Disarmament and International Security Committee
The peaceful uses of outerspace
The First Committee, or the Disarmament and International Security Committee
(DISEC), handles issues such as disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect
the international community and seeks out solutions to the challenges in the international
security regime. Typically, DISEC is one of the main committees to recommend topics and
resolutions to the Security Council, as they directly deal with threats to peace and security.
DISEC is the culmination of two separate committees created by the UN Security Council; the
first titled the Atomic Energy Commission, was created in 1947 in response to the use of nuclear
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the second titled the Commission for Conventional
Armements, was created in 1947 to help resolve issues concerning the use of conventional
weapons. Both of these committees hit road blocks due to the disagreement between the U.S. and
the U.S.S.R., which led to the merger of these committees into the Disarmament and
International Security Committee. The very first General Assembly resolution was adopted by
the First Committee on January 24, 1946. All member states of the United Nations are able to
participate in the Committee, and resolutions adopted by the Committee are typically send
directly to the Security Council for review. DISEC directly is tied to Article 1 of the UN Charter,
as their main topic of discussion is the threat to the maintenance of international peace and
security.
Delegates therefore will represent their nation’s interests regarding the constantly
evolving issue that DISEC is considering: the peaceful use of outer space.
Nations like the United States are taking increasingly larger steps in space exploration.
NASA has stated its hope and aim to capture for study an asteroid. China has landed its first
lunar rover. Private companies are even starting to enter into space for a variety of purposes:
some for research, some for expensive joyrides. There has been, however, increasing concern
about the threats posed by the uses of outer space. Space law is governed largely by the Outer
Space Treaty, a treaty signed on January 27, 1967. There are 102 countries party to the treaty,
most notably nations such as the U.S., the nations of the EU, Russia, China, India, and other
nations with large space organizations. The treaty explicitly prohibits states from placing nuclear
weapons or any other WMD’s in orbit of Earth, installing them on the Moon or any other
“celestial body”, or to otherwise station them in outer space. It prohibits the testing of weapons,
the conducting of military maneuvers, and the establishment of military bases, installations, or
fortifications on the “Moon and other celestial bodies.” Space also cannot be exploited or
claimed as territory. Space is, in essence, to be used for peaceful purposes only.
There are some specific concerns. Chiefly, the legal framework is somewhat vague.
Weapons can still be placed, technically, in orbit, without violating the treaty. Among all these is
a lack of regulation of private companies. NASA is increasingly contracting work to companies
for not just the production of new launch vehicles, but also for exploration tasks. There are even
countries considering putting nuclear power sources into orbit.
Although the Outer Space Treaty does tackle some of these issues, these present direct
threats to international peace. What if nations develop orbit based launch platforms for weapons?
What if nations like the U.S. capture and lose control of the asteroid after it gets in lunar orbit?
What if private companies decide to try to not just capture but to exploit asteroids for natural
resources? As the age of space exploration reaches a new level, the international community
must come up with a new system to regulate the missing pieces in the current framework.
The situation is more important than just threats to international security. There is no
legal framework for nations to cooperate on joint space ventures. The International Space Station
was negotiated directly between the U.S., Canada, Japan, Russia, and the European Space
Agency. If nations cooperated more on space exploration, there is a strong likelihood that there
will be little to no security threats from nations that operate in space. Delegates will therefore
have to decide what actions to take regarding the immediate threats to security in outer space and
to decide whether a legal framework for future cooperation is necessary or even possible.
Outside Resources
Like many committees, the topic for DISEC this year directly hinges on a particular
branch of international law. Space law is fascinating and something that delegates rarely get a
chance to research. It is highly recommended you read the Outer Space Treaty and any other
space related law. Delegates will need to be innovative in DISEC this year, perhaps more so than
ever.
Works Cited
"China to Send 'Jade Rabbit' Rover to the Moon." Sinosphere: n. pag. Sinosphere Blog. Web. 27
Aug.
"Outer Space Treaty of 1967." Wikisource. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty_of_1967>.
"What Is NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission?" NASA. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://www.nasa.gov/content/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirectmission/#.U_8hSPldXh4>.
Disarmament and International Security Committee II
The relevance of international law in relation to non-state threats
DISEC was created along with the United Nations and is known as the first committee.
The First Committee deals with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect
the international community and seeks out solutions to the challenges in the international
security regime. It considers all disarmament and international security matters within the scope
of the Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any other organ of the United Nations;
the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of international peace and security, as
well as principles governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments; promotion of
cooperative arrangements and measures aimed at strengthening stability through lower levels of
armaments.
Though the Security Council (UNSC) is the only UN body capable of imposing force
upon Member States (economically, militarily, or otherwise), the First Committee makes
valuable recommendations to the Security Council on all aspects of matters that place global
peace at risk. Because the First Committee’s legislative process incorporates the voice of every
Member States to the UN, its resolutions are always respected and considered by the Security
Council.
Successes in DISEC include curbing illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW)
trafficking to establishing important weapons treaties, such as the 1970 Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT). Recent items on its agenda include non-state terrorist actors,
reduction of military budgets, and the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
The delegates in this committee will be discussing the relevance of international law in
light of the current world situation in which we have non-state entities posing a threat to many
state entities. The United States has considered the option of bombing ISIS sites in Syria,
disregarding Syria's borders. There have also been many drone strikes in Somalia and other
sovereign states, this problem is not centrally located in any one region of the world but is
something that can affect most member nations. In the past 10 years over 400 civilians have been
killed in drone strikes targeted at non-state entities which have been carried out in Afghanistan,
Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Gaza, and Pakistan. Ben Emmerson, U.N. special rapporteur
on human rights and counterterrorism, urged the U.S. to declassify data on unmanned aerial
strikes and clarify questions about the legality of such attacks.
Unmanned aerial attacks continue to raise questions about compliance with international
law, especially with regard to the principles of distinction and proportionality. Since such attacks
are conducted outside the military chain of command, ensuring accountability for failures is
difficult, according to the U.N, while many people in the countries targeted by drone strikes
consider it an abuse of their sovereignty.
Even the recently divulged extent of such spying programs and entities such as PRISM
and the NSA and GCHQ base their existence, and encroachment on several countries
sovereignty, on the need to stop international terrorist organizations and dangerous non-state
entities.
With new technologies and the growth in capabilities and size of dangerous non-state
entities comes an even greater danger for the sovereignty of countries that are embroiled in
conflict with non-state entities. New international laws are needed to both protect the
independence of individual states and to protect the people within those states from dangerous
non-state actors.
Works Cited
"United Nations, Main Body, Main Organs, General Assembly." UN News Center. UN. Web. 10
Sept.
2014. <http://www.un.org/en/ga/first/archives.shtml>.
"First Committee Documentation/GA59." UN News Center. UN. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.un.org/ga/59/first/doc1.html>.
Investigator
Urges US To Declassify Data." International Business Times. Theguardian. Web. 10
Sept. 2014. <http://www.ibtimes.com/drone-attacks-pakistan-killed-400-civilians-last-10years-un-investigator-urges-us-declassify-data>.
MacAskill, Ewen, Julian Borger, Nick Hopkins, Nick Davies, and James Ball. "GCHQ Taps
Fibre-optic
Cables for Secret Access to World's Communications." The Guardian. Guardian News
and Media, 22 June 2013. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/21/gchq-cables-secret-worldcommunications-nsa>.
UN Convention Against Corruption
To Assist in the Prevention of Corruption, Especially Corruption Through International
Corporation
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is a multilateral
convention negotiated by members of the United Nations. It is unique in that it is the first global
legally binding international anti-corruption instrument. In its 71 Articles divided into 8
Chapters, UNCAC requires that States Parties implement several anti-corruption measures which
may affect their laws, institutions and practices. These measures aim at preventing corruption,
criminalizing certain conducts, strengthening international law enforcement and judicial
cooperation, providing effective legal mechanisms for asset recovery, technical assistance and
information exchange, and mechanisms for implementation of the Convention, including the
Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
UNCAC is the most recent of a long series of developments in which experts and
politicians have recognized the far-reaching impact of corruption and economic crime that
undermine the value of democracy, sustainable development, and rule of law. They have also
recognized the need to develop effective measures against corruption at both the domestic and
international levels. International action against corruption has progressed to legally binding
agreements in recent decades. While at the beginning of the discussion measures were focused
relatively narrowly on specific crimes, above all bribery, the understanding of corruption has
become broader and so have the measures against it. UNCAC's comprehensive approach and the
mandatory character of many of its provisions give proof of this development. UNCAC deals
with forms of corruption that had not been covered by many of the earlier international
instruments, such as trading in influence, abuse of function, and various types of corruption in
the private sector. A further significant development was the inclusion of a specific chapter
dealing with the recovery of stolen assets, a major concern for countries that pursue the assets of
former leaders and other officials accused or found to have engaged in corruption.
The Fifth and most recent session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United
Nations Convention against Corruption was held in Panama on the 25-29 November 2013. Five
resolutions were past on Enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement cooperation in the
detection of corruption offences in the framework of the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, Strengthening the implementation of the criminalization provisions of the United
Nations Convention against Corruption, in particular with regard to solicitation, Facilitating
international cooperation in asset recovery, and Follow-up to the Marrakech declaration on the
prevention of corruption.
With the Great Recession, many things became clear in the global economy with regards
to the banking sector. In the United States, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act
were both put in place to put tighter regulations on the financial sector. However, among many
of the regulations put in place by countries around the world, little has been done to actively
target corruption in the financial sector. This topic will deal with whether more needs to be done
by the international community and national governments in combatting corruption by bank
officials, especially officials serving in firms that operate internationally.
Corruption is not a localized problem and is both a major cause and a result of poverty
around the world. It occurs at all levels of society, from local and national governments, civil
society, judiciary functions, large and small businesses, military and other services and so on.
Corruption affects the poorest the most, in rich or poor nations, though all elements of society are
affected in some way as corruption undermines political development, democracy, economic
development, the environment, people’s health and more. And it affects the status of those
countries, who deal with rampant corruption, on the national stage.
There are many policies and factors determining the decisions of potential foreign
investors, particularly corruption. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) provides an extensive list of policies and factors which not only affect the potential
foreign investors but which also influence established foreign investors (those who have already
invested in a developing economy) and the responses of domestic firms.
One of the most significant of these factors is corruption. An article published by the
Cato Institute, a public policy think tank, highlights a complex relationship between corruption
and FDI inflows. In addition to presenting a financial and legal risk for would-be investors,
corruption also has an adverse effect on many other factors that investors consider. These include
the recent level of investment, public investment, infrastructure quality, healthcare, education
and income inequality. Bribes paid by the foreign investors for obtaining licenses or government
permits decrease the expected profitability of investment. Moreover, because corruption
agreements are not enforceable in the courts of law – and because the forms and extent of bribery
cannot necessarily be predicted – corruption increases uncertainty and risk for would-be
investors. This uncertainty is multiplied when the corruption is found to transcend international
boarders through cooperation and banks that deal internationally. Historically it has been very
difficult to crack down on this international corruption and even the moves made by the UN
Office on Drugs and Crime and other international bodies have been less effective that many
people would have hoped.
Date
12/15/2008
02/11/2009
02/05/2010
10 Largest Global Business Corruption Cases
Company (HQ
DOJ Settlement
Charge
country)
Amount
Siemens (Germany)
$1.6 Billion
Bribed Argentine
government officials to win
government i.d. contract
KBR/Halliburton
$579 million
Led four-company global
(U.S.)
consortium that bribed
Nigerian officials to win
construction contracts
BAE Systems (U.S.) $448 million
Paid $2 billion in bribes to
Saudi Arabian ambassador
Bandar bin Sultan in a
multi-billion-dollar arms
deal
07/07/2010
Snamprogetti
$240 million
Bribed Nigerian officials to
(Netherlands)
win construction contracts
06/28/2010
Technip S.A.
$240 million
Bribed Nigerian officials to
(France)
win construction contracts
04/06/2011
JGC Corp. (Japan)
$219 million
Bribed Nigerian officials to
win construction contracts
04/01/2010
Daimeter AG
$195 million
Made illegal payments to
(Germany)
foreign officials worth tens
of millions of dollars in at
least 22 countries
03/10/2011
Alcatel-Lucent
$137 million
Bribed officials to win
(France)
telecommunications
contracts in Costa Rica,
Honduras, Taiwan,
Malaysia and other
countries
11/04/2010
Panalpina World
$76 million
Oil transport company and
Transportation
U.S. affiliate paid
(Switzerland)
thousands of bribes totaling
at least $27 million to
foreign officials in at least
seven countries, including
Angola, Azerbaijan, Brazil,
Kazakhstan, Nigeria,
Russia and Turkmenistan
04/08/2011
Johnson and Johnson $70 million
Bribed government-paid
(U.S.)
doctors and health officials
to promote sales of medical
devices in Greece, Poland
and Romania
Corruption has been around since the advent of the first monetary system and probably
before, what is different about corruption today is the scale of that corruption. There have been
hundreds of settlements worth billions of dollars and yet the amount of corrupt practices at the
international level does not seem to have decreased. To try and more effectively combat this
growing trend the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime was established in 1997 and The
United Nations Convention against Corruption was adopted Oct. 21, 2003 it was signed by 140
countries and as of April 2014 there are 171 parties. UNCAC is the most recent of a long series
of developments in which experts and politicians have recognized the far-reaching impact of
corruption and economic crime that undermine the value of democracy, sustainable
development, and rule of law. They have also recognized the need to develop effective measures
against corruption at both the domestic and international levels. International action against
corruption has progressed from general consideration and declarative statements to legally
binding agreements.
While at the beginning of the discussion measures were focused relatively narrowly on
specific crimes, most of the talk about bribery, the understanding of corruption has become
broader and so have the measures against it. UNCAC's comprehensive approach and the
mandatory character of many of its provisions give proof of this development. UNCAC deals
with forms of corruption that had not been covered by many of the earlier international
instruments, such as trading in influence, abuse of function, and various types of corruption in
the private sector. A further significant development was the inclusion of a specific chapter
dealing with the recovery of stolen assets, a major concern for countries that pursue the assets of
former leaders and other officials accused or found to have engaged in corruption. The UNCAC
is one of the only international bodies that is not bound to any specific rejoin of the world or any
specific form of corruption. This makes it uniquely suited to solve the current ineffective nature
of certain international corruption law and to generally help to halt the rise of corrupt practices
around the world.
Ratification of UNCAC, while it was a very big step, is only the first step. Fully
implementing its provisions brings significant challenges for the international community as well
as individual States parties. Countries have often needed policy guidance and technical
assistance to ensure the effective implementation of UNCAC in areas where they might not be
equipped to do so. The results of the first years of implementation have shown that many
developing countries have identified technical assistance needs. The provision of technical
assistance, as foreseen in UNCAC, is crucial to ensure the full and effective incorporation of the
provisions of UNCAC into domestic legal systems and, above all, into the reality of daily life.
Without this assistance the provisions of the UNCAC will most likely not be fully implemented
and therefore will be far less effective. The UNCAC is set to meet again in 2015 and due to their
promising work in the past and their effectiveness in combatting corruption on the global stage
there is a lot of optimism directed at the outcomes of their sixth secession.
Works Cited
Al-Sadig, Ali. "The Effects of Corruption on FDI Inflows." Cato Institute. Cato Journal, 31 May
2009. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.cato.org/search/results/corruption%20on%20FDI%20inflow%20%20>.
Kelton, Erika. "Anonymous Whistleblower Behind Exposé Of Massive Offshore Corruption
By Banks And Others." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikakelton/2013/04/05/anonymous-whistleblower-behindexpose-of-massive-offshore-corruption-by-banks-and-others/>.
Gerard, Ryle. "Secret Files Expose Offshore's Global Impact." International Consortium of
Investigative Journalists. 3 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.icij.org/offshore/secret-files-expose-offshores-global-impact>.
Goozner, Merrill. "The Ten Largest Global Business Corruption Cases." The Fiscal Times. The
Fiscal Times, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/12/13/The-Ten-Largest-Global-BusinessCorruption-Cases>.
"United Nations Convention against Corruption." United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
United Nations. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/>.
Annan, Kofi. "General Provitions." United Nations Convention against Corruption. Vienna:
United Nations, 2004. Print.
International Labour Organization
Labor Migration
The International Labour Organization (or ILO) is an agency within the United Nations
that handles issues related to work and labour. As one of the specialized agencies of the UN, the
ILO tackles work related issues such as international labour standards, workplace equality, and
even provides reports on the effects of trade agreements on labour. Tracing it’s routes back to the
League of Nations as an agency in that organization as well, the ILO was formally established by
the United Nations in 1969 and currently includes 185 of the 193 UN member states. The ILO
saw increased use in the 1990s with regard to forced labour. One of the most prominent works
that originated out of the ILO was the “Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work”, an agreement that was made in June of 1998.
As such, delegates participating in the committee will represent their nation’s interests in
finding creative and innovative solutions to one of the world’s most pressing concerns: Labour
Migration. Unlike normal committees, resolutions adopted by the ILO are simply resolutions that
the organization promotes to its members to adopt in their own nation. For largescale projects,
including labour Conventions and Declarations, the ILO serves as a negotiating platform where
delegates attempt to create documents which will be more pervasive than general
recommendations.
According to the “UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers and Members of Their Families”, a migrant worker is: “…a person who is engaged or
has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national.” In
essence, a migrant worker is someone who does work in a country that they are not a citizen of.
In some cases, migrant workers have permanent employment in a country outside their home; in
others, migrant workers have temporary work that changes from country to country. The
definition of migrant worker sometimes, in larger nations, is expanded to not just workers who
find employment outside their national home, but individuals who work throughout a nation,
going from province to province. Migrant workers have, of course, been around for centuries.
Before the abolition of the slave trade, slaves were migrant workers which were very frequently
used. Migrant workers have been present in Europe for centuries as well, travelling across the
continent for various work opportunities.
The current situation is a little different, however. In China there are a reported 167
million migrant workers as of 2012 who simply move throughout the nation itself (Wong). One
of the concerns, at least in nations like China, is that wages for these workers dropped by about
21% in 2012 (Wong). In the European Union, each enlargement of the organization in 2004 and
2007 saw vast increases of migrant workers moving from new members such as Hungary and
Bulgaria to the west into nations like the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.
Migrant workers are in many respects a benefit to nations. The United States has had
chronic issues of nursing shortages, where one of the principle ways to alleviate this was the
recruitment of nurses from outside the country. However, the U.S. has put a stop to this by no
longer issuing the H-1C visa in 2009, a visa which allowed nurses from overseas to practice
within the United States (H-1C). Nations which lack adequate workforces for agriculture see
large amounts of illegal migrant workers.
One of the key issues concerning migrant workers is that they are very frequently
marginalized. The U.K. and the U.S. have both been very critical of illegal or in some cases legal
migrant workers, particularly for the agricultural sector. A major concern across the world is that
migrant workers are sometimes able to avoid paying taxes like ordinary, local citizens, while still
being able to obtain benefits such as welfare, medical support, even education in some countries.
More importantly, these migrant workers put a huge strain on the local infrastructure by flooding
the local workforce, by putting huge strains on the health sector of a nation, and by having little
cash to reinvest into the nation.
Delegates are tasked with a difficult topic. Of the two major conventions on the topic, the
“UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their
Families” and the “Migrant Workers Convention, 1975”, only 20 states have ratified the former
convention, while 23 states have ratified the latter one. This is an issue that has taken an even
more urgent spotlight since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, as refugees from the nation
attempt to find work in the countries they flee to. “According to World Bank estimates,
unemployment among Lebanese citizens could double in Lebanon by the end of 2014 as a result
of the Syrian refugee influx” (Lebanon).
Although the ILO has no place to end the Syrian conflict, they do have the opportunity to
create collective action from the international community to find solutions to help countries deal
with migrant workers. What rights, if any, do workers deserve if they move between nations?
Can the international community help fund nations in their attempts to deal with migrant
workers? Or is it a problem that individual states must deal with?
Outside Resources
There are many resources to learn more about the ILO and the issues they tackle. The
best way to navigate through them is the use of the ILO’s actual website, which is www.ilo.org.
Unlike actual UN committees, the ILO operates separately from the day-to-day operations of the
UN. They have their own Conference and their own Governing Body which make a programme
and budget each year. Looking through the “About the ILO” tab is highly recommended, as it
gives an insight into the operations of a UN Agency that most Model UN delegates fail to
achieve.
Works Cited
"Lebanon." International Labour Organization. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/lebanon/lang--en/index.htm>.
Wong, Daniel Fu Keung, Chang Ying Li, and He Xue Song. "Rural migrant workers in urban
China: living a marginalised life." International Journal of Social Welfare 16.1 (2007):
32-40. Online.
H-1C Registered Nurse Working in a Health Professional Shortage Area as Determined by the
Department of Labor. Fed. Reg. Print. Expired December 20, 2009.
Legal Committee
Legal Review of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
Welcome to the United Nations General Assembly 6th Committee: The Legal Committee.
The General Assembly, as dictated by the as dictated by the Charter of the United Nations,
Chapter IV, Section 13.1 states the GA is to focus on “International Law” among other issues,
and such 6 main bodies were formed to take care of issues assigned by the charter. This
committee will following the same rules and procedures as other committees. However, just as
the United Nations has assigned this committee in real life, this simulation of the 6th Committee
will be to discuss legal and ethical issues, rather than other committees that may deal with moral
issues. Of course the use of moral issues is allowed; however, using a legal argument to
reestablish what should be done in this committee, in support of your nation and the global
nation, will be higher regarded and should be the basis of your research.
Signed back in 1982, The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea established
regulations regarding the most abundant source of natural resource on the planet: water. History
has shown throughout time that sea based interactions with other states is not only a supplement,
but in times, a necessary form of commerce, communication, and, yes, combat as well. Simply
open any history book to any section and apply this rule: of it was not a landlocked nation, they
had a naval system at work. Thus showing how needed rules and regulations are to modern
society and our global international setting.
So, with all those considerations in mind, what do we need laws for water anyway? The
simple answer is everything. Whether it be where can a country control their laws into the water,
or who can decide which ships are allowed to sail where, or even who is allowed access to the
minerals that are found below the surface and rules regulating fishing and whaling of marine
species of fish, whales, and dolphins. The Law of the Sea dictates all these rules.
Now where does the controversy lie within the Treaty? Two main problems seem to take
the main public eye. First off, and perhaps more publicly discussed is the application of whaling
and NGOs interactions within and outside the nautical borders of certain nations (mainly Japan)
and what can be done about settling those discrepancies. The argument comes out of a moral and
ethical dilemma regarding the hunting of cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and how to
restrict these acts of killing endangered animals, while keeping in mind the considerations of
respecting tradition and customs of those who do practice whaling. The second, and what
delegates should focus more for this conference, is the dispute about the Arctic Circle.
In layman’s terms: The Arctic needs resolution. As it stands, according to the stipulations
set around the Law of the Seas, there is massive layovers in terms of who “owns” the arctic and
the surrounding areas. Why is this land of just ice and barren land such a desired section?
Referring to the image below, taken from the New York Times, it shows exactly what countries
are aiming for. As the key demonstrates, the natural resources in the untouched area of the Arctic
could and may have a huge impact on not only economically, but also environmentally. With
that in mind, remember, while the countries listed on the map may have a direct attribute to what
the outcome of this debate entails; however, the way the settlement may end does have a direct
impact on even the most landlocked nations. Keep in mind different country’s alliances, not just
in the UN but also in other international bodies and international trade.
The questions posed this to this committee will be based on legal arguments in regards to
the Law of the Sea. During debate in this committee, the issues that are being discussed in the
committee, and the solutions that are to come up should be addressed in revising these legal
codes established. Avoid using simply moral debates, but also do incorporate legal discussions
that the 6th Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations would have.
Source: New York Times
Works Cited
Dodds, K. (2010). Flag planting and finger pointing: The Law of the Sea, the Arctic and the
political geographies of the outer continental shelf. Political Geography, 29(2), 63-73.
Klare, M. (2013, December 7). Rushing for the Arctic’s Riches. The New York Times. Retrieved
September 5, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/opinion/sunday/rushingfor-the-arctics-riches.html
Oceans and Law of the Sea. (n.d.). UN News Center. Retrieved September 5, 2014, from
http://www.un.org/depts/los/index.htm
UN General Assembly - Legal - Sixth Committee. (n.d.). UN News Center. Retrieved September
5, 2014, from http://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/to, B. (2014, April 28). Sovereignty issues
loom as Arctic sea ice shrinks. CBCnews. Retrieved September 5, 2014, from
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sovereignty-issues-loom-as-arctic-sea-ice-shrinks1.1285765
United Nations Social and Humanitarian Committee
The Protection of Rights for Foreign Journalists
The United Nations Committee on Social and Humanitarian affairs (also referred to as
the Third Committee) stands as the governing body within the United Nations concerning rights
and liberties of all citizens around the globe. The committee is tasked with not only discussing a
wide range of issues but resolving conflict and procedural dispute when referring to human and
social rights. As in previous sessions, an important part of the work of the Committee will focus
on the examination of human rights questions, as well as the advancement of women, the
protection of children, indigenous issues, the treatment of refugees, the promotion of
fundamental freedoms through the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and the right
to self- determination. The Committee also addresses important social development questions
such as issues related to youth, family, ageing, persons with disabilities, crime prevention,
criminal justice, and international drug control.
The Committee itself was founded in 1948 in an attempt to create a drafted document on
the position and placement of human rights. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General
assembly passed the first document from this committee known as "The Universal Declaration
on Human Rights." This document, although still considered to be a living document with its
context and verse free to interpretation, holds the weight of law both by the United Nations
General Assembly as well as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of
Justice. Thanks to the nature of the topics and the individuality of each member state, the debates
hold as some of the most lively of the United Nations sessions as each representative weighs in
on their host country's point of view.
Chapter IX articles 55- 60 Economic and Social Co-operation
These articles specifically deal with the cooperation between nations and member states
for the development of better social and economic climates. While the topic of "Journalism" is
not specified under this article, the idea of freedom and protection of the press does fall under the
precursors of the United Nations goals.
"With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for
peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights
and self-determination of peoples, the United Nations shall promote:
1. higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social
progress and development;
2. solutions of international economic, social, health, and related problems; and
international cultural and educational cooperation; and
3. universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for
all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion." (Article 55 UN Charter).
Chapter XVI articles 102-105 Miscellaneous Provisions
Under these provisions, the UN charter makes it very clear that each state will not
hinder the actions of any committee investigators or their actions and that each committee
will have full capabilities to perform their duties in the nation that they are assigned to work
in or inquire upon. For the most part this article is stating that a member state has the full
responsibility to protect staff, inquisitors and surveyors of any United Nations committee on
assignment within their territory and grant to them rights, immunities and privileges to better
assist them in their ends.
"The Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each of its Members such legal
capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its
purposes." (Article 104 UN charter).
In Egypt, Eastern Ukraine, Syria, and many other areas of political upheaval and
conflict, journalists experience high levels of assault. Not only is it extremely dangerous to
travel to an area of armed civil war or conflict, but there is very little ability to protect
journalists traveling there to report the situation. There has been little coordinated action
from the international community in recent years to further protect these journalists, many of
whom are sexually and physically assaulted. Delegates will be tasked with a topic concerning
how the international community can further protect journalists who operate overseas, and
what can be done to further pressure national governments or militaries to provide better
security for these journalists.
The difficulties of this topic stem from the differences in each nation's opinions on
social rights and the ability of a person to speak freely and think creatively. The countries that
have made the greatest strides in protection for rights and liberties for journalism have been in
the western first world countries (i.e. US, UK, Germany...etc.) where journalists receive not
only personal protection if needed but legal protection from prosecution. The greatest
difficulty by far is not just the freedoms of the press, but the protection of them as well. In
areas like the Middle East, it is becoming increasingly difficult to protect those press members
by any conventional means. Even an armed escort is proving in some cases a hindrance more
than a benefit. As seen in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the previous black hawk incident in
Somalia as well as currently the beheading of American journalists by ISIS group, armed
terrorists, rebels and freedom fighters often do not care about UN neutrality or retaliation from
attack on an escorted civilian. So the main focus of this committee are twofold:
A. Procure and protect liberties for Journalists.
B. Discover cooperative ways to protect journalists in the field.
Timeline of Journalism
1450- Johannes Guttenberg creates improved movable type printing press, now documents can be
copied and ideas spread faster than ever.
1556- First Monthly published newspaper Notizie Scritte published in Venice, Italy.
1704- Considered the world's first journalist, Daniel Defoe publishes the Review.
1827- The creation of the first true camera allowed for photographs of places and people to be taken
and used in articles. The American Civil war expressed the true potential of cameras in
battlefield correspondence.
1831-The famous abolitionist newspaper in America ,The Liberator, is first published by William Lloyd
Garrison.
1843- First feminist article published in newspaper as well as first use of the term "cartoon" for satirical
pictures.
1848- The Associated Press was created.
1887- Elizabeth Cochran (1964-1922), under the pen name of Nellie Bly, managed to get herself sent to
the New York Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island to do an undercover story of
conditions there. She spent 10 days there until a lawyer from the New York World obtained her
release. Her 2-part story recounted her experiences and led to changes at the asylum.
1911- The Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Standard Oil Company, ruling it was in violation of
the Sherman Antitrust Act. The anti-trust suit led to the dissolution of Standard Oil Co. of John
D. Rockefeller. From its remains 34 new companies were formed that included Exxon, Mobil,
Amoco, Chevron, Arco and Conoco. Rockefeller’s quarter interest in the parent turned into a
quarter interest in all the offspring. The action of the Supreme Court was based in part on
findings by Ida Tarbell, who published articles in McClure’s Magazine regarding Rockefeller
and Standard Oil.
1945-During World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised the
American flag. John Bradley (d.1994), was one of the soldiers who raised the US flag at Iwo
Jima. The carnage on the 8-sq.-mile island continued for another 31 days. The flag raising was
captured by AP photographer Joseph Rosenthal (1911-2006) and inspired the 1954 sculpture by
Felix de Weldon (d.2003) erected in Washington DC. Sgt. Bill Genaust filmed the event with a
16mm camera and died in combat 9 days later.
These are but a taste of the events that lead up to the revolution that will be known as the
technological age. In this new era media and news travels faster than the most advanced aircraft. This
has caused the need for ever increasing levels of journalism on the front lines, for stories to come
straight from the front. As of now the United Nations has pushed to keep its staff and press workers safe
with mixed results and with the latest rise of the ISIS regime and other terror networks around the globe
the problem only seems to be compounding itself.
Further Readings
"American Woman is Being Held Hostage in Syria." http://bigstory.ap.org/article/us-hostageislamic-state-female-aid-worker.
Freedom House Press Freedom Data. http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press-2014/pressfreedom-numbers.
Freedom House Data. freedomhouse.org
"Concerns Rise Over Freedom of Press in Somalia After Crackdown on Journalists."
http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/features/2014/09/04/feature-01.
UNESCO news briefs. http://www.un.org/apps/news/subject.asp?SubjectID=10
CPJ.org
Works Cited
"Charter of the United Nations." 26 June 1945.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/index.shtml. Web. 5 September 2014.
"Timelines of Journalism." n.d.
http://www.timelinesdb.com/listevents.php?subjid=628&dayinhist=0&date1=99999999999&date2=99999999999&words=&title=journalism&fromrec=60. Web. 4
September 2014.
Special Political and Decolonization
The Legal and Ethical questions posed by the use of Private Military Contractors in foreign
conflicts
The General Assembly Fourth Committee (or Fourth Committee) is one of the six “Main
Committees” of the United Nations, where all members of the UN participate in. Established in
the early history of the United Nations, the Fourth Committee served as the de-facto
decolonization committee, where decolonization, one of the principle objectives of the UN, was
dealt with. The UN Charter specifically created the Trusteeship Council with the purpose of
coordinating what were called “trusteeship territories”, or territories owned by nations that were
essentially deemed to be colonial areas. The Trusteeship Council however did not contain all
members of the United Nations, and therefore the Fourth Committee was established to oversee
the actions of the Council and to further push for nations to decolonize. The current system of the
Fourth Committee is, however, relatively new. With the independence of Palau in 1994, there are
currently no trust territories. The Committee’s workload became nearly nonexistent at that point,
and so the Special Political Committee was merged with the Fourth Committee to expand the
issues that the Fourth Committee dealt with. Currently, the committee deals with issues including
Palestinian refugees and human rights, peacekeeping, public information, outer space, mine
action, atomic radiation, University for Peace, and topics related to decolonization.
The UN General Assembly is one of the five principle organs created in the UN Charter,
gaining its mandate directly from the Charter in Article 10. The General Assembly, and
specifically the committees that it creates:
“May discuss any questions or any matters within the scope of the present Charter or
relating to the powers and functions of any organs provided for in the present Charter,
and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations to the Members of the
United Nations or to the Security Council or to both on any such questions or matters.”
(UN Charter)
The Fourth Committee follows this exact line, as they discuss a wide array of issues. In
addition to special political topics, the Fourth Committee has in recent years held annual talks
with the support of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to discuss the growing
concerns about space use.
With the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States has turned to
private contractors to provide increased security at locations in Iraq. The amount of forces
protecting American facilities, offices, and diplomatic centers has been nearly doubled to 7,000
in recent times in Iraq alone with the use of Private Military Companies (Untied States).
Historically, the United States and members of the Coalition in Iraq used PMCs as security
guards on military bases and embassies, to operate mess halls, and as logistical supporters.
The main concern of the international community is the lack of successful work on the
topic. In 1989, the United Nations Mercenary Convention was signed which effectively banned
the use of mercenaries (private individuals contracted outside of national military forces to
conduct military operations) (International Convention Against…). Since it’s signing, there are
only 33 countries who have ratified the Convention. In October 2007, the UN released a twoyear study that stated, although hired as “security guards”, private contractors were performing
military duties, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan by the United States and the United Kingdom,
both of which are not parties to the Convention (Working Group). The lack of enforceable action
from the international community leaves doubt as to what role PMCs can and will do, as they
frequently and, mostly, publicly performed military actions in the beginning of the Iraq war.
The lack of a legal framework leaves the role of PMCs vague and undefined, especially
for the majority of the world. Delegates must debate whether or not to create a more lasting
framework than the Mercenary Convention, whether to keep the status-quo, whether to find other
action to take, or whether to just debate the ethics behind the use of PMCs.
Other Resources and Works Cited
The following article is one of the leading resources on PMCs and their use by the United
States, something that can be taken for the rest of the committee’s debate as well, and is a highly
recommended read.
Private Military Contractors and the U.S. Grand Strategy, David Isenberg:
http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/articles/isenberg-private%2520military-contractors2009.pdf
International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries,
New York, 4 December 1989, United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 303, Number 1990,
retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/1990/CN.303.1990-Eng.pdf
United Nations, Charter of the United Nations, 24 October 1945, 1 UNTS 1975,
http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/
United States. The Department of Defense’s Use of Private Security Contractors in Afghanistan
and Iraq: Background, Analysis, and Options for Congress. Washington: GRS, 2011.
Print.
Working Group, Mercenaries, comp. Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as
a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to
self-determination. New York: Human Rights Council, n.d. Print.
UN Conference on Trade and Development
Corruption dealing with cross border trade
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development that serves as a forum and
platform for nations to discuss issues related to global trade and development. Established in
1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, it is the chief organ of the UN General Assembly
dealing with trade, investment, and development. The body was originally established out of
concerns from the developing world about the vast disparity between the developed and the
developing world when it comes to access to global markets. There was a fear that many
organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the
World Bank were not organized to handle the problems developing nations experience. The first
conference took place in Geneva in 1964, and the second in New Delhi in 1968. Every 4 years
since then, there is a ministerial-level meeting between all 193 member states to discuss the main
problems of the time. Perhaps the singularly most significant contribution of the Conference was
the development and the implementation of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). The
system created a preferential tariff which provided a formal system of exemption from the rules
of the WTO for developing nations, specifically for the manufacturing sector.
Delegates will represent their nation at the quadrennial meeting to create innovative and
new solutions to handle an age old problem: corruption in international trade.
The first question is how exactly does corruption occur in trade? While nations’ trade
with each other, businesses have to obtain a variety of permissions. They generally need an
export license from their national government to operate overseas; after getting the appropriate
licenses, the business can then get permission from the foreign government to sell in their
country; after that, the firm has to sign sometimes dozens of documents for each shipping
container of goods it sends over, which generally is attached to a certain fee per container.
Corruption can happen at any level. A government minister can take bribes from an outside
country to promote goods their way more than they’re allowed to. A dockworker can take a bribe
from a foreign company to claim that all the paperwork and relevant fees are paid and just accept
the container outright. A customs official can give preferential treatment to certain company’s
shipping in exchange for gifts or bribes, by purposely failing to inspect certain containers.
There is little international action taken specifically to address corruption. Although the
WTO and its predecessor the GATT took huge leaps in setting rules for global trade, most rules
and guidelines deal specifically with country-to-country tariffs and interactions. Even so, the
situation is very dire in some countries. A broad study conducted by Transparency International
in 2005 found that more than 62% of Indians had firsthand experience of paying bribes to get
jobs done in public offices successfully (Rajak). Russia ranked 127th out of 177 countries in the
Corruption Perceptions Index, which is largely attributed to its customs office (Corruption
Perceptions Index).
Although there is little action being taken on the international front, there are some states
with serious corruption issues regarding trade who have taken large steps. Russia has launched
multiple campaigns against corruption, with limited success. The United Nations Convention of
Corruption was signed and put into force in 2003, which promotes and outlines ways in which
nations can successfully combat corruption. Unfortunately, there is no standing, enforceable
treaty or agreements to further push the terms of the Convention. Even more importantly, many
nations have still not ratified the Convention, including countries like Japan and Germany.
Important to note is that corruption in trade deals with almost all sectors of the economy.
Not only is it agriculture, but it also affects medicine, manufacturing, resource extraction, even
the global arms trade. Delegates will need to come up with concrete, enforceable policies to
recommend to the Security Council for implementation, or for states to sign on their own, to
tackle the growing problem of trade corruption. Delegates will need to work together to find
where the most significant areas of corruption are and find ways that the international
community can create binding agreements to handle it.
Outside Resources and Works Cited
The literature provided in the academic journals cited below are great documents to read
on the subject and should give delegates a good understanding of the actual issues at play with
this topic. It is highly recommended that delegates read through them and the Agreement on the
GSP.
Agreement on the Global System of Trade Preferences Among Developing Countries, New York,
13 April 1988, UN Treaty Series, vol. 2636, Number 2009, retrieved from
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Treaties/2013/02/20130213%2006-29%20PM/v2636.pdf
Rajak, Jeevan Singh. "RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT: A VITAL TOOL TO FIGHT
AGAINST CORRUPTION IN INDIA." International Journal of Political Science and
Development 2.5 (2014): n. pag. Academic Research Journals. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/IJPSD/PDF/2014/May/RAJAK.pdf>.
Thede, Susanna, and Nils-Ake Gustafson. "INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND THE ROLE OF
CORRUPTION." N.d. ETSG. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.etsg.org/ETSG2009/papers/thede.pdf>.
Corruption Perceptions Index. Transparency International, n.d. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview>.
World Health Organization
Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases from the Displacement of Refugees form Armed
Conflict
As tensions mount throughout the world, armed conflict is inevitable. Thousands of
people fleeing these dangers often find themselves in just as perilous a situation. Refugee camps
spring up in surrounding lands to receive the massive influx of people, but the state of these
camps can vary from well prepared to little more than a collection of tents and bare necessities,
sometimes even less.
Some of the top countries of refugee origin are Afghanistan, Iraq, Somali, DR Congo,
Myanmar, Colombia, and Sudan. Among the top recipients of refugees are Pakistan, Syria,
Jordan, Kenya, the United States, and Chad. (CDC). Refugee camps are generally ideal places
for diseases to spread among a population. As conflicts escalate and refugee camp populations
skyrocket, the population density increases number of chances for pathogens to spread and
therefore mutate (encyclopedia Britannica). These encampments are usually very basic, without
adequate sanitary facilities and the trained people required to properly run them. (irinnews.com)
With many chances for infection and plenty of vectors for carrying the diseases, refugee camps
can become as hellish as the violence the people had just escaped.
An example of a refugee camp with such conditions is found in Iraq, a common sanctuary
for Syrian refugees. In this particular camp, septic tanks are shared by as many as 25 families,
these tanks are not always drained on time, leading to seepage into local water supplies.
Inefficiencies in bottled water distribution means not every camp has access to drinking water,
leaving them dependent on that same local water supply. (IRIN) These difficulties are all
compounded by rising refugee populations; they have to go somewhere, even if it’s to stuff an
already overcrowded camp such as this.
The CDC lists diseases of concern as follows:
Communicable diseases of public health significance:
1. Tuberculosis
5. Granuloma Inguinale
2. Syphilis
6. Lymphogranuloma Venereum
3. Chancroid
7. Hansen's Disease (Leprosy)
4. Gonorrhea
Vaccine preventable Diseases:
1. Mumps
2. Measles
3. Rubella
4. Polio
5. Tetanus
6. Diphtheria
7. Pertussis
8. Haemophilus influenzae Type B
9. Rotavirus
10. Hepatitis A
11. Hepatitis B
12. Meningocococcal disease
13. Varicella
14. Pneumococcal pneumonia
15. Influenza
In addition to these communicable diseases, health complications from lack of basic
nutrition and proper medical care can arise. Infections from scrapes and cuts can get infected and
quickly kill without access to medication. A substandard diet lacking the necessary nutrients for
life can leave refugees susceptible to scurvy. Pregnant refugees near term might not have a
doctor nearby to assist with delivery, if something goes wrong both the mothers and baby’s lives
are at risk. (CDC)
Though conventional causes of illness are important to monitor, in a world with
numerous weapons of mass destruction means non-biological contamination cannot be
overlooked. Chemical and Radiological weapons pose a threat that can effectively infect people
much like a pathogen. Chemical warfare can leave traces of harmful material on clothing long
after one leaves the site where the weapon was used. Depending on the nature of the chemical
agent used in the weapon, the chemical trace left in clothing may not be harmful in the air in
those small quantities but may be devastating if introduced to the water. Radiological threats
operate in a similar manner, but are almost always more severe than chemical. The radioactive
contamination can be found in trace amounts on skin and hair and in clothes, possibly washing
out into the water supply. (FEMA)
In Syria, the vast amount of refugees has put neighboring governments to work protecting
against infectious diseases. Nations like the United States and the United Kingdom have
screening and health regulations for all incoming refugees, but the main crisis originates with
those displaced by armed conflicts into neighboring regions or countries. This is directly linked
with the deterioration of the health-state for all individuals fighting in these armed conflicts, as
they inherently put added strain on and greatly reduce the effectiveness of the national health
care industry. Delegates will be tasked with finding innovative solutions to combat this trend and
to help nations without the infrastructure or expertise to protect themselves from neighbors
experiencing armed conflict.
Works Cited
Garg, M.D. "Population Density." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/287492/infectiousdisease/12989/Population-density, Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
"Containing Disease in a Syrian Refugee Camp in Iraq." IRINnews.
http://www.irinnews.org/report/98349/containing-disease-in-a-syrian-refugee-camp-iniraq ,4 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
"Immigration and Refugee Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 5 Dec. 2013. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
"Communicable Diseases and Crises." WHO. World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/pht/comdisease/en/, Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
"CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND RADIOLOGICAL MEASURES." Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1455-204906640/fema426_ch5.pdf>.
United Nations Development Fund
Sustainable Infrastructure
The United Nations Development Program was established on the 22 of November 1965
with the merger of the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance or EPTA and the United
Nations Special Fund. The two organizations were fully combined into the UNDP in the attempt
to avoid the duplication or responsibilities and actions in different parts of the United Nations.
Today the UNDP provides expert advice, training, and grant support to developing countries,
with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. The UNDP focuses on
poverty reduction, the prevention of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, democratic governance, energy
and environment, social development, and crisis prevention and recovery. The UNDP is
provided with effective independent and objective internal oversight that is designed to improve
the effectiveness and efficiency of the UNDP’s operations in achieving its development goals.
The UNDP has had some measure of success in the implementation of its goals, from
strengthening the provision and management of social and health services in the municipality of
Matanzas Argentina to the social housing project in Gorazde Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is
still much to do however and the UNDP’s goals of poverty eradication, disease eradication etc.
Still have not been met.
One of those noble in progress goals is the creation of new sustainable infrastructure
through developing countries. One of the main issues for developing nations is ensuring that the
construction and implementation of infrastructure (be It water transportation, medical or any
other form of infrastructure) is done sustainably and so as to protect the long term health of cities
an indeed the entire nation. In China fossil fuels are being burned to the point that Beijing has on
occasions been closed down due to the high amount of smog. In Brazil many of the cities outside
the capital rejoin have experienced blackouts and infrastructure issues particularly during the
2014 world cup. Delegates must debate weather interactions actions can be taken to help
developing nations, especially smaller and less developed nations than Brazil or china, create
sustainable infrastructures for their people, and come up with proposals to carry out the merits of
their debate.
This topic is far reaching in its goals and there have been many attempted solutions to the
problems of development of infrastructure in developing countries. The Rio+20 Conference on
Sustainable development resulted in a political outline document which contains clear and
practical measures for implementing sustainable development. While this conference did assist in
the increased outflow of official development assistance it did not create any specific avenues for
the financial assistance to flow through to the many countries that need it in order to complete
the MDGs and viably increase sustainable infrastructure. Even the United Nation Capital
Development Fund local development finance programs to promote capital flow on local levels
has not generated the wealth within or outside the country to sustainably develop entire nations.
And because of this lack of stable sustainable development many developing countries are using
their resources in unsustainable ways. With the advancement of green technologies and the
sectors of the economy that have built up around these technologies there are more effective and
affordable ways to make existing infrastructure sustainable and to create entire buildings and
cities with sustainability in mind. With the increase in international monetary support for
development, $128.7 billion went to the Development Assistance Program in 2010, the UNDP
can help to ensure that every country has the resources to complete the Millennium Development
goals and to complete their long term goals of reducing and eventually eradication global disease
and poverty.
Works Cited
"5 Official Development Assistance." UNDP. UNDP. Web. 5 Sept. 2014. <www.UNDP.org>.
"Local Development Finance." United Nations Capital Development Fund. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.uncdf.org/en/what-we-do>.
"United Nations Development Programme (UNDP）_IAACA." United Nations Development
Programme（UNDP）_IAACA. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.iaaca.org/AntiCorruptionAuthorities/ByInternationalOrganizations
"UNDP Success Stories - Poverty Reduction Stories." UNDP Success Stories - Poverty
Reduction Stories. Web. 5 Sept. 2014. <http://web.undp.org/comtoolkit/successstories/Focusarea-Poverty-reduction-intro.shtml>.
"United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio 20 .:. Sustainable Development
Knowledge Platform." United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio 20 :.
Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
<http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/rio20.html>.
United Nations Security Council
Creating a Comprehensive Space Treaty
Committee Setup
Before we discuss the actual topic, it is important to discuss the structure of the UN
Security Council intended for this upcoming conference. During the 2014 Conference, the UNSC
was a quasi-Crisis Committee, where delegates were tasked with a central topic and were guided
through that topic with individual crises to help push them to taking action. Unlike a true crisis
committee, the topic was central throughout the conference, and delegates were tasked with
responding directly to solving the main topic. We received very good feedback from this
committee, and we’ve decided it’d be worthwhile to attempt to expand it a little. Therefore, this
next UNSC is intended to be a bit more of a crisis. It is our goal, however, to ensure that the
crisis remains realistic and true to the operations of the UNSC.
As such, there are three aspects to the UNSC Committee. First, there will be a strong,
central topic. Delegates will be able to prepare and submit position papers on this topic just like
all other committees, and this topic will be the focus of the entire conference. Second, delegates
will receive a supplemental information packet when they first arrive at their Committee room,
provided by the committee Chair. This packet will include a summary of all relevant
developments in the international community since the release of the main topic. This will enable
the committee to remain topical and to include possible crisis scenarios. Third, and perhaps most
unusually, this topic is very similar to the DISEC topic intentionally. All Plenary committees
pass resolutions which are recommendations to the Security Council for further action. In this
conference, we intend for DISEC and two other committees to pass resolutions, and for those
resolutions to actually get to the Security Council. They will be debated there similarly to how
the UNSC deals with recommendations in the actual UN, testing delegates’ ability to respond to
the recommendation of their more specialized committees. From there, the relevant plenary
committees will be informed of the result of their recommendations.
Under the Charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of
international peace and security. It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. Under the
Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions. It is one of the six
principal organs of the United Nations its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping
operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action
through Security Council resolutions; it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding
resolutions to member states. The Security Council held its first session on 17 January 1946.
Since its first meeting the Security Council’s task of maintaining peace has gotten no
easier, since its inception the UNSC has presided over 69 peacekeeping operations where more
than 3,000 UN peace keepers from more than 120 countries died. During this time wars raged
across the planet. But a new theater is about to open up. Due to recent improvements in
technology space has become a viable theater of operation where countries will be able to vie for
the strategic and financial resources of the rest of our solar system.
The debate over space exploration and exploitation has raged before the United States
launched its first orbital satellite. But new developments in technology that have made space
resource exploitation a real possibility has made the conversation more relevant and its outcome
more important.
On 8 February 2011, the Conference on Disarmament met to discuss the prevention of an
arms race in outer space. China and Russia brought forward the 2008 draft treaty on the
prevention of placement of weapons in outer space, which was welcomed by some states while
the United States reiterated its reservations about the proposed text. On 9 February 2014, NASA
accepted applications from companies that want to mine the moon for rare materials such as
Helium-3 under a program called “Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft
Touchdown" (CATALYST). The Outer Space Treaty prohibits any country from claiming
property on the moon, but lunar mining has sparked debate over lunar property rights. These
instances show that while the current UN space treaty is a good stepping stone on the way to
more comprehensive space treaties it is not adequate to solve the problems of our day. There are
other areas lacking in the space treaty especially in defining many terms or words such as
“celestial bodies” and “Harmful contamination of space”.
Even for countries without strong space programs the issue of space resource exploitation
has become significant. On 20 February 2013, experts gathered in Sydney, Australia for a forum
on Off-Earth Mining. Discussions included lunar water, potential fuel and the legality of any
mining operation under the Outer Space Treaty. Australia does not have a space agency but does
house some of the world’s largest mining companies; hence the keen interest in the next mining
frontier. The first of its kind, the goal of the conference was to establish dialogue regarding the
feasibility of placing a self-sustained, mechanized mining colony on the Moon. A partnership
between these mining companies and a corporation such as Space X would create a
nongovernmental body that the treaties may not even apply to.
As space technologies become more disseminated and common throughout the world
every country will be looking for places to expand and not many are going to go out when they
can go up. So as more countries become involved and more resources are discovered the treaties
that are made now will become even more significant and important especially since space
exploration and exploitation will in all likelihood be one of the most profitable resource
acquisitions in human history.
The Top Five Most Potentially Profitable Asteroids in Our Near Earth Solar System
162385 (2000 BM19)
Profit $3.44 trillion
4034 Vishnu
Profit $2.51 trillion
65679 (1989 UQ)
7753 (1988 XB)
3200 Phaethon
Profit $1.77 trillion
Profit
$1.38 trillion
Profit £870 billion
The UN saw these problems of space exploitation on the horizon and took steps to ensure
the peaceful use of space. Efforts in the United Nations to maintain outer space for peaceful
purposes began in 1957, months prior to the launch of the first artificial satellite into Earth's
orbit. Early proposals for prohibiting the use of space for military purposes and the placement of
weapons of mass destruction in outer space were considered in the late 1950s and early 1960s by
the United Nations. The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the
Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies ("Outer
Space Treaty") entered into force in 1967, after consideration by the Committee on the Peaceful
Uses of Outer Space and the General Assembly. The Treaty provides the basic framework for
international space law.
In particular, it prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons
of mass destruction in outer space and the stationing of such weapons on celestial bodies. It also
establishes basic principles related to the peaceful use of outer space. This includes that the
exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all
countries and that the moon and other celestial bodies shall not be subject to national
appropriation or claims of sovereignty.
Initially tabled in the First Committee, the General Assembly adopted resolution
A/RES/65/68 in January of 2011. The mandate called upon the Secretary-General to establish a
group of governmental experts (GGE) to conduct a study on outer space transparency and
confidence-building measures (TCBMs). The GGE held three sessions: the first and third
sessions in New York from 23 to 27 July 2012 and from 8 to 12 July 2013 respectively and the
second session in Geneva from 1 to 5 April 2013. The Group submitted its report (A/68/189*) to
the General Assembly at its 68th session.
Following extensive and in-depth discussions, the experts agreed upon a set of
substantive TCBMs for outer space activities and recommended that States consider and
implement them on a voluntary basis. These in particular include the exchange of different types
of information relating to States’ space policy and activities, risk reduction notifications and
expert visits to national space facilities. None of this requests are binding on any country, state,
or corporation. These treaties and examination are an excellent start but they leave much to be
desired.
As time goes on and technology advances the questions posed by the international
community on the topic of space exploration and exploitation will be more relevant and need
more expedient answers unless a new comprehensive treaty is made. One of the main concerns is
compliance, the space treaty has no specific measures for compliance and even if it did there
would only be a handful of countries now or in the near future that would have the technological
capacity to enforce laws and treaties in space.
President and Chief Engineer of Planetary Resources Inc. (an asteroid mining company)
Chris Lewicki outline the company’s plans to begin mining Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) within
the decade. With the announcement of Mr. Lewicki and innovations and with the value of known
space assets such as asteroid rare metals and resources the space industry is exploding and if it is
not contained now soon it will escape the UN’s ability to contain it.
Works Cited
Dodson, Brian. "Grand Plans for Asteroid Mining Unveiled by Planetary Resources." Grand
Plans for Asteroid Mining Unveiled by Planetary Resources. 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Aug.
2014. <http://www.gizmag.com/planetary-resources-asteroid-mining-video/22298/>.
"History of Peacekeeping. United Nations Peacekeeping." UN News Center. UN. Web. 14 Aug.
2014. <http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations/history.shtml>.
"Security Council, SC, UNSC, Security, Peace, Sanctions, Veto, Resolution, President, United
Nations, UN, Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Prevention." UN News
Center. UN. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.un.org/en/sc/>.
"Space Settlement." Space Settlement - National Space Society. National Space Society, 29 May
2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.nss.org/settlement/>.
"Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer
Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty) | NTI." NTI:
Nuclear Threat Initiative. James Martin Center for Nonproliferation. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.nti.org/treaties-and-regimes/treaty-principles-governing-activities-statesexploration-and-use-outer-space-including-moon-and-other-celestial-bodies-outer-spacetreaty/>.
"UNODA - Outer Space: Transparency and Confidence Building." UN News Center. UN. Web.
14 Aug. 2014. <http://www.un.org/disarmament/topics/outerspace/>.