UNIS/L/350
3 October 2023
VIENNA, 3 October (UN Information Service) – With the deposit of the instrument of accession at the UN Headquarters in New York, Japan becomes the twelfth State Party to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, also known as the "Singapore Convention on Mediation". The accession by Japan was effected on 1 October 2023, and the Convention will enter into force for Japan on 1 April 2024. In acceding to the Convention, Japan made a reservation in accordance with article 8(1)(b) of the Convention.
The Singapore Convention on Mediation facilitates international trade and promotes mediation as an alternative and effective method of resolving commercial disputes by providing an effective mechanism for the enforcement of international settlement agreements resulting from mediation.
The Convention is open for signature, ratification, and accession by States and regional economic integration organizations. In total, fifty-six States have signed the Convention since it opened for signature on 7 August 2019. Up-to-date information on the Convention and its status is available on the UNCITRAL website: uncitral.un.org.
***
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. Its mandate is to remove legal obstacles to international trade by progressively modernizing and harmonizing trade law. It prepares legal texts in a number of key areas such as international commercial dispute settlement, electronic commerce, insolvency, international payments, sale of goods, transport law, procurement and infrastructure development. UNCITRAL also provides technical assistance to law reform activities, including assisting Member States to review and assess their law reform needs and to draft the legislation required to implement UNCITRAL texts. The UNCITRAL Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria, and maintains a website at uncitral.un.org.
We must transform how we produce and consume, and how we value nature, says the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "Biodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development.... Biodiversity loss is a global challenge. No one country, however rich or powerful, can address it alone. Nor can they live without the rich biodiversity that defines our planet."
"On Africa Day, we celebrate a continent rich in heritage, vibrant in diversity and remarkable in its contributions to our global community." — António Guterres
The growing demand for minerals is amplifying the risks of crime, corruption and instability in the mineral supply chain, says a new study from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released today.
LGBTIQ+ people around the world face an onslaught of hate speech, attacks, and restrictions on their rights. The power of communities is the theme this year which reminds us that we are strongest together. "LGBTIQ+ people, and those working with them to secure their rights, have proved time and again the value of communities in providing support and driving change," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres
