Topic: 2024-Supply Chain Stability
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Mikey Beusse
Committee: Specpol
Topic: Supply Chain Stability
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate: Mikey Beusse (East Grand Rapids)
The supply chain has shown to be extremely fragile. Recently, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain has become less sustainable: reducing stockpiles and changing how the world will handle labor and shipping during epidemics. Additionally, the conflict concerning the Russian Federation and Ukraine as well as in the South China Sea have made an impact on delivering necessary goods to other countries, both developing and developed. With other problems such as the Suez Canal obstruction and certain acts of slowing down the manufacturing and transportation of goods, the supply chain is currently extremely delicate.
The United Kingdom plays a crucial role in the supply chains of the world, yet faces the same challenges as other countries. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities concerning goods in our healthcare system, food, and electronics. There were extreme delays in the transportation of essential goods because of manufacturing issues due to labor shortages. The United Kingdom’s relations with the South China Sea and Russia show geopolitical tensions that affect how our supply chain moves. We are also greatly affected by natural disasters which affect the trade routes taken when transporting goods internationally. We have taken many measures to improve our supply chain, however. The UK government has taken steps for improvement: investing in port infrastructure, working with the private sector to improve the logistics system, and increasing the diversity of our suppliers.
The measures that have been taken by the UN have not been effective. Their main action has been educating companies to strengthen their supply chains. It is important to educate the companies, but it is not nearly enough to strengthen the crumbling supply chains of the world. There needs to be more action taken by everybody.
The United Kingdom thinks that many changes could be made to improve the global supply chains. By investing in more technology and innovation, manufacturing and transportation can become more efficient and streamlined. Higher quality technology would make it so events such as pandemics or natural events would not make as big an impact on the supply chain. The UK also would recommend supporting the developing economies of the world. International development aid would help strengthen their supply chains for essential goods such as medicine, food, and technology. There is a lot we can do to combat this issue.
