Open

Topic: Open
Country: China
Delegate Name: Olivia Venus
School: Kalamazoo Central High School

In the event of time in committee for a third topic, China would like to propose a discussion of world security in the face of a new, radically different presidency in the United States of America. The election of Donald Trump on November 8th, 2016 has already had an impact on relations with the United States and is causing many member states, including China, to question how relations, trade, and security will continue in the coming years.

President elect Trump has made a number of inflammatory statements towards the Chinese regime. On May 1st, 2016 Mr. Trump stated “"We can't continue to allow China to rape our country, and that's what they're doing.” when referencing our nation’s high number of exports. He has promised the withdrawal of the United States from many significant trade deals and has consistently blamed China for the deficit in the American GDP. He has accused China of manipulating our currency, stealing American jobs, and falsely inflating the value of our economy. While China is of course willing to continue relations with the United States and in no way expects foreign policy to change dramatically, we are indeed uncertain of the future of our shared economic security and the offensive statements that a Trump presidency may make towards our regime. We also know for certain we are not the only member on this council who wishes to discuss such an issue and is curious for the continuing state of international security as one of the largest members of the United Nations shifts to a vastly different demeanor and set of policies.

Topic: Open
Country: Egypt
Delegate Name: Olivia Decker
School: Royal Oak High School

For our open topic, Egypt believes a prominent issue worth our time and discussion to be drug trafficking, specifically in Africa. As a member of the African Union, this problem is close to home for Egypt, as well as the two other members of the African Union that join us in Security Council.

We are now seeing that most dealers that control the trade are residing in West Africa, and of course, with the deal, comes violence. Because of the illegality of the trade and the danger that come with non-prescription drugs in general, regions with high levels of drug trafficking are prone to instability and violence. In already unstable regions, this can prove to be a serious problem.

In some areas, we are dealing with corruption in the government that condones and even promotes the drug deal. As well, we have problems in which people are forced into the trade because they have no other economic options, which, as previously mentioned, incites violence in the affected regions.

To solve these issues, we must take a three pronged approach. First, we must promote new industries in these areas that will allow for those involved to cease. Second, we have to take action in areas where violence is at its worst, in order to protect innocent citizens. Third, and final, we need new institutions of education in these regions, not just for the good of the people, but specifically health programs that inform minors on the dangers of drugs, to reduce the consumers of the trade. As well, a good resolution will include a system of reevaluation to address its progress and adjust if necessary.

We are ready to address this issue, and we believe it to be important and relevant for all members of the Security Council.

Topic: Open
Country: Senegal
Delegate Name: William Kelly
School: Grand Rapids City High School

Other than the traditional humanitarian issues that continue to plague Senegal, one issue that looms over our people and our government is the issue of refugees, but not in a traditional sense. Where nations such as Germany and the United States worry about the refugees themselves, Senegal is deeply concerned over the international response to large influxes of refugees.

The highly-developed nations of the west can not under any circumstances continue to act in the way they have been to refugee crises. With no framework to guide their decision making, they have consistently underperformed their more underdeveloped counterparts. There is no global system we can turn to when the global community is flooded with a large number of stateless people. This is made soberingly clear by the disparity in refugee numbers in Western and non-Western nations. The most developed nation on earth, the United States, has accepted about 11,000 Syrian refugees to this date, while Lebanon–– a nation with a GDP per capita 5 times smaller than the USA–– currently maintains over 1.1 million. While Senegal maintains friendly relations with the United States as well as its allies in Europe, one can not ignore the gross underperformance and inadequacy of the West when it comes to the resettlement of refugees. Senegal would like to propose a multilateral UN agreement and creation of framework so that in future refugee crises, the response of the global community will be much more succinct and appropriate to the issue at hand. Until then, no nation with unstable neighbors will be able to feel secure in their future.

Topic: Open
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Eric Payerle
School: Mattawan High School

As this session includes discussion on the situation in the Middle East it is only natural that our open topic focus on an issue that has been created in large part by the long history of conflict and instability in the Middle East. This is the issue of the Mediterranean migrant crisis.

It is not a new phenomenon that migrants are using the Mediterranean sea as a gateway from sub-saharan Africa and the Middle East into Europe. Migrants have done this both legally and illegally in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families and to escape violence and war within their countries. What is new however is the dramatic increase in the flow of migrants that the Mediterranean is now seeing. In 2015 over one million migrants arrived on Europe’s southern shores after crossing the Mediterranean. This is a fivefold increase from 2014. This dramatic surge in migrants has been accompanied by an incredibly increase in the death toll. 2016 has been the deadliest year on record. Already, 4,271 migrants have lost their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean in hardly seaworthy vessels that are often tragically overloaded.

These migrants come from a variety of nations for a variety of reasons. Twentysix percent of all mediterranean sea arrivals are Syrians fleeing years of civil war and asymmetric warfare. Many migrants also come from countries such as Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia where either oppressive conditions or lawlessness force people to leave in order to find a better life for themselves. Instability and violence in the Middle East has also contributed to this crisis. Thirteen percent of migrants crossing the mediterranean are from Afghanistan and another nine percent is from Iraq. These people are fleeing chronic violence and instability and attempting to find safety.

Nation's receiving this migrants, such as Italy and Greece, are feeling an immense strain on their resources as they attempt to process the amount of migrants that smugglers are depositing on their shores or they are rescuing from the sea. Navies and stretched thin attempting to patrol the waters and save the countless migrants who have been overcrowded on inflatable and unseaworthy boats. Immigration services in these mediterranean nations are also stretched thin trying to handle and move this massive influx of people. The strain placed upon these organizations makes it easier for undocumented migrants to slip into Europe along with terrorists and criminals.

We are witnessing an unprecedented migrant crisis that will not end at any point in the near future. Migrants shall continue to crossing the Mediterranean through human traffickers unless action is taken. These people are fleeing from war and instability. They are looking for a better life but end up drowning on an over-packed boat that barely floated in the first place. We have a responsibility to work with mediterranean nations to ease this crisis and prevent the mediterranean sea from becoming a mass grave. It is in this body’s mandate to cooperate in solving international problems and this is indeed an international problem. Thousands of people are dying within the territory of all mediterranean nations. We have human trafficking operations acting throughout the mediterranean that are endangering the lives of migrants from a collection of different nations. This issue is a time for the United Nations to come together and do something about this crisis

Venezuela believes that we must promote international cooperation in cracking down on the presence of human traffickers and people smugglers in international waters. These trafficking operations is the primary method of travel across the Mediterranean. If we can eliminate them the flow of migrants will decrease dramatically. Also, we must promote cooperation between mediterranean nations in creating a group to rescue migrants who are lost at sea. Even if we stop all of the trafficking operations migrants will still attempt to cross the mediterranean. That is why it is crucial that a group of nations works together to help form a rescue service dedicated to saving the lives of those who attempt to cross the mediterranean sea.