Topic: Security Cooperation in East Asia
Country: Senegal
Delegate Name: Divya Reddy
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Senegal position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
Many events have contributed to the urgency of this topic, the starting point being Japan declaring its commitment to become a military power in 1868. While hostility on the Korean Peninsula took place, the United States and China had their own contribution to increased tensions. The United States has been making huge advancements towards a major conflict with North Korea which in turn has increased the want for greater security and protection in East Asian countries. China has begun to slowly increase its military strength by adding to its naval forces. Japan has recently been proposing to break away from pacifism as well. These events have created higher tensions with countries that have had a conflicted past with Japan such as China and South Korea. China and Japan have also recently been in small conflict which included hostile xenophobic protests and boycotting each others products. However, the most crucial security threat to countries around East Asia is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear missile program. With North Korea increasing threats towards the United States and already having many tests over Japan, the need for security is at its highest. The United Nations need to find a way to reduce the want for reduce the need for regional security, in turn calm tensions between these countries.
Senegal has recently shown opposition towards the DPRK’s missile program and has declared it as an “international threat to peace and security” and calls for the “total prohibition of nuclear testing and launching inter-ballistic missiles” said by Senegal representative Gorgui Ciss in 2016. Senegal has a long history of trade with North Korea and is the top African exporter to North Korea with 7.82 million dollars towards North Korean trade accounts. Ciss went on to say that all goods that are sent to North Korea will be inspected to exert pressure on Pyongyang. Senegalese authorities are also conducting an investigation to assess whether or not finances from Senegal are being used to benefit the DPRK’s missile program, however no findings have been disclosed. Senegal did assure that no North Korean workers were at work in Senegal to earn money for the program in response to concern in the UN Security Council Resolution 2321 paragraph 34 which expresses concern of this topic, though Senegal did divulge the fact that 28 workers from the North Korean company ‘Mansudae Overseas Project Architectural Group’ are at work in Senegal. Senegal does not possess any nuclear weapons, being a non-nuclear weapon state since 1970 and Senegal has signed the Comprehensive Ban Test Treaty.
Senegal has shown acceptance and agrees to resolution 2270 of 2016 which states the total prohibition of launching and testing of nuclear weapons, the inspection of all cargo traveling through DPRK territory, and calls for the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons and inter-ballistic missiles. Senegal representative Gorgui Ciss expresses that the DPRK’s missile program was a disturbance to international tranquility and is causing high international tensions. Ciss did stress the fact the UN sanctions should not be a goal themselves, that they should be a step to international peace. Countries that agree with this resolution and are allies of Senegal are France, China, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States.
