled the affected areas.

    The 29-page report on human rights abuses in the ongoing civil war also described war crimes and crimes against humanity which have reached “new levels of brutality.”

    Leaders of Syria’s military and government were accused of “a concerted policy” of violations, including the bombing of cities and executing of civilians, which investigators said they must be held accountable for.

    The conflict has now raged for 26 months and claimed more than 80,000 lives.

    The UN report blames both government and rebel forces for carrying out murder, torture and rape, but said that that the intensity and scale of the crimes committed by the state outweighed those committed by opposition fighters.

     

  • HIV infection: UN report identifies reduction in Africa

    HIV infection: UN report identifies reduction in Africa

    A United Nations report said there has been reduction of more than 50 per cent in the rate of new HIV infections across 25 countries in Africa.

    The report made available at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday said that the reduction was an indication that unprecedented acceleration response to HIV issues had produced results.

    “We are scaling up faster and smarter than ever before; it is the proof that with political will and follow-through we can reach our shared goals by 2015,” the report quoted the Executive Director of Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibe as saying.

    It said that UNAIDS increased HIV treatment by 75 per cent in the last two years by ensuring that 1.7 million people had access to life-saving treatment.

    According to the report, in some of the countries which have the highest HIV prevalence, the rates of new HIV infections have been reduced drastically since 2001.

    It explained that it reduced by 73 per cent in Malawi, 71 per cent in Botswana, 68 per cent in Namibia, 58 per cent in Zambia, 50 per cent in Zimbabwe and 41 per cent in South Africa and Swaziland.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, quoting the report said sub-Saharan Africa also recorded low AIDS-related deaths in the last six years and increased the number of people on antiretroviral treatment by 59 per cent in the last two years.

    It also revealed that countries were assuming shared responsibility by increasing domestic investments in the response to the virus, adding that more than 81 countries increased such investments by 50 per cent between 2001 and 2011.

    It stated that in Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Togo and Zambia, the number of children newly infected with HIV fell by 40 per cent between 2009 and 2011.

    “Antiretroviral therapy has emerged as a powerful force for saving lives,’’, the report noted, adding that in the last 24 months, the number of people accessing treatment had increased by 63 per cent globally.

    It further said that in sub-Saharan Africa, 2.3 million people had access to treatment, while China had increased the number of people on HIV treatment by nearly 50 per cent in the last year alone.