Welcome

American Model United Nations (AMUN) is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1989 to provide students with the highest quality, most professionally run simulation of the United Nations available. AMUN strives to combine educational quality with highly realistic simulations of the United Nations to give students an unparalleled Model United Nations learning experience. We return to these ideals year after year as we create the policies and applications expressed in this handbook. We are excited to have you join us for the 2025 Conference.

2025 Simulations

In 2025, AMUN will simulate four main General Assembly (GA) Committees (Plenary, GA1, GA2 and GA3), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Security Council (SC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In addition, AMUN will simulate two historical bodies: the Historical Security Council of 1994 (HSC94) and the Historical Commission of Inquiry of 2005 (COI). Finally, AMUN will feature a simulation of the International Press Delegation (IPD), which produces the Conference newspaper and covers the work of all simulations.

The General Assembly Plenary, First (Disarmament and International Security), Second (Economic and Financial) and Third (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) Committees and the International Atomic Energy Agency are resolution-writing bodies. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia are report-writing bodies whose purpose is to build consensus while composing and ratifying the reports they submit to the Economic and Social Council.

The Contemporary Security Council will be responsible for dealing with international peace and security issues as they stand at the opening of the Conference. A tentative list of topics will be provided for preparation, but representatives should be prepared to discuss any and all security issues that might arise. The Historical Security Council of 1994 will simulate the events of that year. It will use the same Rules of Procedure as the Contemporary Security Council, but representatives will roleplay from the viewpoint of their delegation at the time of the simulation. The Contemporary Security Council and the Historical Security Council will meet all four days of the Conference, including for an emergency session on Monday night and a debrief on Tuesday morning.

The International Press Delegation, the International Court of Justice and the Historical Commission of Inquiry are unique simulations that will meet throughout the Conference. Individuals must apply for positions on these simulations on the AMUN website (IPD, ICJ and COI). The International Press Delegation will provide journalistic cover for the proceedings of the Conference, producing articles for the Conference newspaper (the AMUN Chronicle) throughout each day. The International Court of Justice will hear cases brought to the Court by Member States. The Historical Commission of Inquiry will conduct in-depth investigations into conflicts and disputes.

How to Use This Book

This handbook is published to assist representatives in preparing for the AMUN Conference. This handbook provides representatives with a full picture of Conference philosophies, policies and logistics, the Rules of Procedure required in each simulation and substantive overviews of the simulations and topics for the Conference. The Introduction section is relevant to all participants at Conference, while subsequent sections detail the specific rules and substantive overviews for different types of simulations at AMUN. Representatives should be familiar with the sections and chapters relevant to their Conference assignment; faculty advisors and permanent representatives will want to be familiar with the whole handbook.

Safety at AMUN

AMUN places extreme importance on the safety of our participants and guests. We hope that you have an excellent and fun learning experience while at the Conference, but we encourage everyone to consider safety issues in and around the Conference hotel. Safety should always be more important than avoiding minor embarrassment to you or another person.

We suggest that you follow several common-sense rules to keep all participants safe during the Conference, including adhering to the following guidelines:

• Do not leave the hotel grounds without letting your group know how to find you.
• Always let one of the leaders of your group (faculty, club officer, etc.) know where you are going prior to leaving the area around the hotel.
• Never leave any hotel alone after dark, and always travel with at least one person that you know.
• Always remove your credentials prior to leaving the hotel so as not to advertise yourself as a tourist.
• Encourage other participants to be safe by reminding them to not travel outside of the hotel alone and to remember to remove their credentials.
• Inform one of the leaders of your group or an AMUN Secretariat member immediately if you have a safety concern, or if any emergency situation arises involving you or another participant, regardless of the time.

AMUN encourages all faculty advisors and other group leaders to take time before the Conference to reinforce these and any other relevant safety instructions based on the rules of your schools.

In case of an emergency during the Conference, hotel security may be reached by dialing “0” on any hotel phone and requesting the security office. Also, please feel free to contact the AMUN Secretariat at any time during the Conference, day or night, if any emergency event occurs in which we can be of assistance.

Conference Policies

Minimum and Maximum Delegation Counts

AMUN strongly recommends that delegations place two representatives on the Security Council and the Historical Security Council of 1994. Each delegation may place one or two representatives on the following committees: General Assembly Plenary, General Assembly First, General Assembly Second, General Assembly Third, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). Each delegation may place only one representative on the Special Committee, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Seats on the Historical Commission of Inquiry (COI), International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Press Delegation (IPD) are assigned by application. Generally, only two delegates from a single school can be assigned to the COI, ICJ or IPD. Any delegation participating in an ICJ case as an advocate is advised to place two delegates in the committee in which the advocate is primarily assigned.  This will allow for continuity of representation while the advocate is participating in their ICJ case. 

Delegations may also designate a floating permanent representative to assist with coordination across the delegation. Representatives may also have part-time assignments at the Conference as an advocate for the International Court of Justice or as a party to the dispute in the Security Council or Historical Security Council.

Schools may register up to four faculty advisors.

Dress Code 

The appearance of AMUN participants provides the first impression of their delegation to other representatives. Attention to proper appearance sets an expectation for professionalism and competence. In order to demonstrate respect to fellow representatives, Secretariat members and distinguished guests of the Conference, AMUN requires conservative professional business attire for all representatives and Secretariat during all formal sessions, including the Opening and Closing Plenaries.

Professional business attire is a business jacket or suit, dress slacks or skirt, dress shirt and dress shoes. Conservative accessories such as ties, scarves and formal jewelry are traditional in business settings. Sweaters or leggings are too casual for professional business attire. Clothing that reveals undergarments in any way is not appropriate. AMUN will not consider any manner of dress appropriate that includes: t-shirts, jeans, shorts, hats, athletic shoes or any form of commercial advertising.

Participants shall not wear the traditional or religious garb of any State or organization. The only exception to this is required traditional or religious garb of a student’s personal religion or culture. Additionally, participants should not affect the mannerisms, linguistic characteristics or any other perceived traits of a State or culture that they are representing. These affectations are inappropriate and may be seen as offensive by other students or by natives of that State or culture. Small lapel pins representing the delegation’s flag or other national symbols are appropriate.

Please be aware that representatives who are not appropriately attired or who do not follow these rules may not be recognized during formal debate in any AMUN simulation. Further, AMUN reserves the right to refuse admittance to the Conference floor to any representative who is inappropriately attired or who violates the above provisions. Decisions about appropriate attire and professional behavior are at the discretion of the AMUN Secretariat.

A note about the AMUN Dress Code policy: The world of international diplomacy is both conservative and slow to change; while what is acceptable as professional attire in business settings is slowly shifting, the appropriate attire for visiting an embassy or engaging in international diplomacy remains conventional. Our goal at AMUN is to encourage students to engage with and experience professional business attire in an educational environment, while also acknowledging that this can be difficult for some of our participants. Representatives should feel free to express themselves and their gender identities within the boundaries of the dress code and should demonstrate an intent to conform with the dress code.

Conduct 

Representatives are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting international diplomats. This means that every courtesy, both in speech and behavior, should be extended to all representatives, faculty advisors, hotel staff members, guests and AMUN Secretariat members at the Conference. AMUN expects the same level of diplomatic courtesy in written communications, including notes passed during formal session, posts to social media sites and communications within Google Workspace. AMUN reserves the right to expel any representative not acting in a courteous and professional fashion. Please refer to Rule 2.2, Diplomatic Courtesy, for more information.

To provide all participants, including representatives, faculty advisors, exhibitors, hotel staff and AMUN Secretariat the opportunity to benefit from the Conference, AMUN is committed to providing a harassment-free environment for everyone regardless of race or ethnicity, language, disability, gender identity or expression, appearance, religion, or any other group identity. AMUN seeks to provide a conference environment in which diverse participants may learn and enjoy an environment of mutual human respect. We recognize a shared responsibility to create and foster that environment for the benefit of all. Some behaviors are, therefore, specifically prohibited. Examples of such behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Harassment or intimidation based on race, color, religion (creed), gender expression or identity, age, language, national or social origin (ancestry), disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, occupation, political or other opinions, property, birth, or other status.
• Sexual harassment or intimidation (including persistent and unwelcome sexual attention), stalking (physical or virtual) or unsolicited physical contact.
• Verbal or physical threats of any kind.
• Assault of any kind.

Speakers are asked to frame discussions as openly and inclusively as possible and to be aware of how language or images may be perceived by others. All participants are expected to observe these rules and behaviors in all conference venues, including online spaces. Participants asked to stop one of the aforementioned behaviors are expected to comply immediately. Any final rulings on violations of the Code of Conduct are subject to determination by the Executive Office with consultation as needed with the Board of Directors.

If anything happens throughout the Conference that makes you feel unwelcome, unsafe or that prohibits you from fully participating in the AMUN experience, please let a member of the Secretariat know so that we can help you understand your options and decide what steps can be taken to address the issue. You can contact us anytime by:

• Stopping by the Ohio Room.
• Asking to speak to a member of the Executive Office at Conference Services.
• Emailing us at mail@amun.org.
• Calling us at 773.777.2686.

Accessibility and Accommodation 

AMUN makes every effort to ensure that all attendees are able to fully participate in their respective roles. If you or any member of your delegation requires any accommodations or modifications to get the most out of the AMUN experience, please contact AMUN staff at mail@amun.org as soon as possible, so we can discuss appropriate arrangements. Should you realize once Conference starts that you need an additional accommodation or modification, please alert your Chair/President/Director and a member of the AMUN Secretariat will be happy to assist you.

Accessibility and Collaboration 

AMUN is committed to making our conference accessible to all participants. Further, collaboration and consensus-building are cornerstone philosophies for the organization. To further both of these aims, AMUN requests that all participants strive to ensure the work of the body is accessible to all who wish to participate. The work of the body includes participating in formal debate, informal caucusing during suspensions of the meeting, note-passing and collaborating on working documents or conducting other substantive negotiations, including via electronic devices and cloud computing. In this broad consideration of accessibility, we ask participants to consider language, disability, access to mobile computing devices and online tools, and other factors that may limit some participants’ access. Ensuring accessibility is a matter of diplomatic courtesy. The AMUN Secretariat is always available for consultation about how to make the work of the body more inclusive and collaborative.

Use of Electronic Devices 

The use of electronic devices, including laptops, tablets, e-readers and cell phones is permitted in committee rooms, but they should be silenced. All electronic devices must be set up and powered in a manner which does not create a safety hazard or distraction for other representatives. During formal session, groups may not congregate around electronic devices or caucus in the committee room. Any use of electronic devices during committee sessions should relate to the purposes of the Conference and must comply with the expectation of Diplomatic Courtesy as outlined in Rule 2.2. All representatives are expected to comply with the directions of the AMUN Secretariat regarding the use of electronic devices.

Plagiarism 

AMUN strives to create a simulation of the United Nations which is as realistic as possible while still allowing for the fulfillment of our participants’ and the organization’s educational goals. As such, the AMUN policy regarding plagiarism focuses on an educational rather than a punitive goal.

At AMUN, plagiarism involves the substantial, verbatim or near-verbatim copying of language, without attribution, in published or unpublished texts, speeches or documents. Representatives should adhere to their country’s policies at all times, but this does not give license to plagiarize existing materials. Thus, parts of speeches or position papers may be derived or paraphrased from previous speeches or papers, but should not be copied verbatim. Additionally, representatives should not copy and represent as their own the work of another representative or group of representatives. Collaboration and consensus-building is encouraged and appropriate, but representatives should take care that the authors of resolutions, reports and other documents are fully represented in the discussion of the body’s work. Collaborative work remains the work of the collaborators even when not all representatives are able to sign on to the final product.

Similarly, AMUN expects that all representatives are familiar with past resolutions at the United Nations, but the work of the United Nations should be expanded on in representatives’ work, not copied verbatim. There are some exceptions: for example, representatives are not necessarily expected to expand upon a phrase that is often or always used when a country gives a formal speech or a clause that is repeated verbatim through several years of resolutions on a topic. Generally, it is not necessary to explicitly credit such sources, although if substantial language is quoted, it should be acknowledged and cited. Final determinations on plagiarism and its consequences are at the discretion of the AMUN Secretariat.

The goal of any Model United Nations conference is to work toward the resolution of a problem facing the world. The documents created to this end are inevitably the work of a collaborative process; States could never achieve consensus without this collaboration. Obtaining individual credit for the submission or sponsorship of a draft document should never be a State’s or representative’s goal during a Model United Nations conference. Representatives are expected to collaborate in the drafting and submission of draft documents with the utmost level of respect and diplomatic courtesy.

Credentials 

Name badges act as representatives’ credentials for the Conference. Credentials will list a representative’s name, country and the committee to which they are assigned. Credentials for permanent representatives will state “Permanent Representative” regardless of whether they are assigned to a particular simulation. Representatives, faculty advisors and Conference guests will be required to wear their assigned credentials at all times while in the Conference area. This includes social events after normal Conference hours. No one will be admitted to any Conference area, including the Monday night dance, without approved credentials.

Representatives must also wear their credentials at all times while in the common areas of the hotel. This will allow both Conference and hotel staff to easily recognize representatives and will help to alleviate any potential problems that may arise within the hotel. Representatives should always remove their credentials immediately before leaving the hotel. A convention badge worn on the streets of a large city advertises you as a tourist and can decrease your safety. Please exercise caution in this area.

Seating and Placards 

A placard with the name of each delegation will be placed at that delegation’s seat in each committee. These are the property of AMUN; the placard should not be defaced or removed from the location assigned by the Secretariat or removed from the room. Placards of Member States are generally placed in alphabetical order, with the exact position of the placards changing at the beginning of each session to ensure equity in seating delegations. Observer States are generally seated at the end of the Member States, and will also rotate positions when the room is reset. Exceptions to this are routinely made for representatives that require accommodations. Representatives are welcome to take their placard with them as a souvenir after their committee has convened for the last time.

Lost and Found 

Any found unclaimed property can be turned in to the Lost and Found located at Conference Services on the Ballroom Level. Items will be held until the end of the closing session, at which time they will be turned over to hotel security.

• The Conference Services staff will make every attempt to contact the owner if an email, phone number, country name or address is located on the item.
• In order to claim a lost item from the Lost and Found, the owner must describe the lost item with sufficient accuracy.
• Conference Services’ hours are listed in the Conference Program.

Post-Conference Surveys 

The AMUN Secretariat works year-round to prepare and run a premier Model United Nations conference. With your feedback, we are able to improve the educational and administrative experience for our participants. Upon completion of the conference, we ask representatives to please take a moment to complete a post-conference survey. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we plan for an even more successful Conference the following year. Surveys will be distributed by an AMUN Secretariat member in your simulation room during the Conference. 

Special Conference Events 

Keynote Speaker 

AMUN strives to bring quality keynote speakers to the Conference. AMUN keynote speakers are usually individuals with extensive background in international affairs and have included ambassadors, United Nations employees, speakers from NGOs and notable personalities. The date and time of a keynote speaker will depend on the speaker’s schedule, and the Conference agenda will be adjusted accordingly to accommodate the speaker and to maximize representatives’ time in committee. The Conference Program will provide the keynote speaker’s biographical information. If you have a suggestion for (and, ideally, a connection to) a keynote speaker at AMUN, please email the Executive Office at mail@amun.org.

After-Hours Caucusing Space

One of the draws of any Model UN conference is the after-hours informal caucusing. Representatives are encouraged to use the informal meeting area  available in the Exhibition Hall on the lower level of the Conference hotel for after hours socializing and caucusing. Gatherings in hotel sleeping areas are strongly discouraged. These could very easily disturb other guests in the hotel, reflecting poorly on both participating schools and on the Conference, and could result in a visit from hotel security.

Representative Dance 

AMUN encourages all participants to attend our representative dance on Monday evening of the Conference. The dance theme will be shared in a pre-Conference communication and on social media in the Fall. Attire matching the dance theme is encouraged, although not required.

As the dance is hosted by AMUN, only representatives wearing appropriate attire and their current conference credentials will be allowed to enter the dance. Due to security and safety concerns, NO bags, glassware, bottles or other containers will be allowed on the level of the dance. Representatives bringing any of these items will be asked to take them to their rooms. Representatives participating in the overnight crisis session for the Security Council or Historical Security Council simulations will be provided storage space, which they can access at the start of the emergency session. AMUN is not able to provide storage space for other personal belongings. This policy requires planning and special attention, especially for representatives staying at area hotels other than the Sheraton. While attending the dance, representatives are guests of the Sheraton hotel and must remain in approved areas of the hotel at all times. Representatives must remain diplomatically courteous during and after the dance. AMUN and hotel security reserve the right to expel any participant acting in a discourteous or disruptive manner.

Security Council Emergency Session 

Representatives in each Security Council will work to resolve a simulated crisis during the Conference. This unique simulation occurs late Monday evening, during and after the representative dance. For this reason, all members of the Security Councils are strongly encouraged to stay at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk Hotel during their participation at AMUN. The rules of procedure mandate that each member of the Council attend the emergency session. Attendance at crisis sessions is limited to Security Council and Historical Security Council representatives, requested parties to the dispute, permanent representatives, and their faculty advisors. Observers must secure the permission of the AMUN Secretariat members in charge of the session. Secretariat members have the authority to request that anyone being disruptive leave the area and return to other areas of the Sheraton or to their hotel.

Events for Faculty Advisors and Permanent Representatives 

AMUN hosts several Conference-related events for permanent representatives and faculty advisors during each AMUN Conference. They are:

• Delegation Lottery: The Delegation Lottery is conducted at the Conference and allows the current year’s attendees to select countries for the following year. A deposit for next year’s Conference and zero balance for this year are required to participate.
• Permanent representative and faculty advisor meetings: Held on Sunday and Monday of Conference, these meetings allow you to share comments and concerns on this year’s Conference and any hotel issues your school is experiencing.
• Roundtables and workshops for faculty advisors: Guest speakers discuss running and advocating for Model UN with faculty advisors in informal discussions and roundtable presentations. Consult the Conference Program for topics, times and locations.

Graduate School and Career Expo

The Graduate and Career Expo is a great opportunity for representatives to meet with graduate schools and organizations across the country and plan their next steps. The Expo will be held this year on Monday, 24 November 2025 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Details about the event and its exhibitors will be provided in both our Conference Program and in pre-Conference communications. The Expo will be located on the promenade of the Ballroom Level, outside of the primary meeting rooms that hold most Conference events. Representatives will be introduced to the Expo area on their way to and from the open Monday morning meeting sessions and are encouraged to attend the Expo during those sessions.

AMUN Philosophy and Realism 

One of the core principles of AMUN is to mirror the practice and dynamics of the United Nations as much as possible. To that end, AMUN strives to create and conduct simulations that are a realistic representation of diplomacy at the United Nations and within the broader international system. We believe this commitment furthers AMUN’s aims to create a fair and engaging experience for all representatives and to enhance the educational mission of the organization.

For any issue before the United Nations, each Member or Observer State has a range of possible responses; however, a realistic simulation should include only those options that would have reasonably been considered by a State at that specific moment in time. In other words, certain options may be off the table due to historical, cultural or political constraints that limit what a State could or would do. Options that fall outside these constraints should not be included to best maintain the realism of the simulation.

In conjunction with our policy on delegations that are “Out of Character” (OOC), members of the AMUN Secretariat will work with representatives to ensure the highest-quality and most realistic simulation of the United Nations possible, while still allowing innovative and creative thinking to open up new possibilities for the United Nations and the international community.

The Purview of Each Simulation 

Each background guide contains a brief overview of that simulation’s purview, which provides a general outline of the types of discussions each simulation might have on the topics in question. Purview is an extremely important, though often unspoken, concept in the United Nations system, where a variety of different committees, councils and commissions may discuss different aspects of an international problem. Not stepping on another body’s toes or into its territory is a matter of diplomatic courtesy, respect and an acknowledgement of specific expertise. Representatives should research their topics carefully, so their deliberations can focus on the piece of the problem considered within their simulation’s purview.

For example, consider the topic of development. A wide variety of committees, councils and commissions at the United Nations address this topic, but will do so in different ways. The General Assembly First Committee might discuss the relationship between disarmament and development. At the same time, the General Assembly Second Committee may discuss a variety of financing initiatives to assist developing countries. Similarly, the General Assembly Third Committee might discuss the social and humanitarian considerations that stem from a lack of development, including gender issues, economic concerns or the impact on underrepresented populations, such as the elderly or disabled. The General Assembly Fourth Committee may discuss the development issues of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The General Assembly Plenary might discuss the problem in its entirety or address issues that cut across the mandates of the committees. By contrast, the Economic and Social Council would focus on how the United Nations specialized and technical agencies work with Member States to support economic and social development. The Security Council would address the interlinkages between peace, security and development.

Different aspects of a single problem are regularly discussed in different bodies. More importantly, at the United Nations, delegations are typically careful to only discuss those aspects relevant to their own committees, councils and commissions, leaving other aspects to others in their delegation to address in the appropriate forum.

Representatives participating in the American Model United Nations (AMUN) Conference should be familiar with the history of the United Nations and with the changing role the organization plays in international affairs. This section provides a brief introduction to the United Nations system and some of the issues it faces today.

History of the United Nations

Origins of the United Nations

The United Nations came into existence on 24 October 1945. On that day, the United Nations Charter became operative, following ratification by the States that would become the five Permanent Members of the Security Council and a majority of other signatories. The concept of all States uniting to settle disputes peacefully was born of the desire to avoid repeating the horrors of the First and Second World Wars. The United Nations developed as a successor to the League of Nations, which represented the first modern attempt by the countries of the world to achieve this unity.

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the term “United Nations” in 1942, when 47 countries signed the Declaration of the United Nations in support of the Atlantic Charter. In 1944, representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and China prepared the first blueprint of the United Nations at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference. The final details for the United Nations were established at the Yalta Conference in 1945. On 26 June 1945, 51 States signed the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco.

Purpose of the United Nations

The primary purposes for which the United Nations was founded are detailed in Chapter I, Article 1, of the Charter:

1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;
3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and
4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

Structure of the United Nations

There are six primary organs within the United Nations. Understanding the role each respective organ takes on in relation to one another, along with how they interact with other United Nations agencies and affiliated organizations, is vital in preparing for Model United Nations.

The General Assembly (GA)

The General Assembly is the central deliberative organ of the United Nations. The General Assembly has been described as the nearest thing to a “parliament of mankind.” All Member States are Members of the General Assembly, and each Member has one vote. The General Assembly makes recommendations on international issues, oversees all other United Nations bodies that report to the General Assembly, approves the United Nations budget and apportions United Nations funds. On the recommendation of the Security Council, the General Assembly elects the Secretary-General and holds the authority to admit and expel Member States. Voting in the General Assembly is ordinarily by simple majority, but most of the body’s work is adopted by consensus.

The Security Council (SC)

The Security Council’s primary responsibility is maintaining international peace and security. It has the power to employ United Nations peacekeepers and direct action against threats to peace. Fifteen Members sit on the Security Council, including five Permanent Members (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and United States of America) and 10 Member States representing five regions, which the General Assembly elects for rotating two-year terms. A majority in the Security Council consists of nine Members voting “yes”; however, a “no” vote by any of the Permanent Members has the effect of vetoing or blocking substantive actions.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The Economic and Social Council is the primary body dealing with the economic, social, humanitarian and cultural work of the United Nations system. It also has a mandate to coordinate the activities of United Nations technical and specialized agencies and programs. The Economic and Social Council oversees five regional economic commissions and nine functional, or subject-matter, commissions. The Economic and Social Council is composed of 54 Member States elected by the General Assembly for three-year renewable terms.

The Trusteeship Council (TC)

In 1945 there were 11 Trust Territories, which were regions without their own governments. These 11 regions were placed under the Trusteeship Council, which helped them prepare for and achieve independence. With the admission of Palau as a United Nations Member State in 1994, the Trusteeship Council has now completed its original mandate. Today, the Trusteeship Council is inactive but is formally composed of the Permanent Members of the Security Council.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ)

The International Court of Justice, or World Court, is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations and decides international legal disputes. All United Nations Member States are able to bring matters before the International Court of Justice; however, States must agree to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice before it can decide a dispute involving that State. Jurisdiction is compulsory in Advisory Opinions, where the Court considers international legal questions rather than interstate disputes. Fifteen judges serving nine-year terms sit on the Court.

The Secretariat

The Secretariat is composed of the Secretary-General and the United Nations staff. Approximately 44,000 people are employed as the staff of the United Nations, only 5,000 of whom work at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The vast majority work for various subsidiaries of the United Nations. The Secretary-General serves a five-year renewable term.

In addition to the six main organs, the United Nations system includes a number of autonomous technical and specialized agencies and programs. Examples include the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). While most of these agencies and programs have independent governance structures, the Economic and Social Council coordinates their activities.

How the United Nations Seeks to Achieve Its Purpose 

Since 1945, the United Nations has established itself as a forum for discussing international disputes. The United Nations seeks, through both its principal organs and various subsidiary bodies, to settle disputes through peaceful means without resorting to the threat or use of force. Through their participation in the various bodies of the United Nations, Member States recognize and legitimize the established machinery of the United Nations and its relevance to solving international problems. It should be understood that the United Nations is not a world government, nor does it legislate. Rather, the actions of the United Nations, in the form of resolutions passed by its bodies, represent the priorities and values of the international community. Member States and organizations frequently find it in their own best interests to align with United Nations recommendations.

Bloc Politics at the United Nations 

Historically, Member States with mutual interests have used a system of bloc politics to organize their efforts within the United Nations. These blocs tend to be made up of Member States with similar political, historical or cultural backgrounds and are often, but not exclusively, formed on a geographical basis. By organizing themselves with other Member States that hold similar interests, bloc members hope to increase their influence above the level that they would have as a single Member State in the General Assembly.

Regional groups were formally established at the United Nations in 1957 with an endorsement by the General Assembly. As the number of Member States increased, the groups were realigned to form today’s five groups: Latin America and the Caribbean group (GRULAC), the Asia-Pacific group, the Africa group, the Eastern European group and the Western Europe and Others group (WEOG). These regional groups are still used today to manage the elections to various United Nations bodies, including the Security Council, and to determine who will serve as Vice Presidents of the General Assembly. Other smaller regional blocs with more specific affinities and interests, such as the Nordic countries or the JUSCANZ group (Japan, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) are also important, but they lack the formal recognition granted to the five regional groups.

Regional groups are not the only blocs active at the United Nations. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), formed in 1967 as a group seeking a middle course between the Western and Eastern blocs of the Cold War, rapidly became an active body for the coordination of action at the United Nations for developing countries. While its importance has diminished since the end of the Cold War, it is still active on numerous issues at the United Nations. The Group of 77 (G-77) was founded in 1964 as a coordinating body to protect the economic interests of small and developing countries. With 134 members, the G-77 is the largest United Nations bloc, though coordination among members is fairly loose.

Blocs often attempt to form a consensus among members, allowing them to act as a cohesive group. The effectiveness of any given bloc in exerting its positions in the General Assembly depends upon the bloc’s ability to form a consensus among its own members and to get its members to vote accordingly. These acts of compromise form the basis of United Nations politics and often occur within the various caucusing groups. They also form the starting points for debate in the larger United Nations body.

Bloc politics have changed considerably over time. Some blocs are still coherent, like the Nordic countries, while others, like the Western European and Others Group, lack continuing cohesion. In general, their viability as a political tool is diminishing, and blocs are falling out of use as a predictable measure of votes. Often, blocs get together to draft resolutions to begin the discussion in the larger body, but ultimately, each Member State will usually vote in its own interest, regardless of bloc memberships. States may be part of multiple blocs with diverging or competing interests, which further complicates the issue.

Today, the most common blocs are small, temporary negotiating groups that gather around one issue to try to overcome stalemate in the larger membership bodies. Additionally, developing countries often bind together to maximize their power, especially given their relative lack of economic power. Some blocs have their own Secretariat whose job is to draft proposals and find solutions that the larger body is unable to find. Some of the more well-funded and organized blocs have a formally recognized role as permanent observers with permanent observer missions at the United Nations headquarters. Examples include the African Union, the Caribbean Community, the European Union, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. These blocs are powerful examples of Member States coming together to advance goals that may be independent of the regions they represent.

At AMUN, blocs are not treated as official bodies. Representatives are encouraged to caucus in their bloc groups only when appropriate. Representatives should be aware that the State they represent may no longer actively participate in bloc politics or may vote outside of its traditional bloc based on the circumstances. Above all, remember that you represent your State and your State’s interests, regardless of your participation in a bloc while caucusing and drafting.

Introduction

Resolutions are the primary tools for action at the United Nations. Debate at the United Nations focuses on solving, at least in part, the many problems facing the global community. After months of debate and behind-the-scenes discussion on a topic, Member States try to come to an agreement about how to proceed on an issue. This agreement is then codified in the form of a draft resolution. The text of a draft resolution is usually developed and agreed upon well in advance of it being brought to the floor, with many States making suggestions and changes behind the scenes. A draft resolution may be formally discussed, amended, rejected or adopted when brought to the floor, though it is very rare for a United Nations resolution to be rejected after being brought up for consideration. Most Member States prefer to bring a draft resolution to the floor only if they are sure it will be adopted. In fact, sponsoring Member States will often wait to bring a resolution to the floor until they are sure that all Member States present will agree to the resolution and adopt it by consensus.

Resolutions usually express a policy the United Nations will adopt or implement, and may be included in the body of reports, treaties, conventions and declarations. Resolutions range from general to very specific in content and, depending on the body involved, may call for or suggest a course of action, condemn an action or require an action on behalf of Member States. The General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, special committees and commissions may either call for or suggest actions. However, only the Security Council can require action from or place sanctions on Member States. In some cases, conventions and treaties may also require action, but such requirements would be applicable only to the States Parties (i.e., those States which have ratified or are otherwise party to the convention or treaty).

Resolutions are formal documents adopted by a United Nations body that follow a standard format and include at least one preambular and one operative clause. Any body may issue a resolution, but in practice most are adopted, often by consensus, by the General Assembly, its main committees and the Security Council. Other documents include reports and presidential statements. Both are similar to resolutions in that they state a United Nations policy or objective, but have different purposes and utilize different formatting. Reports, which are typically written by long-standing commissions and committees composed of experts on the topics being discussed, advise and inform decision-making bodies of a committee’s work and are divided into chapters and sections that cover the various topics under discussion. Presidential statements comparatively offer a less formal pronouncement of some United Nations action or position and are often used when the Security Council cannot come to agreement or deems that the issue does not necessitate a formalized resolution. AMUN simulates both resolution-writing and report-writing bodies.

Draft Documents 

AMUN simulations will accept draft resolutions, reports and other documents only during the AMUN Conference. Draft documents may not be submitted in advance of the Conference. Drafting documents is a collaborative process that begins with an idea about how to approach a problem that then incorporates ideas and concepts contributed by a group of delegations. The authors of draft documents obtain signatures from sponsors through caucusing and discussion, and eventually the draft may be moved to the floor for formal debate. The debate process brings the entire body into the discussion. Often, the debate identifies areas where the draft must be amended to bring about a final document that the body may support by consensus.

In preparing to attend AMUN, delegations should consider solutions they believe would help resolve the issues before the body. The most successful delegations will practice developing ways to clearly articulate the background and context of the topic and effectively communicate the policies they seek to advocate. Delegates should also practice reviewing and commenting on the work of others and use negotiation, collaboration and amendments to achieve common objectives. Notes and practice documents may be useful at the Conference as working papers. When all delegations arrive at the Conference prepared and ready to work together, the entire body benefits.

At the Conference, when a delegation is asked to sponsor a resolution or report, they should ask themselves whether the document was drafted in collaboration with other delegations in attendance and whether the drafting and amendment process has been open and collaborative. If a delegation cannot answer yes to these questions, they should consider either working with the drafters to bring the draft document into the collaborative environment, or, if that is not an option, foregoing sponsorship in favor of working on other draft documents that represent the collaborative work of the body.

AMUN strongly discourages delegations from bringing fully-formed pre-written resolutions to Conference with the intent to immediately circulate the draft for signatures and bring it to the floor. Any draft document that is not created with the input and assistance of other committee members foregoing the collaborative process will not reflect the will of the body and cannot hope to achieve consensus. While bringing these resolutions may seem to be an efficient way to jump-start the body’s deliberations, in reality they short circuit the collaborative and consensus-building process that is central to AMUN’s educational mission and that reflects the real work of the United Nations. 

Draft resolutions are not eligible for formal consideration on the floor of General Assembly Committees, the General Assembly Plenary or reporting bodies until they receive the sponsorship of at least 35 percent of the total delegations registered for their respective simulation. In the Security Council and the Historical Security Councils, only one sponsor is required. In all bodies additional sponsors may be added as the document is written until the document has been moved to the floor, at which point a delegation may become a sponsor only with the consent of the original sponsors. Once a substantive vote has been taken on a draft resolution or report—or on a contested amendment thereto—it has become the property of the body and no new sponsors may be added or removed from the draft resolution or report. 

Chairs and presidents will entertain motions for a suspension of the meeting to facilitate the process of discussing, creating, combining and changing draft documents. It is recommended that representatives use this time to discuss the problems facing their committee and begin creating documents or combining existing drafts as proposed by members of the body. These sessions offer representatives an opportunity to engage in the United Nations political process of working with others in an attempt to build consensus, but in a less formal setting.

The process of using drafts and requiring more than one sponsoring delegation is intended to replicate the United Nations practice of gaining near-universal support for drafts before they are brought to the floor for debate and decision. Further, it should push delegations away from looking at a proposal as “theirs” and toward working with others to find a solution as well as to gain consensus on the topic being discussed. AMUN requires a relatively high number of sponsors in order to encourage the body to work together on proposals, rather than individual delegations or small blocs working on separate proposals in isolation. Additionally, once a draft is accepted and brought to the floor for debate, the resolution becomes the work of the body and is not “owned by” or “credited to” any single Member State or bloc.

States that sponsor (or sign) a resolution should be in general agreement with its content at the time it is submitted, such that they would vote “yes” on the resolution. This sponsorship, however, is non-binding. Member States may exercise their sovereign right to vote in any way on any matter that affects the outcome of the resolution. To this end, representatives will need to work together and most likely combine clauses from a number of drafts or subsequent proposals made by other Member States at the Conference. Representatives are strongly encouraged to undertake this process before a draft is brought to the floor. As with the United Nations in New York, building support for one draft which encompasses the entire topic will be a much better use of the representatives’ time than trying to work on multiple draft resolutions, many of which will overlap. AMUN suggests that representatives not contend over which draft will come to the floor, but rather caucus and compromise to determine how best to combine drafts into a coherent, whole product that all Member States can accept. Representatives are encouraged to use friendly amendments or draft a new, all-encompassing document to accomplish this goal. Rapporteurs are available in General Assembly Committees, special committees and reporting bodies to assist with this process.

After a draft resolution, report or presidential statement has been entered into the appropriate Representative Workspace using the required template and receives the requisite sponsorship, representatives must submit the draft document and Sponsorship Form to the dais staff for approval. The dais staff will review the submission and discuss with representatives any necessary or suggested edits. Once representatives have entered all necessary edits, the dais staff will approve the draft document and make it formally available to the body for consideration. The body will not formally act on a draft resolution until the entire body has been given the ability to review it.

After a draft has been approved, the dais staff will announce that the draft has become available for consideration. The draft will be available to the body in the Representative Workspace which all representatives with an AMUN designated email can access. 

Points to Consider in Writing Draft Resolutions 

The following list includes important points to consider when writing a draft resolution. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but should provide a good starting point to make draft resolutions as realistic as possible.

• In the preambular clauses, describe the recent history of the situation and the issue as it currently exists.
• Refer to specific past United Nations actions and previous resolutions passed on the topic, when available.
• In the operative clauses, include actions or recommendations that will address or solve the problem, not just make a statement.
• Avoid using blatantly political language in the content of the draft resolution—this may damage efforts to reach a consensus on the issue.
• Take into account the points of view of other States whenever possible.
• Write the draft resolution from an international or United Nations perspective, not just from a single country’s point of view.
• Consider whether the substance of the draft resolution is within the purview of the committee and refer relevant parts to other bodies where appropriate.
• Refer issues which need further discussion to appropriate, existing bodies.
• Do not create new committees/councils/commissions/working groups/etc. without first considering if other similar bodies already exist.
• Always consider previous United Nations resolutions on the topic; do not duplicate what other resolutions have done without referencing the appropriate sources.

Purview and Other Content Requirements for Resolutions 

One point to consider when drafting a document is whether its content is within the body’s purview. Each body within the United Nations has a purview: a subject-matter jurisdiction over which that body is granted authority by the United Nations Charter. A body will not address subject matter that is outside its purview because that subject almost always belongs to the purview of another body. The topic briefs for each simulation identify the purview for each United Nations body simulated at AMUN. Dais staff—Rapporteurs in committees and reporting bodies and Simulation Directors in the Security Councils—will review submitted documents to determine whether they are within the purview of the body. If necessary, dais staff will offer suggestions as to how to modify a draft document to bring it within the purview of the body, rather than rejecting a submission.

As part of our educational mission, AMUN strives to simulate the United Nations as realistically as possible within the confines of a four-day simulation. Accordingly, for all simulations outside of the Security Council and Historical Security Council simulations, AMUN limits the topics that may be discussed. These topics are identified in depth within this handbook. In committees with limited agendas, Rapporteurs will not accept resolutions unless they are directed to one of the topics for the simulation and can assist in migrating work in this direction as needed.

The dais staff will not accept draft resolutions or other documents that it views as disruptive to the work of the body or the Conference as a whole. Disruptive resolutions and other documents are those that are only tangentially related to a topic for that simulation, or those that contain language, proposals or solutions that are generally not seen in United Nations resolutions. Such disruptive resolutions detract from the educational experience of all AMUN’s participants. Accordingly, the submission of disruptive resolutions is considered diplomatically discourteous, and will be addressed by the dais staff in accordance with Rule 2.2, Diplomatic Courtesy. Decisions of the Secretariat on these matters are final.

Draft Resolution Guidelines and Format 

Draft resolutions will consist of a standard heading section followed by preambular and operative clauses. Preambular clauses are listed first; they are used to justify action, denote past authorizations and precedents for action or denote the purpose for an action. Operative clauses are the statements of policy in a resolution. Each operative clause is numbered, begins with a verb to denote an action (or suggested action) and usually addresses no more than one specific aspect of the action to be taken.

Draft resolutions must be generated using the resolution template available in the Google Drive Workspace and submitted using the Submission Form available in the Representative Workspace that AMUN provides for the simulation. The draft resolutions must also comply with the following additional formatting requirements:

• During the processing of draft resolutions, do not use italics, bold or underlined print to highlight words. Italic text should only be used as shown in the Sample Draft Resolution.
• Clauses must begin with proper introductory words/phrases in italics.
• Do not add the topic number or name of your committee. This information will be added by your simulation’s Rapporteur when the document is approved.

Rapporteurs and dais staff are available to assist representatives with any questions about format, grammar and document creation relating to their draft documents. Any dais staff member within the simulation room is available to assist with questions relating to navigating the AMUN-provided Google Drive Workspace.

Sample Draft Resolution

Draft Resolution Guidelines

• All preambular and operative phrases are italicized.
• The first word of all clauses, sub-clauses and sub-sub-clauses is capitalized. In a clause with a two-word introductory phrase (e.g., Further noting) both words are italicized, but only the first is capitalized.
• All preambular clauses begin with an “ing” form verb (e.g., Acknowledging, Recalling), or other appropriate phrase (e.g., Alarmed by).
• All operative clauses begin with a verb that demonstrates action (e.g., Requests, Calls upon).
• All words should be spelled according to standard American usage, except in formal program or organization names or titles (e.g., World Food Programme).
• Acronyms and initialisms are appropriate in resolutions, except when referring to the United Nations and its principal organs (e.g., the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council), which should always be spelled out in full.
• Acronyms and initialisms are written out in full the first time they are used within a resolution, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses (e.g., African Development Bank (ADB)).
• Full dates should always be used, including in reference to resolutions (e.g., 9 October 1977 or resolution 61/171 of 19 December 2006).
• In Security Council resolutions, the year the resolution was passed should be in parentheses along with the full date (e.g., resolution 1757 (2007) of 30 May 2007).
• When referencing a resolution, use the short resolution number instead of the full document symbol (e.g., resolution 61/171 instead of resolution A/RES/61/171).
• Whole numbers under 10 are written out, except in fractions, in lists or comparisons, in percentages, vote counts, ratios, etc. Do not use a % symbol. Use “none” instead of zero.
• Numbers between 10 and 999,999 should be written in figures, except at the beginning of a clause or sentence.
• Millions, billions and trillions are written as follows: 1 million, 4.3 billion, etc.
• Isolated references to weights and measurements are spelled out (e.g., ten kilometers).
• Generally, do not use a comma before the final element of a list.
• Lists of sponsors and/or authors are not included in the final version of documents. Once passed, they become the work and property of the whole body.

Amendments 

An amendment is a written statement that adds to, deletes from or otherwise modifies a draft resolution, report or other document. An amendment may be as small as changing a single word, or as large as the deletion or insertion of numerous clauses in a document. Both preambular and operative clauses in draft resolutions may be amended.

Member States typically propose informal changes to draft documents during the drafting process. If sponsoring delegations do not approve of the proposed changes, they will not be incorporated into the draft document. However, the proposed changes may be introduced via a formal amendment after the document is officially introduced to the body for discussion. Otherwise, a sponsor may choose to withdraw its sponsorship from the draft document into which the proposed changes are incorporated.

Once a document is approved by the body’s dais staff, amendments must be made through a formal process. This involves drafting the amendment in the appropriate Representative Workspace  and submitting it for approval through the Submission Form. The document should provide information on what changes are to be made to the existing resolution. This should include what language is to be amended, where that language currently exists in the resolution and where the newly proposed language should go. See the Sample Amendment Form. 

A minimum of 15 percent of delegations must sponsor each amendment, although only one sponsor is required in the Security Council and Historical Security Councils. If all of the sponsors of a resolution are also sponsors of an amendment, the amendment is considered “friendly” and automatically becomes part of the draft resolution without a vote. If not all of the resolution sponsors have agreed to the amendment, it must go through the standard amendment process. This includes moving the amendment to the floor, discussion and voting procedure. If the body takes any substantive vote on an amendment or any part of the draft resolution, the document becomes the property of the body and the friendly amendment process is no longer available to the resolution’s sponsors. Any subsequent amendments must be voted on by the body to be incorporated into the resolution.

Sample Amendment

Reports

A report is another type of formal document at the United Nations. Reports of functional commissions, standing committees, regional commissions and other bodies that make reports to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) or the General Assembly generally follow the United Nations format for annual reports. At AMUN, reporting bodies may write only one report for each topic that is presented. These reports summarize the body’s discussion of the topic and make recommendations of actions to be taken by the appropriate United Nations body. At this year’s Conference, the following simulations will write reports: the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The report format is outlined here, and a sample Table of Contents for the report follows. A more detailed description and sample reports are available online here. The dais staff in each report-writing body will provide additional details to the commission on the first day of Conference and will assist representatives throughout the report-writing process. Please note that in this section “commission” refers to the reporting body and “council” refers to the body that receives the report.

The first item in the report will be an executive summary, not exceeding one page, that outlines the major points of the report, including the commission’s findings and its recommendations to the council. It is important that the executive summary contains all the critical information for the body hearing the report. The special rapporteurs will guide representatives through the report-writing process and formal acceptance of the report. The executive summary is written last to encompass all parts of the compiled report once actions are determined and deliberations finalized.

Chapter I of the report will be titled “Matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council or brought to its attention” (for bodies reporting to the General Assembly, the chapter titles should be changed accordingly). First, this chapter will contain the text of draft resolutions recommended by the commission for adoption by the council. With the exception of the title and numbering, the resolutions should follow standard resolution format as detailed in this handbook. Second, this chapter may contain a short statement on any other matter that requires action or attention by the council but has not been included in a draft resolution. Take care when including other matters that require action to ensure that there is consensus within the body for addressing these matters. Further, although Chapter I contains the text of draft resolutions recommended for adoption, the entire report should include substantially more material. The body should focus its efforts on drafting the report, rather than passing draft resolutions, which are merely recommendations, for inclusion in the report.

Chapter II of the report will be titled according to the official agenda item before the commission. This chapter should contain a brief account of the proceedings that the commission considers essential to transmit to the council and should focus on the decision making process that the commission followed in order to make its recommendations. This chapter is typically written throughout the entire time the commission is in session, taking into account all essential proceedings and decision making processes as they occur. Essential proceedings often include statements made by delegations regarding the topic at issue.

Chapter III, if necessary, should be titled “Decisions adopted by the Commission at its [year] session” and should contain those decisions, if any, adopted by the commission that do not require further action and that the commission takes in its own name. This practice is rare because ECOSOC Resolution 1623 (LI) states that resolutions of functional commissions and subsidiary bodies should normally be in the form of drafts for approval by the council. Generally, resolutions the body recommends (in other words, those that require further action) would not be incorporated in this chapter, but rather in Chapter I.

The last chapter should be titled “Adoption of the report.” The chapter should detail the manner in which the commission adopted the report, including the voting record, if any. This section of the report will be added by the Special Rapporteurs. Following the substantive chapters of the report, the commission may choose to include additional information as appendices for the council, including statements regarding the financial implications of the council’s recommendations; other relevant publications or statements; and relevant data, charts or graphs.

Reporting bodies should aim to conclude their substantive work by Monday evening, and they should finalize and accept the reports and compose the executive summaries for the reports on Tuesday.

Sample Table of Contents for Reports

Resolution Introductory Phrases

The following phrases/words are a partial list of appropriate introductions in resolutions.

Preambular Phrases

(single verb in present participle or other introductory phrase):

Operative Phrases

(verb in third person present indicative tense):

Lending Emphasis to Resolution Phrasing

Diplomatic communication relies heavily on connotation and nuance, and United Nations resolutions and decisions are no exception. When resolutions are constructed, they often contain language that actually conveys the very precise attitudes and intentions of the authors. At AMUN, representatives are urged to select words carefully when drafting resolutions. The introductory phrases listed above also carry significant emotional and diplomatic meaning. Accurate use of these introductory terms is of paramount importance at the United Nations, and should also be emphasized in AMUN simulations.

A more useful method for listing introductory phrases, rather than the alphabetical listing above, might be in order of the phrases’ emotional weight, described by United Nations practitioners as crescendos. Each of the following crescendos begins with a neutral phrase at the top (conveying little emotion) and concludes with a strongly worded phrase (conveying strongly positive or negative emotion). Some of these opening phrases also have common uses in the language of United Nations resolutions; when applicable, this information has been included parenthetically with each phrase. Some phrases that express strong insistence or negative emotion are typically only used in Security Council resolutions and even then are selected with great care—these are noted where appropriate.

Sample Preambular Phrase Crescendos

All lists of sample phrase crescendos presented below start with the most neutral/weakest phrase and end with the strongest phrases.

Noting (by being neutral, this term actually can connote negativity; for example, a resolution “noting the report of the Secretary-General” actually insults the Secretary-General’s work by not being more approving)

Noting with appreciation (this is the typical way to recognize a report or other document)

Noting with satisfaction

Noting with deep satisfaction

Alternatively, there can be further detail added to connote a more negative context for the point that is about to be made as shown in the following example:

Noting

Noting with regret

Noting with deep regret

Sample Operative Phrase Crescendos

Notes (See comments on “noting” above)

Notes with appreciation

Notes with satisfaction

Welcomes

Recommends (suggests that other United Nations organs take an action)

Invites (suggests that Member States take an action)

Requests (suggests that the Secretary-General take an action)

Appeals (suggests that Member States take an action, more emotional)

Calls Upon (suggests that Member States take an action, very emotional)

Urges (strongest suggestion by the General Assembly)

Demands (rarely used outside of the Security Council)

Notes with concern

Expresses its concern

Expresses its deep concern

Deplores

Strongly deplores

Condemns (rarely used outside of the Security Council)

Commonly Misunderstood Terms

Declares (used to make a statement)

Decides (used to indicate an action to be taken)

For sample usage of the phrases, see the Sample Draft Resolution and the Checklist for Resolution Formatting.

Security Council Presidential Statements 

While the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies usually speak through reports and resolutions, the Security Council has another option: the presidential statement. At the United Nations, the Security Council adopts presidential statements more frequently than resolutions.

A presidential statement is a written statement issued by the president, noting that the Council has been discussing a specific topic and stating the general course of that discussion. These documents are frequently made at the beginning of or after a significant event in a crisis situation, but can be used at any point in the simulation. These statements can be as short as a sentence or two in length, but they can be longer if the situation dictates. Presidential statements are usually simple enough that they are agreed to by the entire body. This also means they often do not prescribe action and have little weight, unlike resolutions, which are technically binding on Member States. Presidential statements are often used when Members want to make a strong statement, but when one or more Member States, often Permanent Members, find it politically inexpedient to pass a binding resolution on the subject.

At AMUN, presidential statements are not written by the body’s president as they are at the United Nations in New York. Instead, presidential statements are written by the Council as a whole; the Council must enter a consultative session and reach consensus to adopt a draft presidential statement. While draft statements, like draft resolutions, may be constructed by individuals or small groups during suspensions, AMUN recommends that representatives collaborate as much as possible on the creation of presidential statements and suggests entering into a consultative session for this purpose. For more information, please see Security Council Rule 7.7 Consultative Sessions.

Representatives are free to circulate unofficial drafts, but a draft statement cannot be adopted until it has been entered into the Representative Workspace, has received approval by the Dais Staff and has been distributed to the Council. To adopt an approved draft statement, the Council must enter a consultative session. Once it appears consensus on the statement has been met, the president will ask if there is any objection to consensus on the document. If there are no objections to consensus, the statement will be adopted. If there are objections, the Council may wish to discuss the draft further and make changes. Once consensus is reached, the statement is considered adopted; the dais staff will update the document with any agreed-to changes and copies of the final presidential statement will be made available to the Council.

Sample Security Council Presidential Statement

A Holistic Approach to Research and Preparation

AMUN recommends a systematic and holistic approach to research related to Conference preparation. This approach can be broken into eight components, represented by the subsequent subheadings. This approach ensures representatives are well versed in each of these areas, will allow for their fullest participation in the Conference and will maximize the educational benefit of their experience. This approach is recommended for students participating in traditional Model UN simulations such as the General Assembly Committees, Security Council or Historical Security Council. Students participating in specialized simulations, such as the International Court of Justice, International Press Delegation or the Historical Commission of Inquiry may have different preparatory requirements.

The United Nations System

Representatives must understand the basics of the United Nations. Well-prepared representatives not only know the basic structure of the United Nations but also understand how their committee fits into the organization and accomplishes its work. This information allows representatives to make better decisions regarding what actions the body they are simulating can and cannot reasonably take. This basic delineation of responsibilities is called purview, and this handbook includes a brief description of each committee’s purview.

The History and Current Affairs of the Represented State

Understanding the history and current affairs of the represented State is the first key to understanding what actions a State may prefer on specific issues. Research should include basic statistical data and general information such as population, demographics, government type, natural resources and trade data. Students should become familiar with the State’s traditional allies and adversaries. A State’s history can be crucial to understanding its contemporary actions, including the question of whether that State was previously colonized or was a colonial power, when the State gained statehood and what means were used in gaining independence (e.g., civil or revolutionary war, peaceful protests or state dissolution).

The Represented State’s Viewpoints on the Issues to be Discussed at the Conference

Focused research on the issues being discussed in each committee and on your State’s position on those issues are the most important aspects of Model UN preparation. Research can come from a variety of sources, beginning with United Nations documents and moving to other articles, periodicals, books and internet resources. United Nations resolutions and reports on relevant topics are especially helpful because they provide a quick reference to what has already been accomplished in the past and what still needs to be done. These documents frequently provide voting information, which allows representatives to quickly determine their State’s past positions on issues. Relevant sources are provided throughout each topic brief in this handbook. Contacting the delegation’s permanent mission to the United Nations may also be helpful, but the level of assistance provided varies with each country’s policies and available resources.

It will be very easy for some representatives to find specific information to determine their State’s position on most or all topics, while for others, this information will be difficult to obtain. When clear-cut information is not available, representatives should make the best possible inferences about what their State’s policy would be given the facts available. Representatives can form these inferences based on the State’s background, its historical voting record and the positions of its traditional allies or regional group, among other factors. Regardless of the facts available, knowing exactly what a State would do in a given situation is often not possible. Representatives should strive to know as much as possible about their State’s stance on each topic and make reasonable policy assumptions on issues that are not totally clear.

The Relationship Between the Current World Situation and the Represented State

This is a subset of the previous two areas of research, but it is important enough to be mentioned in its own right. The world situation is dynamic, as are the States that make up the international system, and States’ positions on some issues may hinge on their particular situation or perspective. For example, it may seem obvious that there are differences between the policies of a regional great power and a State with very little military might, but it is also worth considering the extent to which States are engaged militarily beyond their own borders. States with different development profiles—for example, industrialized States and developing States—may have vastly different concerns and policy positions. A State that is currently in the midst of civil war or a State under United Nations sanctions may have unique positions on some issues. Knowing where a represented State fits into the current geopolitical context can complement country-specific research and answer many questions that may arise during the simulation.

The Perspectives of Other States on the Issues on the Conference Agenda

Anticipating the positions of other delegations can be a challenging element of pre-Conference preparation. While it is reasonable to expect that a representative will know who their general allies and adversaries are on a given issue, it is very difficult to have detailed information about the policies of each State in the simulation. Limitations in preparation time require that representatives focus primarily on the policies of their own country, often learning about other delegations’ positions in the context of researching their own States’ positions. It is much more likely, though, that each representative will be learning the formal policies of the other States in the committee when other representatives give speeches from the floor and when they confer with others behind the scenes in caucus sessions. In roleplaying, flexibility is key: representatives must aggregate new information they gain at the Conference and assimilate it with their pre-Conference research to best reach consensus and compromise on complex issues.

AMUN Rules of Procedure

Substantive discussions of issues form the basis of any good simulation of the United Nations and the rules of procedure facilitate this debate. In general, these rules are intended to provide an even playing field, allowing each State to accomplish its individual policy goals, while maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement or consensus. We recommend that each representative has a working knowledge of the principal motions which can be made during the simulation, which can be found on the Rules Short Forms. The dais staff of each committee will assist representatives in using these rules and will work to create an even playing field for all representatives. For experienced representatives who have not attended AMUN in the past, we suggest reading AMUN’s rules in-depth to note differences from other conferences they have attended. AMUN veterans should reread the rules as a refresher. Most Model United Nations conferences use different rules of procedure, and in some cases the contrasts are significant. In order to best facilitate everyone’s experience, it is incumbent on every participant to learn and use the rules established for this conference.

Practicing using the AMUN Rules of Procedure in a mock session is one of the best ways to prepare for this aspect of the conference. AMUN provides the Model UN in a Box simulation guide to all registered schools, which can assist faculty advisors or club leaders in running practice simulations. Please email us if you have any questions about the AMUN Rules of Procedure.

Resolution and Report Writing

At AMUN the main substantive work of the body takes the form of resolutions and reports. These documents are the work of all the representatives in the body. There are several ways to become familiar with the resolution and report writing process. To begin, we suggest reading the United Nations Documents chapter of this handbook for guidelines about crafting resolutions and reports. The UN Documents chapter includes a sample resolution, as well as a sample report table of contents. These can be used as a guide while drafting your own documents. Resolutions and reports at the United Nations often have a distinct tone and style, and representatives can familiarize themselves with these conventions by reading and analyzing the language and content of resolutions or reports. Representatives can practice writing resolutions and their clauses and become familiar with the writing style to better translate ideas into clear statements at the Conference. Representatives should also familiarize themselves with the purview of each body in order to develop an understanding of what their committee can and cannot do and how it fits into the larger United Nations system. More information about purview is included at the start of each simulation’s background briefs. The dais staff of each committee will answer any questions regarding documents and purview. Remember that while writing resolutions and reports ahead of time can be a great way to practice, the best documents reflect the consensus of your simulation and are crafted by the body as a whole. Please email us if you have any questions about resolution and report writing at AMUN.

Preparing as a Group 

All of these areas of preparation will require research and practice. We recommend team preparation whenever possible, as delegations should represent their State’s positions consistently across simulations and many of the preparatory categories cross committee boundaries. Representatives can work together by assigning various topics to individuals for research and then come back together as a group to hear each others’ reports and to discuss the implications for representing the State. Research about the United Nations system and the basic information about a country—its background, history, statistical data, contemporary situation, etc.—is best accomplished by a collaborative effort. Research about specific committees and topics will be more individualized. Still, other team members on the delegation may benefit from having a briefing on each topic. These briefings can give the entire delegation a broader picture of the State’s policies and positions. Formal briefings that include both general and topic-specific information also allow representatives to practice public speaking, answering questions, consolidating information and presenting information persuasively.

When representatives are working in pairs on a single committee, AMUN recommends against having one person become the expert in each topic. In simulations, the coverage of topics may be uneven and unpredictable, and teams function most effectively when both partners share expertise.

Developing a Conference Strategy 

As part of its preparation, each delegation should determine its strategy and goals for the Conference. All delegations should be involved in working toward solutions to the problems placed before the United Nations. This requires a great deal of negotiation and compromise, often at the expense of certain positions that may be of concern to an individual delegation. Each delegation’s representatives must therefore decide which items are of greatest importance to their State and set their strategies accordingly. Strategic areas to consider include the following:

• What kind of role will your delegation play at the Conference (e.g., conciliatory, obstructive, aggressive, neutral or leading)?
• Will your delegation seek informal leadership positions in each committee?
• How can your delegation achieve the goals and interests identified in your research and delegation strategy?
• What other delegations will your delegation attempt to work with? Note: these delegations may vary by committee or by topic.
• Which delegations may present adversarial positions to your delegation and how will your delegation respond?

Remember, passing resolutions and reports is not the only or even truest measure of success at the Conference. While each delegation is encouraged to propose solutions on the various issues and to secure passage of resolutions and reports that outline the solutions, representatives must stand ready to compromise to achieve any real solution to the problems being discussed.

Conducting Research 

General Sources of Information 

AMUN recommends the following general sources of information to use when researching a State and the issues discussed at the Conference. Many of these sources are available on the internet, either publicly or through subscriptions held by school libraries.

• United Nations Today (United Nations Department of Public Information)
• The World Factbook (CIA)
• Permanent Missions to the United Nations
• United Nations Department of Global Communications
• The Europa World Yearbook
• United Nations Handbook (New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
• Various periodicals and other news sources, including the United Nations Chronicle, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, and Reuters

United Nations Sources 

Most United Nations resolutions, documents, speeches and other resources can be accessed through the internet. Most United Nations agencies have a significant presence online and maintain a number of databases with relevant information on various regions around the world.

The main United Nations website provides current information and continuous updates on the work of the United Nations, especially in the General Assembly, Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. The website also includes historical information about these bodies, reports from the Secretary-General and a host of other useful documents. The United Nations website is updated frequently, and the navigation sometimes changes, but it remains a useful starting point for research.

Most United Nations Members now have websites for their permanent missions in New York and Geneva. When a website is available, it often includes details on the State’s policy and may include the text of speeches given by representatives at the United Nations.

The United Nations also provides public access to its Official Document System (ODS), which includes nearly all documents published by the UN, including many that are not available from the main website. Please note that the search engine available on ODS is not always easy to use. It is easiest to find files if you know the document number. Each UN document has a unique symbol at the top right of the document. Symbols include both letters and numbers, some of which have meanings while others do not. The bibliography section of each topic brief in this handbook contains references to several United Nations documents and can act as a starting place for your preparations. Typing this document number into a search engine is also often successful. The United Nations Digital Library provides an advanced keyword search for a wide array of official documents, including final and draft resolutions, reports and official correspondence.

AMUN Materials 

Most Model UN research is accomplished online, and there are a vast number of sources at representatives’ disposal. AMUN’s website offers a good starting point for your research, as it includes links to many United Nations-related sites. This website is updated with United Nations links as they become available and includes a great deal of background information to assist in your preparations for the Conference. AMUN also publishes updates, UN-related content and tips for preparation on the conference blog, the AMUN Accords.

AMUN also provides each registered school with a complimentary copy of Model UN in a Box, a simulation guide faculty advisors and club leaders can use to assist with in-depth conference preparation. In addition to significant background on teaching Model UN and Model UN research, it also includes a number of hands-on and practical exercises to help students prepare for resolution-writing, caucusing, speaking and consensus building. The guide also includes three simulations for practice sessions. These simulations include everything you need to run a simulation, including topic briefs, country background guides, placards and facilitator notes.

Writing Position Papers 

Why Draft a Position Paper? 

Well-crafted position papers serve several functions for Conference participants. Position papers are useful for a delegation’s internal preparation, as well as for signaling the delegation’s public position on a topic and for gaining insight into other delegations’ positions before the Conference. AMUN strongly encourages all delegations to outline their State’s basic public policy on each issue to be discussed at Conference. This public statement is crucial for pre-Conference preparations and is the most important thing delegations can provide to each other in advance. AMUN collects position papers and makes them publicly available to all delegations on our website in early November before the Conference. AMUN requests that all delegations submit public position papers and strongly suggests that each delegation prepare internal position papers that more clearly and completely define their country’s perspective and strategy on the topics under discussion.

Internal Position Papers 

An internal position paper, often called a white paper, is primarily a tool for your individual preparation and for the delegation as a whole. While internal position papers are not required, AMUN believes these to be an excellent exercise for consolidating and communicating your delegation’s positions on various issues. Internal position papers are a broad-based statement of a country’s policies on a specific issue. An internal position paper might include a State’s public position on an issue, knowledge of any behind-the-scenes or back-channel diplomatic efforts and agreements (e.g., a deal made informally with a close ally or partner), information about the position of allies and adversaries on each topic, the State’s negotiating position and strategy, a statement of the State’s objectives, a bottom-line negotiating position (e.g., what things the delegation will demand or concede in the course of negotiations, what language must be included or excluded in a draft resolution or report) and any other useful information.

Internal position papers help representatives to think about the full complexity of their delegation’s perspective on the issues they are tasked with confronting. The process of writing an internal position paper can help each representative condense their large amount of research and ideas into a concise and comprehensible position that can be articulated at the Conference. Internal position papers do not need to be more than one or two pages long and can take any form that the delegation deems appropriate. AMUN recommends that delegations share all internal position papers with their entire team to provide a well-rounded view of the country’s positions on all topics at the Conference.

Public Position Papers 

Public position papers offer public statements on a State’s position on a particular agenda item. At AMUN, delegations write a position paper for each topic on the Conference agenda. AMUN publishes these position papers on our website, where they can be sorted by delegation and topic to aid in preparation for the Conference. Each paper should include a brief statement about the State’s position on the topic and its opinions about recent United Nations action on the topic. It should indicate the State’s public position on how the United Nations should respond, especially noting proposals that a delegation has (or intends to have) sponsored, supported or not supported. Public papers do not need to go into detail about the delegation’s negotiating positions or other behind-the-scenes issues, but they should be seen as something that a diplomat might say in a public speech on the topic.

While a delegation can include anything it deems relevant in its public position papers, AMUN recommends including some key elements in each paper. First, each position paper should specifically state one or two key points that the delegation believes are most important on each topic. This exercise will help the delegation prioritize and find like-minded delegations when it is time to caucus and negotiate. The paper should then offer specific details about why these topics are important and what the delegation proposes should be done by the United Nations or individual States to improve the situation.

Depending on the agenda item, the available information and the State’s situation, there are a number of other elements that may be included in a public position paper. Representatives should consider incorporating some or all of these elements in their position papers:

• References to past United Nations resolutions and international treaties, providing the specific number or name of the document and the year it passed.
• References to the United Nations Charter, as appropriate for the topic.
• Past statements by the Secretary-General, a senior United Nations Secretariat member or by a Representative of a United Nations agency on the topic.
• Reference to the work the United Nations has already done on the topic, whether by specialized agencies, regional bodies or working with non-governmental organizations.
• Past statements relevant to the topic by government representatives.
• Specific suggestions of actions that the representatives’ State will support in solving the issue in question.

Finally, public position papers generally do not need to contain extensive background on a particular State’s internal factors related to the topic; the public position paper is about how the State positions itself within the international debate on the issue rather than its internal dynamics. Thus, public position papers should generally not talk about the problems facing a specific State but rather the problems facing the international community. If a State offers a clear example of a successful United Nations program in action, or if the State is a member of an affected group, representatives may want to include a brief reference to that in their paper; otherwise, there is usually no need to mention specifics about particular States in a position paper.

Position Paper Submission 

AMUN requests each delegation submit position papers to the Conference, covering each committee on which it is seated, no later than 25 October. These papers should be no more than one-half page on each topic covered in the committee. All delegations should submit a paper covering the General Assembly Plenary, each of the three General Assembly Committees and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including both topics for each committee. Delegations represented on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) should also include the two topics of discussion for each Commission on which they are seated. Delegations represented on the Security Council or Historical Security Council should choose up to three topics they think are the most important for their respective Council to discuss and include these in their position paper. Delegations seated on the Historical Commission of Inquiry should also include Preparatory Statements covering each inquiry; more information on Preparatory Statements can be found in Chapter 11: Introduction to the Historical Commission of Inquiry. 

A sample position paper, along with full submission instructions, is available on AMUN’s website.

The AMUN Secretariat will not judge the position papers other than to check for completeness and general germaneness. Position papers will be collected and organized by the AMUN Secretariat and posted on the AMUN website prior to the Conference. As public documents, position papers must conform to the standards laid out in AMUN’s policy on plagiarism (see below).

All position papers must be submitted via AMUN’s online web form. Additional submission information will be sent in the fall to all registered schools. AMUN reserves the right to reject any position paper that fails to address one of the topics as stated in this handbook, does not comport with basic standards of diplomatic courtesy or is determined to violate the policy on plagiarism.

Any school with a late fall start date (as may be common for schools on quarter or trimester systems) may request a one-week extension to the official due date listed above by emailing mail@amun.org before 25 October.

Position Paper Awards 

AMUN will provide a Position Paper Award for each delegation that submits an approved, complete position paper, including sections for each topic in all assigned simulations, by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on 25 October. Note that this must include papers for the General Assembly Plenary, all General Assembly Committees and any other simulation on which the delegation has a representative seated. Submission of a position paper for the Special Committee (our optional-participation simulation) is not required for a Position Paper Award. If a school is representing multiple countries, each delegation will be considered separately for a Position Paper Award.

For answers to any questions about writing or submitting position papers or about Position Paper Awards, please email us at mail@amun.org.

Simulations, Roles and Roleplaying 

The AMUN Conference is a simulation of the United Nations. By nature, the quality and tone of debate will be different from the United Nations in New York. AMUN’s policies, topics and rules of procedure are all designed to further the educational value of the simulation. Each person involved at AMUN, from representatives to faculty advisors to members of the Secretariat, has a role to play in a successful simulation. This chapter outlines the various roles and responsibilities of Conference participants.

One of the core principles of AMUN is to mirror the practice and dynamics of the United Nations as closely as possible within the confines of the simulation. For more information, see the AMUN Philosophy and Realism section in the preceding chapter, the AMUN Approach to Model United Nations.

The AMUN Secretariat 

The AMUN Secretariat is made up of college students, graduate students and professionals from a variety of fields. All members of the Secretariat are highly trained and the vast majority are experienced in “Model UN”-ing, both as representatives and as staff members at previous AMUN Conferences and/or other Model UN conferences. Secretariat members chair AMUN’s committees, serve as simulation directors and rapporteurs, direct the International Press Delegation and the International Court of Justice, and run Home Government, Conference Services and the Executive Office. Secretariat members are able to answer any questions that representatives or faculty members have about AMUN or direct them to an appropriate Secretariat member who will answer their questions.

The Secretariat will also be present at after-hours functions. They will encourage all representatives to move all gatherings to designated areas and to minimize late-night noise levels out of respect for the hotel and its customers. When possible, they will intervene in disputes between the representatives and the hotel. In the interest of an orderly conference, and as a matter of respect for fellow hotel guests, please follow all directions given by Secretariat members.

Executive Office 

The AMUN Executive Office includes the Executive Director and other senior members of the AMUN Secretariat. The Executive Office is the primary point of contact for participating schools throughout the year. At the Conference, the Executive Office handles all financial and registration issues, makes changes to credentials as needed, is available at Faculty and Permanent Representative meetings, and conducts the lottery for country assignments for the next year’s Conference.

Home Government 

AMUN Home Government is available to provide content support during the AMUN Conference. Home Government supports a realistic simulation by  providing roleplayers for a variety of reasons, including: to address the simulations on the topics being covered, to enhance committees’ debate and educational experience, or to supplement Representatives’ pre-Conference research by fulfilling information requests and briefing requests submitted by representatives through the dais staff. 

Conference Services 

Conference Services is the all-purpose information hub for both representatives and faculty. Conference Services can also print replacement credentials for representatives and faculty advisors.

Conferences Services is also the place to purchase AMUN memorabilia to commemorate your AMUN experience.

Those applying to join the AMUN Secretariat can submit their applications at Conference Services.

Dais Staff 

Members of the AMUN Secretariat assigned to all simulations except the International Court of Justice, International Press Delegation and Home Government are referred to as “dais staff.” The specific makeup of a dais will vary depending on the type of committee as follows: 

• Resolution-writing bodies will have chairs or presidents who facilitate debate using the AMUN Rules of Procedure and rapporteurs who facilitate the resolution process.
• Report-writing bodies will have presidents to facilitate debate and rapporteurs who will guide the body through the report writing process. 
• The Security Council and Historical Security Council will have presidents and vice presidents will facilitate debate through the use of the AMUN Rules of Procedure and assist representatives with processing resolutions and presidential statements, while simulation staff will act as the primary source of information for the Councils, including acting as the home office for the Councils’ participants. 
• The Commission of Inquiry, will have simulation staff act as the primary point of contact for the Commissioners, facilitating Commission processes and procedures, managing witness testimony and facilitating the Commission’s reports. 

International Court of Justice Staff 

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is conducted differently than other simulations. The Court is structured and directed by Justices, who are chosen by application prior to the Conference. Secretariat members include the ICJ Director-Registrar and ICJ Registrars, who assist Advocates in drafting memorials and preparing for oral arguments. The Registrars guide the simulation by providing advice about its structure and supplemental research support to the Justices.

International Press Delegation Staff 

The International Press Delegation (IPD) is staffed by a Director, Publisher and editors who work to produce AMUN’s Conference newspaper, the AMUN Chronicle. The Director is responsible for making final content decisions, final corrections and passing articles to the Publisher for inclusion in the Chronicle.The Publisher is responsible for ensuring articles are included in the Chronicle, overseeing final edits and submitting the final version of the Chronicle to the Executive Committee and Executive Office for approval and for publishing the Chronicle. Editors are responsible for assisting reporters in reviewing articles and for suggesting any corrections to spelling, grammar or style for all articles. 

Delegations 

Delegations are, collectively, the group of people who represent a United Nations Member State or Observer State at the Conference. A school may represent more than one delegation. Delegations from the same school may share a faculty advisor and meet together after-hours, but their in-character actions during the simulation should be based on their countries’ respective policies. Delegations can range in size from 4 people to more than 20.

The latitude allowed by roleplaying and simulation does not give delegations license to act “out of character.” Representatives should research and generally follow the policies of their State, modifying these as new circumstances dictate. Successful roleplaying involves walking a careful line on policy, avoiding the extremes of either reading verbatim a State’s past statements or creating an ad hoc policy with no previous basis.

The Representative 

Well-prepared representatives are critical to the success of any Model UN conference. A representative’s job is to research the positions of a United Nations Member State or Observer State, both on the specific topics that will be discussed at the Conference and for a general overview of that State’s policies.

With adequate preparation, representatives should be ready to discuss the issues with their counterparts and to prepare draft documents that, based on the specifics of each simulation, codify solutions to problems. These draft documents may be submitted for debate at the Conference, provided they meet the requirements for formatting and content as outlined in this handbook.

Representatives attend the AMUN Conference to represent their State in discussing the issues presented. When representatives enter the opening session of AMUN, they assume the role of Distinguished Representative from their country with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. 

Unlike the United Nations in New York, at AMUN representatives will have only four days to assume the role of their State’s representative and simulate the actions of the United Nations. This consolidation of time leads to many challenges with which each delegation will have to contend. Among these challenges is the fact that representatives will rarely have the opportunity to give a pre‑written speech on a topic. Instead, they will often verbally react to circumstances as they arise, which may put them in a position to reinterpret their country’s position in light of new context. Representatives should not simply read from their country’s established record on the issues presented. They should be prepared to compromise with other States and adapt their policies when needed to meet the current circumstances of the world as simulated at the Conference.

At the Conference, representatives speak on behalf of their governments, debate the issues on the agenda to seek solutions to problems facing the world community and caucus with other States’ representatives to draft and discuss resolutions, reports and statements. Documents rarely maintain their original form between their first draft and the draft considered by the committee. Throughout the course of debate, draft documents may be amended or combined, or a body could engage in significant discussion of a particular issue, and still produce no final document. In the United Nations today, Member States and Observers often discuss an agenda item to reach a solution that can be agreed to by all, or at least by most, Member States.

Consensus-building is one of the most important goals for representatives in a Model United Nations simulation. At the United Nations in New York, more than seventy‑five percent of the United Nations General Assembly’s resolutions are adopted by consensus. Adoption by consensus shows solidarity and strong support within the body for a decision or course of action. Passing resolutions by consensus is not possible on every issue, but this statistic illustrates the importance of consensus-building in the international community. By aiming for universal agreement on written work, AMUN simulations strive to emulate this aspect of international diplomacy.

At the United Nations, representatives and their consular staff spend months in preparation, caucusing behind closed doors and interacting with other delegations before an issue is brought to a vote. A United Nations representative, or Head of State, rarely makes a prepared speech that would surprise the other representatives present.

The Permanent Representative 

Each delegation must appoint one person to act as the primary representative who will assume the role of permanent representative when the delegation is on the floor for meetings. Schools representing more than one delegation must appoint one permanent representative per delegation.

The permanent representative has several responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Being responsible to the Secretariat for the delegation and its actions
• Acting as the leader of the delegation for substantive matters
• Coordinating the delegation across committees
• Coordinating and monitoring the delegation’s policy statements and submission of draft documents
• Representing the delegation at general meetings of permanent representatives called by the Conference
• Representing the delegation before the Security Council when requested
• Acting as liaison to the Secretariat for any administrative matters at the Conference.

The Permanent Representative may sit in any committee at AMUN on which that delegation is seated, supplementing the regular delegation size for that body. The permanent representative may be assigned to a specific committee or may float throughout the various simulations at the Conference, helping where needed. The permanent representative may not be assigned to a Historical Security Council or the Historical Commission of Inquiry. If they are assigned to the Security Council (Contemporary), they must have a partner. If the permanent representative is not assigned to a specific committee, this person may be in the best position to represent the country if it is called as a party to the dispute in the Security Council or the Historical Security Councils or as a witness in the Historical Commission of Inquiry. 

Permanent representatives will be asked to provide their hotel room numbers, cell phone numbers and primary committee assignment (if applicable) to the Secretariat during registration at Conference.

As the leader of the delegation, the permanent representative should coordinate the delegation’s efforts across the various simulations. This person should facilitate a delegation’s ability to maintain coherence in policy and statements across simulations.

Permanent representatives should maintain close contact with all committees to ensure that representatives are acting consistently with their delegation’s positions. While the character of the delegation’s roleplaying should be thoroughly discussed in advance of the Conference, the permanent representative must also ensure that individuals remain within character at the Conference.

Permanent representatives can also provide support to the delegation by reviewing draft documents. Each draft document sponsored by representatives in the delegation should be considered carefully to ensure that it is within the State’s policies and is of sufficient content to not prove embarrassing to the State if submitted for consideration on the floor. Permanent representatives are encouraged to actively monitor draft documents to ensure they are not disruptive to the body.

Developing a Conference Strategy 

As part of its preparation, each delegation should determine its strategy and goals for the Conference. All delegations should be involved in working toward solutions to the problems placed before the United Nations. This requires a great deal of negotiation and compromise, often at the expense of an individual delegation’s positions. Therefore, each delegation’s representatives must decide which items are most important to their country and set their strategies accordingly. Strategic areas to consider include the following:

• What kind of role will your delegation play at the Conference (e.g., conciliatory, obstructive, aggressive, neutral or leading)?
• Will your delegation seek informal leadership positions in each committee?
• How can your delegation achieve the goals and interests identified in your research and delegation strategy?
• What other countries will your delegation attempt to work with? Note: These delegations may vary by committee or topic.
• Which countries may present adversarial positions to your delegation, and how will your delegation respond?

Remember, passing resolutions and reports is not the only or even truest measure of success at the Conference. While each delegation is encouraged to propose solutions to the various issues and to secure the passage of resolutions and reports that outline these solutions, representatives must stand ready to compromise to achieve any real solution to the problems being discussed.

The Faculty Advisor 

If a school has a faculty advisor, AMUN suggests that their main role be in working with and preparing the school’s delegation(s) before the Conference. Faculty advisors can assist the delegation in both logistical and substantive preparation for the Conference.

AMUN recognizes the important role faculty advisors have in a delegation’s preparation for, and negotiating the logistics of attending, the Conference. Faculty should model the level of professionalism expected of all attendees of the conference.

Faculty can act as a sounding board for their students during the Conference, but that advice and consultation should generally be given outside of official session times. If consultation during sessions is required, it should occur outside of committee rooms.

It is important to note that faculty are not delegates to the Conference. Therefore, it is inappropriate for faculty to participate in or interfere with the work of the body. Faculty will not engage in caucusing or resolution drafting and may not take a seat at the Member or Observer State’s placard. Faculty from one school should never engage representatives from another school in debate on issues relating to Conference participation. Faculty are welcome to observe formal debate from the gallery seating provided at the back of committee rooms.

Logistically, the faculty advisor may be the main contact with both the Conference and the school administration. This role could include working with finances and group organization, registering the school for the Conference, making hotel reservations, preparing travel arrangements and a host of other preparations. Alternatively, these roles could be delegated and assumed by the student delegation leaders or club officers at a school.

In helping delegations prepare for the content issues they will face at the Conference, faculty advisors could either run a full-curriculum class or serve as a resource for a Model UN club or other organization. They may use the well‑established, proven curriculum provided by the Model UN in a Box simulation guide, which contains resources to assist Model UN leaders in training delegations to participate at a Model United Nations conference. Also, the faculty advisor can coordinate and run preparatory sessions to better prepare students for the Conference.

Grading the Model UN Experience 

AMUN strongly recommends faculty advisors not grade students based on quantitative measures of performance at the Conference. This practice often leads to poor roleplaying, as the students involved are working for their grade and not necessarily for the accurate portrayal of their country’s positions. Grading or evaluating students on quantitative measures can undermine the collaboration and consensus-building that is at the core of the Model UN educational mission. Several areas where AMUN specifically discourages grading include the following:

• Students getting “their” draft resolution or amendment to the floor or passed
• Students speaking a certain number of times (stressing quantity over quality)
• Students making a certain number or type of motion

If grading is necessary, AMUN suggests the following as possible areas for appraisal:

• Pre‑Conference preparation, which may include papers or tests
• Quality of position papers, either internal or those submitted to the Conference
• Quality of resolutions drafted or participation in drafting
• Attendance at scheduled Conference simulations and being on time for each session
• Effectiveness of roleplaying based on direct observations
  • Clearly stating and basing all actions upon the delegation’s position
  • Effectively working in collaboration with other delegations, both on the floor and in caucusing
  • Effectively working toward consensus, when appropriate
• A post‑Conference reflection paper about the student’s learning and experience
• A post-Conference paper analyzing the substantive discussion from the conference
• Peer and self evaluation

The interactive nature of the Model UN experience provides incredible learning opportunities for students who attend and become immersed in that experience. AMUN requests that faculty advisors not dilute their students’ experiences by linking grades to quantitative performance at the Conference.

Additional simulation considerations 

Roleplayers in Simulations 

Representatives and members of the AMUN Secretariat may request roleplayers to represent a country, organization or entity that is not represented at AMUN. All requests for roleplayers should be directed to the dais staff. Roleplayers may be brought in to provide the following: a substantive report from the Secretariat; an expert report from a relevant United Nations body; an informational source from a non-governmental organization; or the perspective of an unrepresented Member State, Observer State or other unrecognized group. Roleplayers may, for example, be used to clarify any points of confusion about the work or goals of a simulation or to provide additional technical information about the current status of United Nations efforts in a particular area. Based on the availability of the Home Government roleplayer and at the discretion of the dais staff, representatives may have the opportunity to raise points of inquiry to gain additional information about the subject.

Briefings and Information Requests

Home Government is a resource center where representatives can obtain information to supplement their pre-Conference research. AMUN’s Home Government has specialized knowledge and training about the United Nations in general and the issues being discussed at AMUN in particular. They are expert researchers who excel at finding information about unexpected aspects of the topics. Home Government staff can assist representatives with supplemental information through both briefings and information requests.

Briefings are delivered in person and cover country-specific information on a broader topic. Briefings are meant to help representatives become familiar with a specific topic and how their State may respond to discussion in the simulation. While Home Government is happy to provide expertise on a representative’s country, it will not advise a representative how to vote on any issue.

Information requests are conducted through a virtual system and cover specific, smaller-scope questions. If you find yourself wondering which states are party to a specific treaty or what decisions were made at the last Commission on the Status of Women, an information request is a great resource to provide those answers. Requests for both briefings and information requests are handled by your simulation’s rapporteurs, who liaise with Home Government on your behalf.

Purview 

Issues occasionally arise that are outside the scope of an AMUN simulation and the specific topics on the agenda. In these cases, representatives should consult their rapporteur to determine whether the issue may be discussed at the Conference. Representatives in Contemporary Security Councils, Historical Security Councils and the Commission of Inquiry should consult their simulation directors about such issues. Justices serving on the International Court of Justice should consult with the registrars. All decisions of the Secretariat are final.

Delegations that are “Out of Character” 

Because students attending the Conference are not career diplomats representing their country and, in most cases, will not have personal experience in the country they are representing, questions do sometimes arise at Conference as to whether the individual’s actions are “out of character” in relation to their delegation’s policies in the real world. AMUN has several specific suggestions to address this issue.

First, and most importantly, being “in character” is the responsibility of each delegation and ultimately falls to the permanent representative or the faculty advisor. There is no possible substitute for extensive preparation on your State and the issues to be discussed before attending the Conference. AMUN operates under the expectation and assumption that the members of each delegation will enter the Conference prepared and more knowledgeable about their individual country and their country’s stance on the issues than any other representative present.

If you or your delegation believe that a representative has not done sufficient research and is misinformed or acting “out of character” on a particular issue, AMUN recommends several steps: first, please revisit, internally, the actions taken by the representative in question. Is the representative “out of character” given the particular resolution and situation on the floor? Have circumstances (either in the real world or at the Conference) changed such that the representative could realistically modify their State’s stance on a particular issue? Are you certain that you know the actual stance of the State in question on the issue? Many cases of a representative appearing “out of character” stem from one party’s misinterpretations of what was said or of a State’s previously-stated policies.

If you still believe that a representative is “out of character,” AMUN asks that you talk to the representative about the issue before bringing the problem to the Secretariat. This can be easily done in a non-confrontational manner by stating something like, “I hadn’t realized that was your State’s position on the issue; where did you see that?” -or- “I thought I read something in [state your source] about your State having a different opinion on this issue; have you seen that information?” Directly confronting a representative to say, “You’re wrong on this,” will likely not succeed and could damage your diplomatic relations moving forward.

The representative will likely respond in one of two ways. The representative may respond with information to justify their position with a statement like, “I did the research, and this is my State’s view on the issue,” or they may express interest in the new information you have provided. If this response answers your question, the issue is resolved. If a representative is interested in more information, please suggest they visit the Rapporteurs or simulation directors in the simulation. If the representative is non-responsive or chooses not to answer your question, you can bring the issue to the attention of the dais staff who may assist representatives in seeking further assistance from Home Government or a simulation director.

AMUN Secretariat have different roles within the simulations, and chairs, rapporteurs and special rapporteurs are specifically instructed to not investigate or determine whether representatives are acting in or out of character. Chairs are specifically trained on the Rules of Procedure. Rapporteurs are trained to assist with issues related to drafting resolutions and reports and ensuring that documents fall within the purview of a specific simulation. Rapporteurs and simulation directors are trained to assist representatives in refining and managing the consistent and accurate representation of their country. If delegations or representatives are finding it difficult to remain in character, AMUN’s goal is to provide them with the information needed to correctly represent their State on a given issue. AMUN will work with the delegation’s permanent representative and committee representatives to resolve the situation.

Because all participants at AMUN are learning about the United Nations as they participate, these situations may occur. AMUN expects that all delegations will take the time necessary to prepare and correctly portray their State on each issue under consideration. AMUN also asks that representatives not jump to conclusions about other delegations’ roleplaying without having a detailed background on the other countries’ positions on the issues. Finally, AMUN asks that representatives on all sides handle potential “out of character” situations with the utmost diplomatic courtesy for all parties involved. 

AMUN Rules of Procedure 

While substantive discussions of the issues form the basis of any good simulation of the United Nations, the rules of procedure are essential to facilitating substantive debate. In general, these rules are intended to provide an even playing field, allowing each Member State to accomplish its individual goals in advocating their policies, while also maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement, or even consensus, on the issues. Several levels of preparation are possible on the rules. For new Model UN participants, AMUN recommends that each representative have a working knowledge of the principal motions that can be made during the simulation, encapsulated on the Rules Short Forms. The dais staff of each committee will assist representatives in using these rules and assist in bringing everyone onto an even playing field. For experienced representatives, especially those who have not attended AMUN in the past, we suggest reading AMUN’s rules in depth, both as a refresher on these rules of procedure and to note differences from other conferences a school might attend. Most Model UN conferences use slightly different rules of procedure, and in some cases, the contrasts are significant. To best facilitate everyone’s experience, it is incumbent upon every participant to learn and use the rules established for the AMUN Conference. All representatives are encouraged to attend a Rules and Roleplaying session on Saturday afternoon before Opening Plenary. These are led by senior AMUN Secretariat members and are designed to give representatives an overview of AMUN’s rules and procedures.

The General Assembly is the central deliberative organ of the United Nations. The General Assembly has been described as the nearest thing to a “parliament of mankind.” All Member States are members of the General Assembly and each delegation has one vote, regardless of size or population. The General Assembly makes recommendations on international issues, oversees all other United Nations bodies that report to the General Assembly, approves the United Nations budget and apportions United Nations funds. On the recommendation of the Security Council, the General Assembly elects the Secretary-General and holds the authority to admit and expel Member States. Voting in the General Assembly is ordinarily by simple majority, but most of the body’s work is adopted by consensus.

The General Assembly at AMUN 

The Conference exists to provide a safe and educational environment for both representatives and AMUN Secretariat members to grow and learn. The General Assembly simulations at AMUN are the most prevalent method for facilitating this. At the root of this is one of AMUN’s founding principles: to create the most realistic simulation possible by mirroring the United Nations’ structure and processes.

Due to time limitations on our simulations, AMUN has selected a set of two topics for each General Assembly simulation. We do this to help foster thorough discussion of each topic and to present representatives with a reasonable and fair playing ground regardless of the representatives’ experience levels.

General Assembly bodies use resolutions to help provide solutions and create pathways forward from the complex international issues under consideration. These are the principal documents produced by the General Assembly. They discuss the history of the topics before the body and suggest ways for the international community to address those issues. Every resolution must have at least one preambular and one operative clause, though most resolutions contain more. In addition to the requisite number of clauses, each resolution must be within the purview of the body. For more information regarding the crafting of resolutions please see the United Nations Documents Section of the AMUN Handbook. For more information on the purview of each committee, please reference the committee’s topic briefs in the AMUN Handbook.

Research and Resources Available 

One of the most important responsibilities of a representative is to complete research before Conference. This research can greatly affect a representative’s experience in the simulation. AMUN has several suggestions for how to go about researching a State’s position, history and culture. These can be found in the Research and Preparation Section. AMUN also publishes research briefs specific to each simulation in the AMUN Handbook. These briefs are designed to provide an overview of each topic area and should be used to craft your delegation’s position on each topic at Conference.

Two types of staff are readily available to assist participants within a simulation: committee chairs and rapporteurs.

The committee chairs preside over the room and facilitate debate in each General Assembly simulation. They are experts on AMUN’s Rules of Procedure and are more than willing to help representatives understand and use the rules throughout the simulation. Chairs also observe substantive debate and keep track of the committee’s proceedings.

Rapporteurs review the written content produced in General Assembly simulations. They work with representatives to generate high-quality written work that meets the standards set by both AMUN and the United Nations. They also provide guidance on committee purview and will help representatives work resolutions into purview, should it be necessary.

Home Government is available to help representatives with several tasks. If a representative wants an in-depth review of their country’s position on the topics being covered in a committee, Home Government can conduct briefings to provide them the information they need to participate more fully in the simulation. Home Government also has the ability to furnish committees with roleplayers who provide information to the entire body as opposed to an individual representative. Secretariat members in each simulation can assist representatives in submitting an information request.

AMUN encourages representatives to publish written content to the rest of the Conference. The International Press Delegation (IPD) fields a team of student reporters that publish regular articles in the AMUN Chronicle, a periodical distributed to all Conference participants. Representatives may also submit letters to IPD editors that may be published in the Chronicle, give interviews to student reporters, or utilize IPD to host press conferences to spread information about their simulation’s work.

1.0 Administrative 

1.1 The Secretariat. The Secretariat consists of the volunteer staff members of American Model United Nations (AMUN).

1.2 Rules Committee. The President of the General Assembly, the Senior Vice President(s) of the General Assembly, the Director of Rules and Procedures, the Director of Security Council Procedures and one other person as appointed by the Secretary-General shall compose the membership of the Rules Committee.

1.3 Credentials. All questions concerning the validity of representative credentials shall be submitted in writing to the Secretariat,

• The Secretariat has sole authority to create and distribute credentials,
• The Secretariat has sole authority to decide all questions concerning credentials, and
• Representatives must display approved credentials at all times while on the Conference premises.

1.4 Quorum/Majority. A quorum is one-fourth of the member delegations in attendance for each Committee; a majority is one-half of the member delegations in attendance for each Committee,

• A quorum must be present at all times during Committee sessions,
• A majority must be present for a substantive question to be put to a vote,
• Questions concerning quorum or majority should be directed to the Chair, and
• It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that a quorum is present at all times.

1.5 Committee Officers. The Secretariat shall appoint the President/Chairperson, Vice President/Vice Chairperson, and Rapporteur(s) for each Committee, and shall select any other positions necessary to help conduct the sessions of the Committees,

• Hereafter, in these rules, “Chair” will refer to both “Chairpersons” and “Presidents” and
• Hereafter, in these rules, “Committee” will refer to any Committee, Council or Commission, unless otherwise stated in the rule.

1.6 General Authority of the Chair. In addition to exercising such authority conferred upon the Chair elsewhere in these rules, the Chair shall,

• Declare the opening and closing of each session,
• Ensure the observance of the rules,
• Facilitate the discussions of the Committee and accord the right to speak,
• Advise the Committee on methods of procedure that will enable the body to accomplish its goals, and
• Rule on points and motions, and subject to these rules, have complete control of the proceedings of the Committee and the maintenance of order at its meetings.
• During the course of the session, the Chair may propose Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1), Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), Closure of Debate (rule 7.4), and Limits on Debate (rule 7.9). 

The Chair is under the direct authority of the Rules Committee and may be directed to inform the body on matters of procedure or the body’s topical competence if such action is deemed necessary by the Rules Committee.

1.7 Absence of Chair. If the Chair is absent during any part of a Committee Session, the Chair will designate a member of the AMUN Secretariat, usually the Vice Chair, to chair the session with the same authority.

1.8 Number of Accredited Representatives. Each delegation is allowed two representatives per Committee on which it is a member, plus one Permanent Representative,

• This excludes the Special Committee to the General Assembly, which only allows one representative plus one Permanent Representative.

1.9 Selection of Agenda Topics. Agenda topics shall be selected by the Secretariat prior to the start of the conference. Once selected, these topics are fixed for the duration of the conference.

1.10 Observer Status. Those delegations recognized as having Observer Status by AMUN shall be accorded all rights in the Committee except the following,

• They may not vote,
• They may not make or second the following motions:
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2),
  • Adjournment of Debate (rule 7.3),
  • Closure of Debate (rule 7.4), and
  • Decision of Competence (rule 7.7).

1.11 State of Palestine. In addition to the rights and privileges otherwise afforded to Observer States, the State of Palestine is accorded the right to be seated among Member States in alphabetical order. The State of Palestine may also,

• Co-sponsor resolutions and amendments
• Move for all procedural motions, including moving resolutions and amendments to the floor (7.13 and 7.14)

The State of Palestine is NOT accorded the right to vote on substantive matters. This rule only applies in the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies.

2.0 General Rules

2.1 Statements by the Secretariat. The Secretary-General or any member of the Secretariat may make verbal or written statements to a Committee at any time.

2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy. All participants in the AMUN Conference must accord Diplomatic Courtesy to all credentialed representatives, Secretariat Members, Faculty Advisors, Observers and Hotel staff at all times,

• Representatives who persist in obvious attempts to disrupt the session shall be subject to expulsion from the Committee by the Chair,
• The Secretariat reserves the right to expel any representative or delegation from the Conference, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.3 Speeches. No representative may address the Committee without obtaining the permission of the Chair,

• Delegations, not representatives, are recognized to speak; more than one representative from the same delegation may speak when the delegation is recognized,
• Speakers must keep their remarks germane to the subject under discussion,
• A time limit may be established for speeches (rule 7.9),
• At the conclusion of a substantive speech, representatives will be allowed to answer questions concerning their speech,
• A delegation that desires to ask a question of the speaker should signify by raising a Point of Inquiry (rule 6.3),
• All questions and replies are made through the Chair,
• A speaker who desires to make a motion may do so after speaking and accepting Points of Inquiry, but prior to yielding the floor, and
• By making a motion the speaker yields the floor.

2.4 Recognition of Speakers. Delegations wishing to speak on an item before the body will signify by raising their placards,

• The exception to this rule occurs on any Point of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2), or Inquiry (rule 6.3), at which time a representative should raise their placard and call out “Point of ___________” to the Chair,
• Points will be recognized in the order of their priority,
• Motions may not be made from Points of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2), or Inquiry (rule 6.3), or from any procedural speeches, except,
• A motion to Appeal the Decision of the Chair (rule 7.6), may be made when recognized for a Point of Order.
• The Chair shall recognize speakers in a fair and orderly manner, and
• Speakers’ lists will not be used.

2.5 Right of Reply. The Chair may accord a Right of Reply to any representative if a speech by another representative contains unusual or extraordinary language clearly insulting to personal or national dignity,

• Requests for a Right of Reply shall be made in writing to the Chair,
• Requests shall contain the specific language which was found to be insulting to personal or national dignity,
• The Chair may limit the time allowed for a reply,
• There shall be no reply to a reply, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.6 Withdrawal of Motions. A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has begun,

• Seconds to a motion may also be withdrawn, by raising a point of order or ending a speech with a request
• A withdrawn motion or second may be reintroduced by another delegation.

2.7 Dilatory Motions. The Chair may rule out of order any motion repeating or closely approximating a recent previous motion on which the Committee has already rendered an opinion,

• This decision is not appealable.

3.0 Rules That Relate to the Rules

3.1 Rule Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this handbook are the official rules of procedure of the American Model United Nations and will be used for all Committee sessions. These rules take precedence over any other set of rules.

3.2 Precedence of Rules. Proceedings in the Committees and General Assembly sessions of AMUN shall be conducted under the following precedence of rules;

1. AMUN Rules of Procedure,
2. AMUN General Assembly (GA) & Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Order of Precedence of the Rules Short Form,
3. Rulings by the Rules Committee,
4. Historical usage of the AMUN Rules of Procedure,
5. Historical usage of the United Nations Rules of Procedure,
6. The Charter of the United Nations.

3.3 The Order of Precedence of Procedural Motions.The order of precedence of procedural motions is listed in both the General Assembly (GA) and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Precedence Short Forms and in these rules under Section 7, “Procedural Motions In Order of Priority.”

3.4 Rule Changes. The Rules Committee reserves the right to make changes to these rules at any time. Should a change occur, it will be communicated to the representatives in a timely manner.

4.0 Draft Proposals & Amendments

4.1 Definition of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution is a written proposal consisting of at least one preambular and one operative clause.

4.2 Draft Resolutions. Draft resolutions may be submitted to the Committee Secretariat for approval at any time during the Conference,

• For a draft resolution to be considered, it must be organized in content and flow, be in the proper format, have a minimum of 35 percent of the delegations in attendance listed as sponsors, and have the signature of the Rapporteur,
• The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Rules Committee at conference registration in conjunction with the Director of Rapporteur Procedures. Rapporteurs shall remain apprised of the required number and shall make that information available to all representatives.
• After acceptance by the Rapporteur(s), draft resolutions shall be processed in the order in which they are received and distributed to all delegations as soon as feasible.

A draft resolution that has been distributed may be proposed when the Committee considers the agenda topic that is the subject of the draft resolution.

• Only one draft resolution may be considered on the floor at any time during formal debate,
• Once a draft resolution is on the floor for discussion, additional sponsors may only be added to that draft resolution with the consent of the original sponsors,
• Once a vote has been taken on a contested amendment to a draft resolution, no sponsors may be added or removed,
• Friendly amendments (rule 4.4) do not limit the addition of sponsors as noted above, and
• See also Closure of Debate (rule 7.4), Consideration of Draft Resolutions (rule 7.13) and Consideration of Amendments (rule 7.14).

4.3 Definition of Amendments. An amendment to a draft resolution is a written proposal that adds to, deletes from, or revises any part of a draft proposal.

4.4 Amendments. All amendments must be signed by 15 percent of the delegations in attendance,

• The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Rules Committee in conjunction with the Director of Rapporteur Procedures at conference registration and announced at the opening of each committee session,

An amendment is submitted on an official amendment form to the Rapporteurs for approval.

• Amendments will be approved if they are legible, organized in content and flow, and in the proper format,
• Approved amendments will be assigned an identification letter by the Rapporteurs, and
• Typographical errors in a resolution will be corrected by the Rapporteurs and announced to the body.

One or more amendments may be considered on the floor at any given time (see also Closure of Debate (rule 7.4) and Consideration of Amendments (rule 7.14)).

An amendment will be considered “friendly” if all sponsors of the draft resolution or report are also sponsors of the amendment,

• A friendly amendment becomes part of a draft proposal upon the announcement that it is accepted by the dais,
  • A vote is not required to add a friendly amendment to a draft resolution,
• A dais member shall announce the acceptance of a friendly amendment on the first opportunity at which no speaker has the floor, and
• Friendly amendments cannot be accepted after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment or after closure of debate on the resolution has been moved.

4.5 Withdrawal of Sponsorship. Sponsorship of a resolution or amendment may be withdrawn at any time before entering into voting procedure on the item,

• Sponsorship of a resolution may not be withdrawn after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment,
• If a draft resolution or amendment falls below the number of sponsors required for consideration, additional sponsors may be added to that proposal with the consent of the original sponsors, and
• If a draft resolution or amendment falls below the required number of sponsors, it is automatically removed from consideration.

5.0 Voting

5.1 Voting Rights. Each Member State is accorded one vote in each Committee on which it is represented,

• No representative or delegation may cast a vote on behalf of another Member State.

5.2 Simple Majority. Unless otherwise specified in these rules, decisions in the Committee shall be made by a majority vote of those Members present and voting. If there is an equal division between yes and no votes, the motion fails.

5.3 Adoption by Consensus. The adoption of draft resolutions and amendments by consensus is desirable when it contributes to the effective and lasting settlement of differences, thus strengthening the authority of the United Nations,

• Any representative may request the adoption of a report, amendment or draft resolution by consensus at any time after closure of debate has passed,
• The Chair shall then ask whether there is any objection to consensus and then shall ask if any Member States wish to abstain from consensus,
• Delegations abstaining from consensus will be officially recorded,
• If there is no objection, the proposal is approved by consensus, and
• If any representative objects to consensus, voting shall occur as otherwise stated in these rules.

5.4 Method of Voting. The Committee shall normally vote by a show of raised placards,

• Any delegation may request a roll call vote on substantive matters, unless adopted by consensus,
• The Chair may grant a request by a delegation for a roll call vote on any substantive matter, and the Chair’s decision on such a request is not subject to appeal,
• When applicable, roll shall be called in English alphabetical order beginning with a member selected at random by the Vice Chair,
• Representatives shall reply “yes,” “no,” “abstain” or “abstain from the order of voting,”
• A member may abstain from the order of voting once during a roll call; a second abstention from the order of voting will be recorded as an abstention.

5.5 Conduct During Voting. Immediately prior to a vote, the Chair shall describe to the Committee the item to be voted on, and shall explain the consequences of a “yes” or a “no” vote. Voting shall begin upon the Chair’s declaration that “we are now in voting procedure” and end when the results of the vote are announced,

• Following Closure of Debate, and prior to entering voting procedure, the Chair shall pause briefly to allow delegations the opportunity to make any relevant motions,
• Relevant motions prior to a vote include:
  • Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1),
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), 
  • Decision of No Action (rule 7.5) (Only available in GA Plenary), 
  • Decision of Competence (rule 7.7),
  • Division of the Question (rule 7.10), or
  • Important Question (rule 7.12) (Only available in GA Plenary), and
• Relevant requests prior to a vote include: 
  • Adoption by Consensus (rule 5.3),
  • Request for a roll call vote (rule 5.4), and
• Once in voting procedure, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a Point of Order or Point of Information concerning the actual conduct of the vote.

5.6 Changes of Votes. At the end of a roll call vote, but before Rights of Explanation (rule 5.7) are granted and the subsequent announcement of the vote, the Vice Chair will ask for any vote changes. Any delegation that desires to change its recorded vote may do so at that time.

5.7 Rights of Explanation. Rights of Explanation are permitted on all substantive votes after voting. The Chair may limit time for Rights of Explanation. Limits on Rights of Explanation should be no less than 30 seconds.

6.0 Points of Procedure in Order of Priority

6.1 Point of Order. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a Point of Order if the representative believes that the Committee is proceeding in a manner contrary to these rules,

• The representative must call out their point and will be recognized immediately by the Chair and the point ruled on,
• A representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak substantively on any matter,
• If a representative’s ability to participate in the Committee’s deliberations is impaired for any reason, the representative may rise to a Point of Order,
• A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.2 Point of Information. A Point of Information is raised to the Chair if a representative wishes to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matters before the Committee,

• The representative must call out their point to be recognized,
• A Point of Information may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.3 Point of Inquiry. During substantive debate, a representative may question a speaker by rising to a Point of Inquiry,

• Questions must be directed through the Chair and may be made only after the delegation has concluded their remarks, but before the delegation has yielded the floor,
• The representative must call out their point to be recognized,
• A Point of Inquiry may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

7.0 Procedural Motions in Order of Priority

7.1 Suspension of the Meeting. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move to suspend the meeting. Suspending a meeting recesses it for the time specified in the motion,

• This motion requires a second,
• This motion is not debatable,
• The Chair may request that the delegation making the motion modify the time of suspension, and
• If the motion passes, upon reconvening the Committee will continue its business from the point at which the suspension was moved.

7.2 Adjournment of the Meeting. The motion of adjournment means that all business of the Committee has been completed for the year, and that the Committee will not reconvene until the next annual session,

• This motion requires a second,
• This motion is not debatable,
• The Chair may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the Committee still has business before it, and
• This decision is not appealable.

7.3 Adjournment of Debate. During the discussion of any draft resolution, or amendment, a representative may move for adjournment of debate,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion, and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• An item upon which debate has been adjourned must pass a vote of Reconsideration before it may be brought back to the floor for consideration (rule 7.11), and
• The effect of this motion, if passed, removes the item from consideration and allows the Committee to move on to another draft resolution or amendment.

7.4 Closure of Debate. A representative may move to close debate on a draft resolution or amendment before the Committee at any time during the discussion of item. The effect of this motion, if passed, is to bring a draft resolution or amendment that is on the floor to a vote,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak against closure; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• Representatives should specify whether the motion for closure applies to an amendment or a draft resolution,
• If closure passes on a draft resolution, all amendments on the floor will be voted on in the reverse order from which they were moved to the floor, and
• After voting on all amendments is completed, the draft resolution shall be voted upon in accordance with these rules.

At the conclusion of voting procedure, the draft resolution or amendment being voted on is removed from consideration, regardless of whether the proposal passes or fails. Debate then continues on the current agenda topic.

7.5 Decision of No Action. Applicable only in the General Assembly Plenary (rule 8.3).

7.6 Appealing a Decision of the Chair. Rulings of the Chair are appealable unless otherwise specified in these rules,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• An appeal must be made immediately following the ruling in question,
• This motion may be made by a delegation that has been recognized through a Point of Order,
• The Chair shall put the question as follows: “Shall the decision of the Chair be upheld?” A “yes” vote supports the Chair’s decision; a “no” signifies objection,
• The decision of the Chair shall be upheld by a tie, and
• Rulings by the Chair on the following rules or motions are not appealable: 
  • Diplomatic Courtesy (rule 2.2),
  • Right of Reply (rule 2.5),
  • Dilatory Motions (rule 2.7),
  • Granting of a roll call vote (rule 5.4),
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), and
  • Any time a ruling by the Chair is a direct quotation from these Rules of Procedure.

7.7 Decision of Competence. A motion calling for a decision on the competence of the Committee to discuss or adopt a draft resolution or amendment as outlined in the United Nations Charter is in order at any time prior to entering voting procedure,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote, and
• The effect is the same as Adjournment of Debate (rule 7.3) and requires a motion for Reconsideration of Proposals (rule 7.11) in order to discuss the item again.
• The Committee is always competent to discuss the topics in the agenda set by the Secretariat and listed in the AMUN Handbook (rule 1.9).

7.8 Consideration of Agenda Topics. Agenda topics will be considered in the order in which they appear in the AMUN Handbook, unless that order is altered by the passage of a motion for Consideration of Agenda Topics,

• This motion requires a second, and
• This motion is not debatable.

7.9 Limits on Debate. The body may choose to limit or extend the time allotted to (1) a general time limit, (2) a total number of delegations that may speak, or (3) the number of times delegations can speak on an agenda topic, resolution, or amendment,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The time allotted for substantive speeches shall be no less than three minutes,
• The time allotted for procedural speeches shall be no less than one minute,
• This motion may limit the number of Points of Inquiry a speaker may accept to a minimum of one, and
• A motion to limit the time of debate on an agenda topic, draft resolution or amendment is also in order.

7.10 Division of the Question. The Committee may choose to divide the question, proposing that clauses of an amendment or draft resolution be voted on separately,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• After a motion for Division of the Question passes, no other motion for Division of the Question is in order on that amendment or draft resolution,
• Those clauses or paragraphs of the amendment or draft resolution which are approved shall then be put to a vote as a whole, 
• The motion may only be made after Closure of Debate has passed on the relevant amendment or resolution, and
• If division causes the draft resolution to no longer be in the proper format (rules 4.1 and 4.3), the proposal as a whole is rejected.

7.11 Reconsideration of Proposals. A motion for Reconsideration of Proposals is in order on an amendment or draft resolution which has passed or failed when put to a final vote. The motion is also in order for proposals on which Adjournment of Debate has passed (rule 7.3), on proposals on which a Decision of No Action was decided (rule 7.5) and on proposals upon which the Committee has decided it was not competent to discuss or adopt (rule 7.7),

• This motion requires a second and a two-thirds majority vote for passage,
• Two delegations may speak opposed to the motion, and
• If the motion passes, the issue is brought back before the body for debate and may be voted on again.

7.12 Important Question. Applicable only in the General Assembly Plenary (rule 8.4).

7.13 Consideration of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution may be moved to the floor by a motion for Consideration of Draft Resolutions,

• This motion requires a second,
• The motion is not debatable,
• Only one draft resolution may be on the floor at any time,
• If a draft resolution is on the floor and a motion to consider a different draft resolution passes, the previous draft resolution, and any amendments, may be returned to the floor with a motion for Consideration of Draft Resolutions, and
• If the motion passes, the delegation motioning for consideration will be allowed to speak first on the draft resolution, if desired.

7.14 Consideration of Amendments. To bring an amendment to the floor for discussion, a delegation must first be recognized by the Chair,

• No second is required. Upon recognition of this motion by the Chair, the amendment will be under consideration by the body,
• The Secretariat will present the amendment to the body, and
• The delegation motioning for consideration will be allowed to speak first on the amendment, if desired.

8.0 Rules Relating Only to the General Assembly Plenary Sessions

This section of the rules applies to the General Assembly Plenary session, which will convene at the same time as the main Committees.

8.1 Interchangeability of Rules. All Committee rules apply to the conduct of business in the General Assembly Plenary.

8.2 Quorum. The General Assembly Plenary will observe the quorum requirements of rule 1.4. 

8.3 Decision of No Action. During the discussion of any draft resolution or amendment, a representative may move that the body take no action on that matter,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The effect is the same as adjourning debate (rule 7.3) and requires a motion for Reconsideration (rule 7.11) in order to discuss the item again, and
• This motion is in order during the General Assembly Plenary sessions.

8.4 Important Question. An Important Question in the General Assembly requires a two-thirds majority vote of all Members present and voting for passage. Amendments to draft resolutions dealing with Important Questions also require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. Decisions on Important Questions are applicable only to the General Assembly. When discussed in committees, these issues are debated and voted upon utilizing normal committee rules. Such questions shall include:

• Recommendations with respect to maintenance of international peace and security (only when the Security Council fails to act),
• Admission of new members to the United Nations,
• Suspension of rights and privileges of membership,
• Expulsion of Member States,
• Questions in relationship to the Trusteeship system, and
• Budgetary questions.

Draft resolutions which fall into these categories are automatically Important Questions, and will be designated as such by the President of the General Assembly. Determination of additional categories of Important Questions may be made by a simple majority vote of the Members present and voting before a vote is taken on any part of a proposal dealing with the subject,

• The motion must refer to a specific draft resolution for the body to consider as an Important Question,
• The motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote.
• This motion is in order only in the General Assembly Plenary sessions.

8.5 Security Council Priority Relating to Issues Concerning the Maintenance of International Peace and Security. The Security Council, as established in the United Nations Charter, shall have priority over the General Assembly on issues that pertain to the maintenance of international peace and security. Issues of this type, while under discussion in the Security Council, shall be seized from General Assembly action. Any General Assembly draft resolution pertaining to a seized issue cannot be put to a final vote until the Security Council has completed its deliberations on the subject,

• General Assembly draft resolutions that deal with a seized issue may be discussed and amended, but no final vote on the draft resolution may be taken,
• If no resolution has been adopted, the Security Council will be considered to have completed its deliberations on a seized issue once that agenda topic is no longer under discussion,
• The Council may declare itself actively seized on a topic by stating this in a resolution; this seizure will prevent the General Assembly from taking action until a two-hour time period has elapsed,
• General Assembly representatives will be kept informed by the Secretary-General of any seized issues, and
• Note that this rule applies to only the General Assembly Plenary sessions.

8.6 Applications for Admission of New Member States. Any State which desires to become a member shall submit an application to the Secretary-General prior to the start of the Conference and at a date communicated by the AMUN Secretariat. Applications shall contain a declaration, made in a formal instrument, that the State in question accepts the obligations contained in the United Nations Charter,

• The Secretary-General shall inform the Security Council and the General Assembly of any applications.

8.7 Consideration of Applications and Decisions Thereon. If the Security Council recommends the application of a State for membership, the General Assembly may consider whether the applicant is a peace-loving State and is able and willing to carry out the obligations contained in the United Nations Charter,

• Any draft resolution on admission is automatically an Important Question,
• If the Security Council does not recommend the applicant State for membership, or if it postpones consideration of the application, the General Assembly may, after full consideration of the special report of the Security Council, send the application back to the Council, together with a full record of the discussion of the General Assembly, for further consideration and recommendation, and
• Note that this motion is in order only in the General Assembly Plenary sessions.

8.8 Notification of the Decision and Effective Date of Membership. The Secretary-General shall inform the applicant State of the decision of the General Assembly. If the application is approved, membership shall become effective on the date on which the General Assembly takes its decision on the application.

General Assembly Rules Short Form

Download a PDF version of these rules optimized for printing.

The General Assembly Plenary considers issues that are best addressed in a comprehensive manner or that require coordinating work between many bodies of the United Nations. The Plenary has the widest latitude of the deliberative bodies to discuss and pass resolutions on a wide variety of topics. For example, the 60th General Assembly established a Peacebuilding Commission that oversees the United Nations peacebuilding processes and coordinates the work of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General and Member States emerging from conflict situations. Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the General Assembly Plenary will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the Plenary, is able to do so.

Our ocean, our future, our responsibility

The ocean is an integral system for humanity, both as a major source of oxygen and food and the cultural and economic benefits it provides. However, habitat loss, ocean acidification and ecosystem degradation all threaten the health of the ocean. The United Nations’ declaration of “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility” in 2022 reinforced the need to protect the ocean and strengthened the international commitment towards that goal. With all States—even landlocked ones—contributing to the threats facing the ocean while benefiting from its resources, it is the responsibility of the global community to safeguard the ocean and ensure it remains a resource for generations to come.

Interest in ocean preservation began in the late 1960s as advances in technology allowed further utilization of the ocean and its resources. The first formal action was in 1972 when the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, also known as the London Convention. This convention was one of the first international efforts to address man-made maritime environmental issues and has 87 Member States as Parties. Ten years later, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was created as a comprehensive treaty for oceans. Also in 1992, Brazil hosted the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the ‘Earth Summit.’ The Earth Summit introduced sustainable development as an achievable goal and fostered cooperation between governments and their citizens to pursue sustainability in development. The London Convention was later updated in 1996 —when it  became known as the London Protocol— and created a comprehensive outline regarding dumping beyond the London Convention and embracing precautionary measures, including fully prohibited waste dumping.

With the turn of the millennium, the United Nations created the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including environmental sustainability, that were intended to be achieved in fifteen years. In 2015, the MDGs were succeeded by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through Sustainable Development Goal 14 “Life Below Water,” the United Nations pushes for comprehensive solutions to environmental problems, especially aquatic environments. No further major oceanic developments were made until 2022, where representatives worldwide convened in Lisbon, Portugal at the United Nations Ocean Conference to address these pressing issues. This meeting, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, led to the adoption of a declaration titled, “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility,” which emphasized the need for collective action to protect the oceans, ensuring that they remain healthy for future generations. The conference and declaration focused on fighting pollution, bringing resources to small fisheries and increasing research development of marine technologies.

By the end of 2023, 59 States had reported using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas, and almost all regions made significant progress in measuring the use of ecosystem-based management. Progress had been uneven across different regions and States because of differences in capacity, resources, governance structures and environmental challenges. In June 2025, Nice, France hosted the United Nations Ocean Conference, which produced the Nice Ocean Action Plan—a two-part framework consisting of a political declaration, “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility”,  and over 800 voluntary commitments by governments, scientists, UN agencies and civil society.

Since the 2025 Ocean Conference, the United Nations has focused on raising monetary support for ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing and repairing damages to the ocean and preventing further harm. Several Member States have also made individual commitments. For example, French Polynesia pledged to create the world’s largest marine protected area and Germany launched a programme to remove underwater munitions from the Baltic and North Seas. Additionally, multilateral coalitions have developed measures to strengthen oceanic governance and reduce marine noise pollution. 

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• What specific national interests or industries depend on the ocean’s resources, and how should these interests be balanced with conservation efforts?
• What partnerships or regional agreements could strengthen capacity to protect the ocean?
• How should the responsibility for ocean protection be shared between coastal, island, and landlocked countries?
• What should be prioritized: economic benefits, environmental protection, or social and cultural ties to the ocean—and how can these be balanced?
• What role should the UN play in holding States and private actors accountable for activities that damage marine environments?

Bibliography

• 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (2006).
• Center for Preventive Action (17 September 2024). Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea. 
• Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (1972).
• International Joint Commission (2025). Origins of the Boundary Waters Treaty.
• International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (2025). Latest News.
• Karadjias, Petros (2006). https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna14937105
• Icelandic Ship Shells British Trawler After Chase (27 May 1973). The New York Times.
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982).
• United Nations (13 June 2025). UN Ocean Summit in Nice Closes with Wave of Commitments.
• United Nations (9 June 2025). 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference.
• United Nations (16 May 2024). The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• United Nations (2024).The Sustainable Development Goals Extended Report 2024.
• United Nations (7 July 2022). A new declaration to help save our oceans.
• United Nations (25 May 2022). Our ocean, our future, our responsibility.
• United Nations (2015). 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
• United Nations (2015). Sustainable Development Goal 14. 
• United Nations. Millennium Development Goals.
• United Nations. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3-14 June 1992.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (4 March 2025). Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction. A/RES/79/271.
• United Nations, General Assembly (23 December 2024). Oil slick on Lebanese shores. A/RES/79/200.
• United Nations, General Assembly (25 July 2022). Oceans and the law of the sea: oceans and the law of the sea. A/RES/76/296.

Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations

Humanitarian assistance is material or logistical support given with the objective of saving lives, alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity. This aid can be given as direct assistance, indirect assistance and infrastructure support. Typically, humanitarian aid is given in response to natural or man-made disasters. One of the main difficulties concerning humanitarian aid is proper coordination of assistance. By strengthening the coordination of humanitarian aid, the United Nations can effectively and efficiently assist States in need.

 The Global Humanitarian Overview for 2025, launched in December 2024, forecasted 305.1 million people in need. Of these, 189.5 million people have been targeted for aid, necessitating $47.4 billion in financing to achieve this goal. Currently global humanitarian aid measures face increased strain as a result of concurrent humanitarian disasters around the world and recent dramatic reductions in funding from the United States—traditionally the largest supporter of such initiatives—to both United Nations aid programs and the Agency for International Development (USAID), which supported both foreign aid and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, this is compounded with overall decreased funding for humanitarian aid from other States. Coordination of humanitarian aid is hence crucial to ensure limited resources are not wasted on duplicated efforts and faulty planning or prioritization. In addition to decreased funding, warring parties have also weaponized aid or created significant barriers and security challenges to the delivery of vital humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid is also needed around the world while natural disasters and climate change continue to have disproportionate and catastrophic effects on developing States and populations.

While the United Nations has supplied humanitarian aid since its founding, initial efforts were largely independent campaigns. The Office of the Disaster Relief Coordinator, established in 1971, introduced a coordinating effort for disaster relief which was subsequently reimagined into the Office of the Emergency Relief Coordinator in 1991 amidst the first Gulf War. These resolutions were key in establishing disaster and emergency relief coordination, with an expanded mission to coordinate the delivery of aid for natural and man-made disasters. Additionally, the coordination efforts reduce duplication and ensure aid is properly directed where needed. This role eventually evolved into the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as well as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) overseen by OCHA. Today, OCHA is the primary tool by which the United Nations engages in the coordination of humanitarian aid.

Currently, the United Nations identifies that there is significant need for assistance in the areas of gender and sexual abuse, scarce resources and proactive disaster preparedness. The most recent resolution, passed in December 2024, recognized the risks posed by increasingly limited resources available to humanitarian aid efforts. This resolution identified ongoing conflict, the lasting impacts of  the COVID-19 pandemic and the vulnerability of developing states to the effects of climate change as key difficulties. One of the key challenges the United Nations currently faces coordinating humanitarian aid to provide swift relief and mobilizing support for rebuilding infrastructure.

As identified in A/RES/79/140, the delivery of aid continues to grow more complex especially in conflict zones and funding continues to fall short of meeting humanitarian aid targets when coordination is inadequate. Additionally,  growing donor fatigue has further reduced available funds. 

The scope of the United Nations’ mission to provide humanitarian aid is vast and continues to expand. In order for the United Nations to hit its aid goals, greater international cooperation is needed—especially in regards to financing and marshalling resources. Member States with strong coordination can address different humanitarian disasters and organize the appropriate resources and responses to these humanitarian issues. This will require careful time and consideration by the committee. 

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How will different humanitarian crises be prioritized to ensure they receive the necessary attention and resources?
• How will the United Nations navigate the significant obstacles posed by ongoing conflicts when delivering humanitarian aid?
• How will the international community address and reverse the current widespread decline in funding for humanitarian aid?

Bibliography

• Akl, Elie A et al (2 September 2015). Effectiveness of Mechanisms and Models of Coordination between Organizations, Agencies and Bodies Providing or Financing Health Services in Humanitarian Crises: A Systematic Review. National Library of Medicine. 
• Cummings-Bruce, Nick (4 December 2019). U.N. Asks for Record Funds for Aid Programs.  The New York Times.
• Humanitarian Action (4 December 2024). Global Humanitarian Overview 2025.
• Obrecht, Alice and Mike Pearson (17 April 2025). What New Funding Data Tells Us About Donor Decisions in 2025. The New Humanitarian.
• OCHA (16 June 2025). UN, partners unveil hyper-prioritized aid appeal amid ‘cruel math’ of brutal funding cuts.
• OCHA (March 2012). What Is General Assembly Resolution 46/182?.
• Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (14 September 2017). OCHA and NGOs in Humanitarian Coordination.
• Sanders, Monica (3 April 2025). Global Development After USAID Closure: What’s Next? Forbes.
• UNICEF. UNICEF History: Reimagining the future for every child since 1946.
• United Nations (9 December 2024). General Assembly Adopts Four Resolutions Aimed at Tackling, Alleviating Plight of Millions of People Suffering from Humanitarian, Economic Crises Worldwide.
• United Nations. Deliver Humanitarian Aid.
• United Nations. Humanitarian Agencies that Operate in the Field.
• United Nations. One Year After Fighting Erupted between Warring Parties in Sudan, Civilian Plight Remains Bleak, Famine Looms, Under-Secretary-General Tells Security Council.
• United Nations Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. Humanitarian Assistance.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (12 December 2024). Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. A/RES/79/140.
• United Nations, General Assembly (25 September 2024). International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development. A/79/369.
• United Nations, General Assembly (13 September 2023). Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. A/RES/78/119.
• United Nations, General Assembly (9 December 2022). Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. A/RES/77/28.
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 July 2016). High-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. A/RES/70/290.
• United Nations, General Assembly (23 June 2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. A/RES/69/283.
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 December 1991). Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. A/RES/46/182.
• United Nations, General Assembly (17 October 1991). Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Questions Relating to Refugees and Displaced Persons and Humanitarian Questions: Questions Relating to Refugees and Displaced Persons. A/46/568.
• United Nations, General Assembly (6 December 1971). Assistance in cases of natural disaster and other disaster situations. A/RES/2816(XXVI).

The General Assembly First Committee addresses the disarmament of conventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction and related international security questions. The First Committee makes recommendations on the regulation of these weapons as they relate to international peace and security. The First Committee does not consider legal issues surrounding weapons possession nor does it address complex peace and security issues addressed by the Security Council.  Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the General Assembly First Committee  will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the First Committee, is able to do so.

Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours

Space, the final frontier. Since the 1950s, humanity has engaged in race with itself to explore and conquer outer space beginning with the race to the moon. Today, the race has shifted to include multiple Member States, but also private actors. While space exploration can provide humanity with groundbreaking discoveries that boost the economy and provide new technology, unrestricted use of space is dangerous. Outer space is becoming a contest for supremacy through the use of space-based communications and anti-satellite weaponry.  State actors are not the only threat to rapid proliferation, non-state actors and private entities have quickly commercialized space, creating a 596 billion USD industry that is expected to grow to 944 billion USD by 2033. In addition, private actors are not just commercializing space, they are also actively engaged in providing military services to Member States, often with little oversight. Moreover, with over 20,000 objects orbiting the earth, the risk of a catastrophic collision is quickly becoming inevitable. Even more concerning is the proliferation of anti-satellite weaponry, which has resulted in thousands of pieces of debris littering space. While treaties such as the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) exist, establishing norms, rules and principles surrounding the use of outer space is an essential step as they are based on a normative framework. This makes norms, rules and principles more flexible than existing legal frameworks and oftentimes easier to implement. 

Following the launch of the first artificial satellite, the United Nations established an ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in 1958 to facilitate international cooperation and address potential legal problems with space exploration. The following year, COPOUS became a permanent body that would encourage capacity building and cooperation between Member States to ensure a peaceful use of outer space. Throughout the late 50s and early 60s, the United Nations considered early proposals prohibiting the militarization of outer space including the enactment of the Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space in 1963, which laid out early norms and principles surrounding the use of outer space such as cooperation and mutual assistance. These efforts resulted in the creation of 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). While the treaty expressly prohibited weaponizing space, it also established principles surrounding the purpose and goals for using outer space. Through the Outer Space Treaty, the United Nations called for the exploration and use of outer space to be carried out for the economic and scientific benefit of all humanity. At the same time, the United Nations viewed outer space as an opportunity for Member States to collaborate in pursuit of peaceful purposes.

As Member States continued to launch objects and people into outer space, the United Nations became concerned about potential damage resulting from these activities. In 1972, the United Nations adopted the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, which established that a Member State is liable for damage its space object causes to the object of another Member State. Two years later, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space. This convention required Member States to register objects launched into outer space with the Secretary-General. To date, 88 percent of all satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecraft and space station flight elements launched into Earth’s orbit or beyond have been registered with the Secretary-General.

As the space race came to a conclusion, the United Nations continued its efforts of establishing outer space as a peaceful arena. In 1979, the United Nations adopted the Agreement Governing the Activities of the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. This agreement aimed to provide Member States with a list of prohibited activities, such as establishing military bases on the Moon, while encouraging Member States to utilize the Moon for peaceful uses including scientific research.  Member States continued to utilize space for a variety of scientific purposes. Likewise, technology became increasingly sophisticated both in its use and design. In response, the United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Use of Outer Space (UNISPACE) reconvened for a second time in 1982. Rather than focusing exclusively on the harm posed by rapid technological advancement, the conference highlighted the mutual benefit of increased satellites and remote sensing provided Member States.  Between 1982 and 1996, the United Nations adopted a series of declarations and principles addressing broadcasting, remote sensing, nuclear power and international cooperation. Unlike prior treaties and declarations, which focused solely on the harms of space usage and exploration, these principles emphasized the mutual benefit of space technology including natural disaster mitigation and economic benefits.

In 2006, the United Nations established the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). UN-SPIDER serves as an open-network for Member States to collaborate on disaster management and capacity building and continues to provide access to Member States to space-based information for risk reduction. Despite this, Member States still criticized the United Nations efforts in regards to space due to a lack of a definition and delimitation of space, but also ineffectiveness of international space law. In an effort to clarify the goals and objectives of space use and exploration, the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPOUS) created the Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities of the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space in 2021. While voluntary in nature, these guidelines address concerns surrounding emerging technology such as lasers and potential threats including space debris. At the Summit of the Future in 2024, the United Nations adopted the Pact for the Future, a comprehensive declaration focused on development, global governance and international security. Action 56 of the Pact focuses on strengthening international cooperation on the use and exploration of outer space, including increased engagement with the private sector and other relevant actors ensuring outer space remains a safe and sustainable environment.

While norms, rules and principles are a key first step in creating long term policies, especially in a rapidly changing environment such as space, they are insufficient without permanent, binding agreements. While Member States can be held accountable through international agreements, jurisdictional issues, limited resources and overall lack of enforcement against private actors creates a unique challenge for the United Nations. One area where existing norms are insufficient is in addressing the activities of private actors involved in space exploration and the provision of technical assistance to Member States. In an effort to establish stronger norms for private actors to abide by, the Space Law for New Space Actors program provides assistance to Member States in revising existing national space law frameworks to conform with international normative frameworks.  Moreover, the United Nations plans on reconvening UNISPACE IV in 2027, where it plans on discussing enhanced space sustainability, increased accessibility  and capacity building for developing Member States and international cooperation.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• What steps can Member States take to move the Guidelines or the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities of the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space from a purely voluntary program to binding law?
• How can Member States assist in bolstering international space law while still remaining flexible in addressing emerging technologies and concerns?
• How can UN-SPIDER be utilized to encourage compliance with norms, rules and principles of space?

Bibliography

• Almudena Azcárate Ortega and Sarah Erickson (15 March 2024). OEWG on Reducing Space Threats: Recap Report. 
• Austin, Peter. Space Exploration Timeline, 1960-75. The 1960s Project.
• Clark, Stuart (6 October 2024). A satellite collision catastrophe is now inevitable, experts warn. BBC.
• Consonni, Giulia et al. (30 September 2023). The Outer Space business: the impact of private actors on space governance. Mondo Internazionale.
• Foye, Heather and Gabriela Rosa Hernandez (December 2022). UN First Committee Calls for ASAT Test Ban. Arms Control Association.
• Gorman, Douglas (6 May 2025). New Report Values the Space Industry at $944B by 2033. Payload.
• International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. (2023). Welcome to IAASS. 
• International Institute of Space Law. (2025). About the IISL.
• Lohani, Ritanshu and Luiza Delaflora Cassol (14 January 2025). 2024 Outer Space Security Conference Report. UNIDIR.
• The Space Race (27 February 2025). History.  
• United Nations Global Issues (2025). Outer Space. 
• United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases (6 May 2024). ‘Outer Space Should Never Be an Arena for Militarization’, Delegate Tells General Assembly Debate on Moscow’s Veto of Resolution Aimed at Curbing Arms Race. 
• United Nations Meeting Coverage and Press Releases (19 October 2023). Outer Space Becoming Contested Domain for Supremacy with Space-Based Communications, Intelligence Assets, Anti-Satellite Weapons, First Committee Hears.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (2022). Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2024). From Strategy to Action Annual Report 2024.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2024). The “Space 2023” Agenda – Space as a Driver of Sustainable Development. 
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2021). Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities of the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. COPUOUS History.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Online Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Space Law for New Space Actors Project.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space. 
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal. What is UN-SPIDER?
• United Nations (1982). Report of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Use of Outer Space.
• Weeden, Brian (12 October 2023). Insight – Takeaways from the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats. 
• Why Go to Space? NASA.

United Nations Documents

• Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (31 January 2025). Conference room paper on UNISPACE IV. A/AC.105/C.1/2025/CRP.4.
• United Nations, General Assembly (20 February 2025). Report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on its sixty-second session, held in Vienna from 3 to 14 February, 2025. A/AC.105/1338.
• United Nations, General Assembly (9 December 2024). Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours. A/RES/79/22.
• United Nations, General Assembly (22 September 2024). The Pact for the Future. A/RES/79/1.
• United Nations, General Assembly (24 January 2023). The role of norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour for space security. A/AC.294/2023/WP.3.
• United Nations, General Assembly (12 December 2022). Destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing. A/RES/77/41.
• United Nations, General Assembly (30 December 2021). Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours. A/RES/76/231.
• United Nations, General Assembly (13 July 2021). Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours. Report of the Secretary-General. A/76/77.
• United Nations, General Assembly (16 December 2020). Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours. A/RES/75/36.
• United Nations, General Assembly (2019). Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. A/74/20.
• United Nations, General Assembly (2010). Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. A/65/20.
• United Nations, General Assembly (4 February 1997). Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interest of All States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries. A/RES/51/122.
• United Nations, General Assembly (23 February 1993). Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space. A/RES/47/68.
• United Nations, General Assembly (3 December 1986). Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of Earth From Outer Space. A/RES/41/65.
• United Nations, General Assembly (10 December 1982). Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting. A/RES/37/92.
• United Nations, General Assembly (5 December 1979). Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. A/RES/34/68.
• United Nations, General Assembly (12 November 1974). Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched Into Space. A/RES/3235 (XXIX).
• United Nations, General Assembly (29 November 1971). Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects. A/RES/2777 (XXVI).
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 December 1966). Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. A/RES/2222(XXI).
• United Nations, General Assembly (13 December 1963). Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. A/RES/1962 (XVIII).
• United Nations, General Assembly (12 December 1959). International co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space. A/RES/1472 (XIV).

The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects

According to the 2018 Small Arms Survey, over one billion small arms and light weapons (SALW) are currently in circulation worldwide. These weapons—defined generally as those that can be carried by one to three people and shoot projectiles—are transferred across international borders through both licit channels involving authorized manufacturers and regulated trade and illicit networks operating within the black market. The estimated economic effects are substantial—the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that 240 billion USD in gross domestic product will be lost to SALW-related deaths between 2018 and 2030. Illicit firearms fuel violence, especially when they fall into the hands of criminal networks and terrorist groups, posing risks to institutions and hampering sustainable development. In regions emerging from conflict or governed by fragile institutions, the lack of oversight makes it even harder to control the spread of weapons. The United Nations recognizes the urgent threat that SALW pose, with explicit commitments in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2024 Pact for the Future.

The United Nations has long recognized the necessity of tracing the global movement of SALW as part of its broader commitment to disarmament. An early initiative in this effort was the establishment of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA) in 1991, which represented the first multilateral attempt to monitor legal arms transfers, including SALW. The underlying rationale was that the registration of legally-traded firearms would limit diversion of arms into illicit markets without detection while helping States and international bodies monitor any significant movement or accumulation of arms. However, UNROCA was not designed with SALW explicitly in mind, and information submission is voluntary, limiting its utility.

Renewed momentum to combat the illicit trade in small arms emerged in 2001 with the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. This conference culminated in the adoption of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (the Programme of Action, or PoA). The PoA outlined key measures for Member States to coordinate their efforts globally. First, States were urged to enhance enforcement against the unlicensed manufacture of firearms—a major contributor to black-market supplies. Second, the Programme recommended that all legally-produced firearms be marked with a serial number and country of origin. These markings—combined with improved international and regional information-sharing mechanisms—were intended to strengthen the ability to trace the movement of small arms across borders.

In 2005, the General Assembly recognized the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (the International Tracing Instrument, or ITI). The ITI strengthened the PoA in providing specific guidelines for the marking of weapons by manufacturers and States, as well as the tracking and destruction of illicit arms. It also established a framework for communication both between States and Interpol. These strategies were bolstered by the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which further codified control strategies for conventional weapons, including SALW. While the ATT was a significant step forward as the first treaty to explicitly govern arms transfers, reviews by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and think tanks have indicated that its impact on the actual volume of illicit arms transfers has been limited at best.

The United Nations maintains several active mechanisms for reviewing international action on the illicit arms trade. A regular series of conferences held by the Office of Disarmament Affairs (ODA) actively reviews progress on the PoA and ITI. The Fourth Conference (RevCon4), held in 2024, addressed concerns regarding escalating global armed conflict, regional strategies for combating illicit arms movement, and the unique effects of SALW on women and girls. They also discussed new concerns regarding technological advancements, such as privately-made weapons or illicit modification accessories for manufactured SALW, which make it more difficult to identify and track the flow of weapons by creating new distribution avenues or modifying existing weapons.

As the international community continues to grapple with the illicit trade in SALW, several major obstacles remain. Data-gathering, record-keeping and information-sharing—the bedrock of the international mechanisms—remain inconsistent. Many developing States particularly struggle to maintain their commitments due to resource limitations or technology gaps, creating holes in the SALW life cycle. The United Nations has attempted to respond through the creation of programs like the Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC), the Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control, and a project by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA). Additionally, the United Nations and NGOs have increasingly focused on “demand-side” responses that emphasize prevention of armed violence and human security over “supply-side” responses that focus primarily on tracking and seizure of SALW. These responses include implementing more regional and gender-responsive approaches.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can States adapt to new technologies in the manufacturing and modification of small arms?
• How can the international community improve reporting under the International Tracing Instrument, particularly within developing states?
• How can Member States build capacity and technical expertise in managing the trade of small arms and light weapons, particularly when resources are limited?
• How can Member States implement preventative approaches to the illicit arms trade?

Bibliography

• ​​Amnesty International (19 August 2024). Global: Governments’ brazen flouting of Arms Trade Treaty rules leading to devastating loss of life.
• Arms Control Association (May 2023). The Arms Trade Treaty At a Glance.
• Arms Trade Treaty (2013).
• Edoardo Varisco, Andrea, et al. (2018). The International Tracing Instrument: Examining options to support operationalization.
• Danssaert, Peter, et al. (July 2024). Human, Economic and Social Costs of Small Arms and Light Weapons Violence: Selected Global Data.
• Danssaert, Peter, and Brian Wood (11 May 2017). Surplus and Illegal Small Arms, Light Weapons and Their Ammunition: the Consequences of Failing to Dispose and Safely Destroy Them.
• Ebbs, Cindy, and Raluca Muresan (July 2023). Roadmap for Action: Towards a Transparent Arms Trade Treaty.
• Fung, Ivor (27 June 2022). Programme of Action on SALW International Tracing Instrument: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities.
• Nonviolence International, and Control Arms. Coming full circle: The relevance of arms control and disarmament instruments to Target 16.4 of the 2030 Agenda.
• Parker, Sarah, and Marcus Wilson (August 2012). A Guide to the UN Small Arms Process.
• Small Arms Survey. Global Firearms Holdings.
• Small Arms Survey. The Small Arms Trade Transparency Barometer.
• Small Arms Survey, et al. (10 July 2024). The growing and multifaceted global threat of privately made and other non-industrial small arms and light weapons.
• Stohl, Rachel (20 August 2024). The Arms Trade Treaty at 10.
• United Nations General Assembly. Small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence & advancing sustainable development.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (June 2023). Supporting the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Gender and Small Arms Control.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC).
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Programme of Action on small arms and its International Tracing Instrument.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons – Review Conference.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Small Arms and Light Weapons.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. UN Register of Conventional Arms.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.
• United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. About.
• UN News (17 March 2025). Joint UN meeting tackles small arms control to foster sustainable development.
• UN News (15 December 2023). Over 700 a day dying from small arms fire; main ‘weapons of choice’ for criminals and terrorists.
• Vecchioni, Mathilde, and Ursign Hofmann (29 October 2024). Small arms control and prevention: Back together again or a flash in the pan?

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (9 December 2024). The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. A/RES/79/40.
• United Nations, General Assembly (5 July 2024). Report of the fourth United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. A/CONF.192/2024/RC/3.
• United Nations, General Assembly (6 December 2023). The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. A/RES/78/46.
• United Nations, General Assembly (30 June 2023). Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects: Report of the Secretary-General. A/78/126.
• United Nations, General Assembly (15 December 2022). The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. A/RES/77/71.
• United Nations, General Assembly (27 June 2005). Report of the Open-ended Working Group to Negotiate an International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. A/60/88.
• United Nations, General Assembly (2001). Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. A/CONF.192/15.
• United Nations, Security Council (1 November 2023). Small arms and light weapons: Report of the Secretary-General. S/2023/823.
• United Nations, Security Council (22 December 2021). Maintenance of international peace and security. S/RES/2616.

The General Assembly Second Committee addresses the economic development of Member States and the stability and growth of international financial and trade networks. The Second Committee deals solely with topics related to economic development and State-to-State assistance. It does not set or discuss the budget of the United Nations, which is addressed only by the Fifth Committee. The Second Committee also does not address social issues that affect development; such issues are considered by the Third Committee.  Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the General Assembly Second Committee will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the Second Committee, is able to do so.

Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence

As the world becomes increasingly connected through trade and information pathways, Member States have experienced unprecedented levels of economic interdependence due to the mobility of goods, services and technology. While globalization has resulted in rapid economic growth for some Member States and regions, the most significant challenge is the uneven distribution of its benefits and costs. Likewise, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have provided Member States with a strong framework for development, however Member States continue to struggle with sustainable and inclusive implementation, resulting in continued poverty, social upheaval and economic uncertainty. 

Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations Charter set out to achieve international cooperation in solving international economic problems. While the United Nations intended to promote high standards of living and economic development, a lack of personnel and organization stalled progress, resulting in the establishment of Technical assistance for economic development in 1948. Through this program, the United Nations took an active role in arranging teams, facilities and training to provide Member States with the technical skills to implement the mandates of the United Nations Charter. 

In 1961, the United Nations declared the 1960s as the United Nations Development Decade. While the United Nations continued to take an active role in establishing measures to promote economic interdependence, this declaration called upon Member States to pursue policies that would increase capital flow into developing Member States. Three years later, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held its first conference. As a result, the United Nations recognized that the benefits of economic growth and development are numerous and international trade is an important facet of any development program.

Despite efforts to increase the economic development of Member States, economic inequality continued with millions of people experiencing undernourishment while others lived in affluence. In response, the United Nations adopted the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade in 1970. Through this strategy, the United Nations planned on decreasing tariff barriers for developing States and increasing opportunities for bilateral and multilateral agreements to increase interdependence. Five years later, the United Nations General Assembly convened a special session whereby it recognized the continued need for increased cooperation between Member States, but also increased the use of specialized agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme and International Monetary Fund to further promote trade and globalization.

In 1986, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Right to Development, where it recognized the right to development as a distinct human right and acknowledged that Member States had a duty to eliminate barriers and engage in cooperative efforts to promote this right. Despite this recognition, developing States were denied the benefits of globalization and interdependence through protectionist policies and high external debt, resulting in the establishment of An agenda for development in 1994. Through this agenda, the Secretary-General emphasized that while the United Nations played a key role in establishing guidelines and benchmarks for development, Member States needed to prioritize globalization in their economic policies. 

Despite international recognition of asymmetrical globalization policies, the Human Development Report 2000 attributed the lack of progress in establishing equitable developmental policies to limited incentives, jurisdictional issues and low participation from Member States. Thus, it affirmed that while the United Nations can establish international norms to promote equitable development, their implementation depends on Member States through domestic policies. That same year, the United Nations continued its agenda-setting role in promoting development and globalization through establishment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Specifically, MDG 8 sought to create a global partnership for development through developing an open, predictable, rule-based, non-discriminatory trading and economic system and ensuring Member States would benefit from emerging technology. 

By 2015, limited progress had been made in achieving the MDGs, especially MDG 8, as developing countries continued to be squeezed out of the global market. As a result, the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals built upon decades of work done by Member States and the United Nations and set out to end poverty and spur economic growth in developed and developing Member States by 2030. However, Member States have been slow to engage in the paradigm shift required to implement the SDGs and the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an uptick in poverty and debt distress, particularly in developing countries.

While there has been some improvement in returning to pre-pandemic levels of developmental progress, economic inequalities continue to endanger achieving the SDGs by 2030. However, significant progress on improving globalization and interdependence can be obtained, but the United Nations suggests greater financing and giving developing countries an equitable role in globalization are key first steps. One way of achieving sustainable financing is through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 4 trillion dollar challenge, which challenges the world to invest one percent of global wealth towards the SDGs. Moreover, the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025 sets out to establish new partnerships and reinvigorate existing partnerships to facilitate global cooperation and improve access to markets and resources for developing Member States.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective: 

• How can the United Nations further promote globalization and interdependence in line with obtaining the Sustainable Development Goals?
• How can Member States take a more active role in improving access to markets for developing countries?
• What barriers still exist that result in asymmetrical economic development?

Bibliography

• United Nations Development Programme. Human Development Report 2000.
• United Nations Development Programme. The 4 trillion dollar challenge.
• United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (08 September 2000). United Nations Millennium Declaration.
• United Nations (12 June 2024). We Must ‘Reimagine a World Where Trade Is a Force for Shared Prosperity — Not Geopolitical Rivalry’, Secretary-General Tells Global Leaders Forum.
• United Nations. Chronology of UN Milestones for Human Rights and Development.
• United Nations. Concept of Development.
• United Nations. Millennium Development Goals.
• United Nations. Millennium Development Goal 8: Taking Stock of the Global Partnership for Development.
• United Nations. New Globalization Report: Three Mega-trends Expected to Impact Our Future.
• United Nations. The 17 Goals.
• United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021.
• United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024.
• United Nations. Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• United Nations. United Nations Charter.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Office for Project Services (8 July 2021). UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025. DP/2021/28.
• United Nations, Conference on Trade and Development (1964). Final Act and Report. E/CONF.46/141(Vol.1).
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 December 2022). Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence. A/RES/77/175.
• United Nations, General Assembly (8 August 2017). Fulfilling the promise of globalization: advancing sustainable development in an interconnected world. A/72/301.
• United Nations, General Assembly (22 February 2000). Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence. A/RES/54/231.
• United Nations, General Assembly (15 January 1999). Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence. A/RES/53/169.
• United Nations, General Assembly (6 May 1994). Report of the Secretary-General: An agenda for development. A/48/935.
• United Nations, General Assembly (4 December 1986). Declaration on the Right to Development. A/RES/41/128.
• United Nations, General Assembly (16 September 1975). Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly during its Seventh Special Session. A/10301.
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 November 1970). International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade. A/RES/2626(XXV).
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 December 1961). United Nations Development Decade. A/RES/1710(XVI).
• United Nations, General Assembly (4 December 1948). Technical assistance for economic development. A/RES/200(III).

Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind

Climate change is an ongoing human emergency wherein global temperatures have risen by 1.2 degrees Celsius as a result of human activities. Beyond irreversible damage to the global ecosystem, the effects of climate change also include severe degradations in living conditions for humanity; 3.6 billion people live in areas highly susceptible to climate change, 99 percent of people breathe unhealthy levels of air pollution due to the burning of fossil fuels and experts predict climate change will cause two to four billion dollars in damage to health by 2030. Despite these ongoing risks, humanity has yet to face the worst consequences of climate change, which continue to become increasingly disastrous as global temperatures increase. 

The United Nations first addressed environmental harms in the context of human development at the First Earth Summit in 1972. As a result of the Summit, the United Nations adopted the Action Plan for the Human Environment. Through this action plan, the United Nations established a three-pronged approach: environmental assessment, environmental management and supporting measures. Moreover, the United Nations planned to provide Member States with technical assistance and training so long as they would engage in coordinated efforts to resolve the environmental harms associated with development. Seven years later, the United Nations adopted the first international instrument on climate, the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution. This convention recognized the harm from air pollutants and called for Member States to implement air quality management programs and engage in technology sharing to mitigate these effects.

Efforts to respond to the growing issue of climate change occurred mostly through bilateral and unilateral efforts by Member States until 1987 when the United Nations adopted Environmental Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond. The United Nations recognized that three-fourths of global energy consumption comes from oil, coal and natural gas—major contributors to the acceleration of climate change. However, the Environmental Perspective provided a framework of recommended actions for Member States, aiming to enhance environmental conditions while simultaneously advancing human development. The United Nations continued to recognize the harmful effects of climate change while noting limited scientific assessments existed. As a result, the United Nations established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988 to review the social and economic impacts of climate change and provide comprehensive solutions in response.

Following the efforts of the IPCC, Member States convened at the 1992 “Earth Summit”, which produced the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Under the UNFCCC, Member States agreed to monitor climate change, provide financial support to developing countries and place the brunt of the emissions-cutting burden on the largest emitters. While the UNFCCC served as the base framework for addressing greenhouse gases and anthropogenic climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, operationalized this framework. Through this Protocol, nearly all States Parties to the UNFCCC committed themselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through national and regional programs to meet the UNFCCC’s principles of protecting the global climate while promoting sustainable development. Altogether, the targets in the Kyoto Protocol added to an average of five percent emissions reduction between 2008 and 2012.

Three years later, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with MDG 7 expressly dedicated to environmental sustainability. While some of MDG 7’s targets—such as the elimination of ozone-depleting substances— were achieved, carbon emissions increased by over 50 percent since 1990. Due to the limited progress with the MDGs, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which resulted in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under SDG 13, the United Nations aims to integrate climate change measures into national policies and promote mechanisms for effective climate change management.

Independent from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Member States met at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in 2015. As a result, States Parties to the UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement. States Parties once again committed themselves to maintaining temperature levels to stay at or below 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels, as doing so significantly reduces the risk of the most adverse effects of climate change. Since the Paris Agreement has gone into force, States Parties have reconvened eight times, with COP29 occurring in 2024, resulting in States Parties pledging to triple financing to developing countries to 300 billion USD annually by 2035.

While the Paris Climate Agreement has resulted in some progress, namely increased efforts to decrease methane emissions, Climate Action Tracker indicates that internal policies by States Parties could result in Earth’s average temperature rising more than 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100. In response to growing concerns about rising temperatures, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the Call to Action on Extreme Heat, whereby Member States are encouraged to phase out fossil fuels and scale up investment in renewable energy. In response to rising disinformation campaigns targeting climate science, the United Nations launched the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change to improve climate communications and foster public understanding of the urgency of the crisis.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective: 

• What steps can Member States take to meet the Paris Agreement’s emission reduction targets?
• How can Member States assist developing countries in implementing climate action policies?
• How can Member States effectively respond to increasing public scrutiny of their climate change commitments and ensure transparent, accountable climate action?

Bibliography

• A Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1997).
• Chandy, Laurence (4 January 2023). Economic Development in an Era of Climate Change.
• Climate Action Tracker (14 November 2024). The CAT Thermometer Explained.
• Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (1979).
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. History of the IPCC.
• Maizland, Lindsay and Clara Fong (21 January 2025). Global Climate Agreements: Successes and Failures. Council on Foreign Relations.
• Paris Agreement (2016).
• UNESCO. Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change.
• United Nations Climate Action. Climate Action Fast Facts.
• United Nations Climate Action. Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat.
• United Nations Climate Action. What is Climate Change?
• United Nations Climate Change (24 November 2024). COP29 UN Climate Conference Agrees to Triple Finance to Developing Countries, Protecting Lives and Livelihoods.
• United Nations Climate Change. What is the Kyoto Protocol?
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Goal 13.
• United Nations Development Programme. Sustainable Development Goals: Background on the Goals.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992).
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Key Aspects of the Paris Agreement.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. History of the Convention.
• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) (10 October 2018). UN 20-year review: Earthquakes and Tsunamis Kill More People While Climate Change Is Driving up Economic Losses.
• United Nations. 1.5°C: what it means and why it matters.
• United Nations. Energy Transition Report.
• United Nations. The Millenium Development Goals Report 2015.
• United Nations. Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• United Nations. The 17 Goals.
• United Nations. United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, 5-16 June 1972, Stockholm.
• United Nations. United Nations Millenium Development Goals.
• U.S. Energy Information Administration. Energy and the Environment Explained:Where Greenhouse Gases Come From.
• Watson, Julie (28 July 2022). Climate Change Is Already Fueling Global Migration. The World isn’t Ready to Meet People’s Changing Needs, Experts Say. PBS.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (23 December 2024). Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind. A/RES/79/206.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 December 2023). Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind. A/RES/78/153.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 December 2022). Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind. A/RES/77/165.
• United Nations, General Assembly (5 January 2022). Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind. A/RES/76/205.
• United Nations, General Assembly (11 December 1987). Environmental Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond. A/RES/42/186.
• United Nations (1972). Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. A/CONF.48/14/Rev.1.

The General Assembly Third Committee focuses its discussions on social, humanitarian and cultural concerns that arise in the General Assembly, although its work often overlaps with that of other United Nations organs, including the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies. Human rights, education and cultural preservation are typical issues for the Third Committee. Notably, the Third Committee would not discuss the legal implications of human rights matters, as those are under the purview of the Sixth Committee, nor would it call for special studies or deploy monitors, as those tasks are handled by the Human Rights Council.  Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the General Assembly Third Committee will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the Third Committee, is able to do so.

Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination

The principle of self-determination concerns the right of people to have freedom from external rule, to have the independence to choose their own form of government and the liberties necessary to be an autonomous political entity. While the principle of self-determination also argues for all groups of people to have the opportunity to determine their political governance, there are tensions with other United Nations principles, notably sovereignty. The concept of self-determination frequently challenges the fundamental international norm of state sovereignty, making international consensus difficult. Efforts and encouragement towards self-determination for various groups compete with domestic government authority, challenge the preservation of the existing governance structure and call to question the available international protections for peoples that are refused recognition by their existing governments. The tensions between self-determination and sovereignty, where internal political negotiations are also beholden to support from other countries, create conditions for conflict. Despite the significance of the right of peoples to self-determination, there is no agreed upon mechanism for enforcement. 

The Charter of the United Nations declares self-determination to be one of its most integral ideals. Additionally, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was one of the first international human rights documents to acknowledge the rights of all humans to political and social freedom. The UDHR promoted the movement towards independence for countries experiencing colonial occupation. In 1960, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, calling for the end of colonial authority. The Declaration addressed the need for people, including those in non-self governing territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government, to determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development . In 1966, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights more thoroughly elaborated the rights of citizens to amnesty, the self-determination of liberty and rule of law, and freedom from arbitrary imprisonment and slavery. In the same year, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights affirmed the right of all peoples to self-determination and required Member States to promote respect for and realization of that right. Subsequently, Security Council resolutions addressing various regional and intra-state conflicts repeatedly underscore the right to self-determination as necessary for the realization of human rights for all people. The General Assembly continued to prompt colonial administering powers to intensify negotiation and mediation with non-self-governing territories in order to facilitate a fair and effective self-determination process. Such as in Western Sahara where disputes about leadership and control of the territory have required intervention and guidance by the United Nation Mission to for the Referendum in Western Sahara.

Since 1946, the United Nations has tracked non-self-governing territories—there are currently 17 such territories, down from its initial 78—which largely consist of island territories in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific. In recent years, the United Nations has paid special attention to the abilities of indigenous peoples to exercise their right to self-determination within existing States, a shift from traditional applications of self-determination exercised through referenda for independence or secession. The 2007 Declaration on the Rights to Indigenous Peoples called upon Member States to recognize that communities of indigenous peoples have the right to express their unique origins and identity. However, concerns about how territories for indigenous peoples are defined in the Declaration as well as the vast possible interpretations and applications of those definitions in legal frameworks serve as barriers towards self-determination for indigenous peoples. 

In 2004, the United Nations recognized that violations of the right of people to self-determination and other human rights abuses resulted greatly from foreign military occupation and their participation in activities aimed at overthrowing legitimate authorities. The United Nations stressed that when mercenaries and private military contractors are involved in foreign military intervention it serves as a threat to peace and security. In order to address the use of mercenaries and military force, the United Nations has encouraged the withdrawal of foreign forces in various regions, calling for full adherence to the principles of non-interference, non-intervention, non-use of force or threat of use of force and the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force. The United Nations General Assembly further highlighted how the persistence of the occupation of territories perpetuated the conditions that uprooted people from their homes as refugees and displaced persons and violated human rights treaties and the core humanitarian law conventions.

While the United Nations emphasizes the importance of the right of people to self-determination, progress towards accomplishing this right for all people is hindered by increased conflict and occupation across multiple regions. The General Assembly remains vigilant about the right of people to self-determination and continues to promote the establishment, maintenance and strengthening of international peace— including the opposition of repression and aggression by foreign militaries occupying territories. While progress on decolonization continues, the United Nations remains concerned about non-self-governing territories and affirms its support for peoples under colonial rule to exercise their right to self-determination.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can the United Nations reconcile its role in advocating for self-determination with the principle of State sovereignty? 
• What further actions could be taken by the international community to mitigate war and conflict in non-self-governing territories that are pursuing self-determination? 
• What factors hinder the international community—from non-governmental organizations to the United Nations—in reaffirming and protecting the right of peoples to self-determination? 

Bibliography

• Aandahl, Nicole Breland (March 2022). The Struggle for Ukrainian Self-Determination and Identity. Center for Strategic & International Studies. 
• Avagyan, Davit (2024). From Principles To Practice: Resolving the Perceived Conflict Between Territorial Integrity and Self-Determination in International Law. Southwestern Journal of International Law.
• Cats-Baril, Amanda (September 2018). Self-determination. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. 
• Council for Foreign Relations. How Self-determination Shaped the Modern World. 
• Freedom House (1999). Freedom in the World 1999 – East Timor.
• Heimann Gadi et al (6 January 2025). Sovereignty, Self-Determination And The Contending Logics Of Territorial Distribution. Oxford Academic.
• Nowicki, Julia. Overcoming Challenges to Implementing UNDRIP in Canada. The David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights. University of Toronto.
• United Nations (1945). United Nations Charter. 
• United Nations Development Programme. War in Gaza. 
• United Nations, The United Nations and Decolonization. Non-Self-Governing Territories. 

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (9 January 2023). Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. A/RES/77/247. 
• United Nation, General Assembly (22 December 2023). Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination. A/RES/78/193.
• United Nations, General Assembly (5 January 2023). Promotion of peace as a vital requirement for the full enjoyment of all human rights by all. A/RES/77/216.
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 December 2022). Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. A/RES/77/149.
• United Nations, General Assembly (16 December 2022). Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region. A/RES/77/93.
• United Nations, General Assembly (13 February 2009). Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. A/RES/63/164.
• United Nations, General Assembly (2 October 2007). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A/RES/61/295.
• United Nations, General Assembly (2 March 2004). Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination. A/RES/58/161.
• United Nations, General Assembly (18 September 2000). United Nations Millennium Declaration. A/RES/55/2.
• United Nations, General Assembly (16 December 1966). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. A/RES/2200A (XXI).
• United Nation, General Assembly (16 December 1966). International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A/RES/2200A (XXI).
• United Nations, General Assembly (14 December 1960). Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. A/RES/1514 (XV).
• United Nations, General Assembly (10 December 1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A/RES/217(III).
• United Nations, Human Rights Council (12 April 2024). Promotion of peace as a vital requirement for the full enjoyment of all human rights by all. A/HRC/RES/55/30. 
• United Nations, Security Council (31 October 2024).  Renewing the Mandate of The UN Mission For The Referendum In Western Sahara. S/RES/2756(2024).

Improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas

Rural women and girls often face particular barriers to social mobility and the realization of their fundamental rights including unequal access to resources, education and political participation while also remaining targets of discrimination and violence. Although the international community recognizes that women and girls in rural areas play important roles in eradicating poverty and enhancing sustainable rural development, their food security, social protections against poverty and inclusion remain compromised. In turn, women and girls in rural areas encounter greater risks of economic growth stagnation and losing their livelihoods due to climate change and the growing threats on sustainable agriculture. Improving the situation of the women and girls in rural areas necessitates increased access to educational opportunities, technology and technical assistance, and diverse economic activities to bridge the gender gap and make progress towards achieving the goals established by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

In 1979, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), a comprehensive culmination of the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. CEDAW maintained concern for the civil rights and legal protections of women and called for the elimination of discrimination against women. The convention emphasizes that discrimination against women violates the principles of equal rights and respect for human dignity and highlights the need for equal access to education for women in rural areas. During the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women in 1980, the United Nations produced a report that identified persistent disparities between women’s guaranteed rights and their ability to exercise them. The report identified rural women and girls as a group requiring special attention due to socioeconomic disadvantages and historic barriers in education and employment. The report further indicated that most States had formally accepted the inclusion of women in development as a desirable planning objective and had enacted legislative provisions to promote equal rights. However, despite improved legislative frameworks, policies adopted by large transnational corporations employing rural women introduced new forms of discrimination, leaving them vulnerable due to weak enforcement mechanisms. In 1985, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the particular challenges facing rural women and girls in a resolution on the Improvement of The Situation of Women In Rural Areas and encouraged Member States to share experiences in implementing lasting policies and strategies to improve the economic and social conditions of women in rural areas. 

In 1995, the United Nations released the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action which provided a blueprint and guidance on how to “realize gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, everywhere.” The Beijing Declaration promoted women’s economic independence, including rural women, by addressing structural causes of poverty through changes in economic frameworks. The declaration further recognized the plight of women living in rural areas given development stagnation and the impacts of environmental degradation due to climate change. It noted that macro- and microeconomic policies and programmes often failed to consider their impact on women and girl children living in poverty. It also highlighted the disproportionate environmental health risks faced by rural women and girls, whose livelihood and subsistence rely directly on sustainable ecosystems. While international efforts proceeded through the millennium to improve gender equality-including most notably the Millennium Development Goals-few initiatives paid specific attention to the situation in rural areas. The United Nations urged Member States to recognize the connection between the inclusion of local and indigenous women in rural areas with successful and long lasting peacebuilding. In 2008, the United Nations released the report Rural Women in a Changing World: Opportunities and Challenges, which aimed to connect rural women to the global market and highlighted their critical role in supporting their families’ economic survival and contributing to both rural and national economies. 

In recent years the United Nations and Member States have made substantial efforts to improve the situation for women and girls in rural areas. In 2008, the first International Day of Rural Women focused on the contribution of rural women to agricultural economies and food production. In recognition of their contributions, UN Women convened a meeting of experts to address rural women’s economic empowerment: institutions, opportunities and participation. The expert group recommended the active inclusion of rural women in the development and implementation of policy instruments to advance environmentally sustainable agriculture. While gender disparities remained in educational access, 2008-2012 United Nations data demonstrated improvements in primary school enrollment for girls in rural developing countries. Maternal health also saw advancements during this time. The World Health Organization developed frameworks in 2010 for Member States to encourage healthcare professionals to live and work in rural areas which allowed for more births to take place under the assistance of skilled health personnel. Despite progress, women and girls in rural areas remain vulnerable due to compounding factors such as limited access to resources and services, limited opportunities for further education and training, the impacts of climate change, and ongoing threats of gender-based violence. 

With only five years remaining to address the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations is still working towards finding solutions to promote equitable access to economic resources and leadership positions for women and girls in rural areas. There is a pressing need for Member States to outline strategies for the women and girls to access quality services. Specifically, the United Nations is working on bridging the digital divide and finding ways to empower women and girls in rural areas through equitable access to digital and communications technology. The United Nations notes that affordability, safety and security training alongside better digital infrastructure are crucial elements for successful implementation of equitable access to digital education, healthcare and communities. Bridging this divide further provides opportunities for rural women and girls— who often work in informal sectors and lack access to financial services— to better protect themselves against financial risk, complementing the resourceful financial management strategies they already use. With agriculture as the primary economic activity of women and girls in rural areas, the United Nations continues to be concerned about the range of resources available to them. Member States have demonstrated that empowering women’s land rights can enable greater participation in community governance and decision-making and yet legal rights to land ownership and the ability to operate formal business remain fundamental issues for rural women.. To continue to address the limitations on agricultural ownership, decision making and engagement for women and girls in rural areas, the United Nations General Assembly designated 2026 as the Year of the Woman Farmer to raise awareness on the challenges and disparities that face women in agriculture. 

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can the stagnation and loss of progress in achieving gender equality in rural areas be reversed?
• Quantifying the gender gap is difficult; what are the gaps in data needed to find solutions to closing the gender gap?
• What role do artificial intelligence and other digital technologies play in closing gender gaps for rural women?

Bibliography

• Beccio, Susan (March 2023). International Women’s Day 2023: Bridging The Digital Gender Divide Is Essential For Unleashing Women’s Potential In Rural Areas, Say Un Food And Agriculture Agencies. International Fund for Agricultural Development.
• Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
• Brown, Jennifer, et al. (March 2025). Linking Women’s Land Rights, Climate Action, and the UN Women Peace and Security Framework.
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).
• FAO (2024). The Unjust Climate – Measuring the Impacts of Climate Change on Rural Poor, Women and Youth.
• Harvey, Fiona (21 March 2024). Women and Girls Suffer First When Droughts Hit Poor and Rural areas, Says UN. The Guardian.
• International Labour Organization (8 March 2018). Rural Women at Work: Bridging the Gaps.
• One in Four Countries Report Backlash on Women’s Rights in 2024 (6 March 2025). UN Women.
• Pal, Kusum Kali, et al. (June 2024). Global Gender Gap Report 2024.
• Sinclair, Kate et al (December 2019). Rural Women: Most Likely to Experience Food Insecurity and Poor Health In Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Global Food Security.
• United Nations (2015). The Millennium Development Goals Report
• United Nations. World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women 14-30 July 1980, Copenhagen. United Nations Conferences: Women and gender equality. 
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2020). The World’s Women 2020: Trends and Statistics.
• United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (October 2008).  Rural Women in a Changing World: Opportunities and Challenges. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
• UN News (20 March 2018). UN Rural Development Agency Invests in Power and Potential of Women. 
• UN Women (13 October 2022). Three Challenges For Rural Women Amid A Cost-Of-Living Crisis. 
• Women’s World Banking (24 May 2024). Insights for Action: Building Rural Women’s Financial Resilience Towards Climate Change.
• World Health Organization (2010). Increasing access to health workers in remote and rural areas through improved retention.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, Economic and Social Council (2018). Report of the Commission on the Status of Women: Report on the sixty-second session (24 March 2017 and 12–23 March 2018). E/2018/27.
• United Nations, General Assembly (7 May 2024). International Year of the Woman Farmer, 2026. A/RES/78/279.
• United Nations, General Assembly (22 December 2023). Improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas. A/RES/78/181.
• United Nations, General Assembly (28 December 2022). Women in development. A/RES/77/181.
• United Nations, General Assembly (6 January 2022). Improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas. A/RES/76/140.
• United Nations, General Assembly (25 July 2019). Improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas: Report of the Secretary-General. A/74/224.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 January 2019). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas. A/RES/73/165.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 October 2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A/RES/70/1.
• United Nations, General Assembly (18 September 2000). United Nations Millennium Declaration. A/RES/55/2.
• United Nations, Security Council (31 October 2000). Women, Peace and Security. S/RES/1325 (2000).
• United Nations, General Assembly (18 December 1979). Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. A/RES/34/180
• United Nations, Human Rights Council (12 July 2024). Menstrual hygiene management, human rights and gender equality. A/HRC/RES/56/11.
• United Nations (1980). Report of the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace. A/CONF.94/35.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was created in 1957 in response to the deep fears and expectations resulting from the discovery of nuclear energy. The IAEA Statute, which 81 States unanimously approved in October 1956, outlines the three pillars of the Agency’s work: nuclear verification and security, safety, and technology transfer. This session will simulate the General Conference of IAEA Member States.  Note: if the Security Council, which is given the primary task of ensuring peace and security by the Charter, is discussing a particular issue, the International Atomic Energy Agency  will cease its own deliberations and defer to the Security Council. Additionally, only the Fifth Committee is able to set or discuss the United Nations budget. No other body, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, is able to do so.

Nuclear security

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines nuclear security as “the prevention and detection of, and response to, criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving or directed at nuclear material, other radioactive material, associated facilities or associated activities.” While there has never been a successful nuclear attack by a non-state actor, IAEA reported 147 incidents of unauthorized use of nuclear or radioactive material in 2024, a number in line with historical averages. IAEA has a longstanding mandate to ensure the protection of nuclear and radioactive materials, collaborating with Member States, industry and partners in the United Nations system to share knowledge, help develop States’ capacity to implement and execute nuclear security frameworks, and provide monitoring and oversight. As the international community faces escalating risks—including a rise in global terrorism, increasing concern around possible nuclear proliferation and the presence of nuclear facilities in armed conflict zones, with direct attacks on nuclear facilities—maintaining the security of radioactive materials and nuclear facilities remains a high priority.

Ensuring the protection of nuclear material has been central to IAEA’s mission since its founding. The 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (the Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT) acknowledges the importance of protecting nuclear material, but primarily in the context of State actors. In 1972, IAEA published a booklet of “Recommendations for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,” its first formal guidance in nuclear security topics. This booklet was revised into an official informational circular by a panel of experts in 1975. In 1979, the international community adopted the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). CPPNM is important as the first legally-binding instrument for nuclear security, with specific technical mandates for appropriate physical protection of nuclear material in transport and a framework for prosecuting unlawful transfer, theft or interference with nuclear materials. However, concerns over respecting State sovereignty severely limited its scope—its sole jurisdiction was the peaceful transfer of nuclear material between States Parties. There was also no formal mechanism for enforcing CPPNM beyond general categories of laws States Parties were encouraged to adopt, and States Parties were able to opt out of formal dispute-resolution mechanisms.

As the global environment shifted through the 1990s and early 2000s with the end of the Cold War and a rise in international terror incidents, concerns over the risk of nuclear material falling into the wrong hands led to consideration of CPPNM’s shortcomings and broader consideration of how to strengthen nuclear security. IAEA implemented the voluntary Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) in 1995 to better capture data around nuclear security incidents. In 2002, IAEA adopted its first Nuclear Security Plan (NSP). The NSPs, updated every four years, lay out IAEA’s goals and priorities, including projects to be implemented by IAEA and Member States as well as additional opportunities for information sharing. In an effort to support the implementation of the NSPs, the IAEA Board of Governors also established the voluntary Nuclear Security Fund in 2002.

In 2004, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1540, declaring that States may not support non-state actors in any attempt to develop, transport or use weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, and establishing the 1540 Committee to review progress and provide expert assistance to States. In 2005, the Amendment to the CPPNM (the Amendment, or A/CPPNM) was adopted after years of expert review. The Amendment strengthened CPPNM by expanding its scope to cover broader risks to the physical protection of nuclear material, including risks to facilities and domestic use of nuclear material. The Amendment also strengthened international cooperation and expanded data sharing amongst States Parties. Also in 2005, the international community adopted the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (the Nuclear Terrorism Convention, or ICSANT). While ICSANT is more focused on legal responses to nuclear terrorism, it works alongside CPPNM in criminalizing the improper use of nuclear and radioactive materials by non-state actors, with specific frameworks for legal reforms and information sharing between States Parties.

Building on these instruments, IAEA continues work to improve its support infrastructure for nuclear security. IAEA continues to update technical guidance, including continuing additions to and revisions of Nuclear Security Plans, information circulars and the Nuclear Security Series of technical bulletins. IAEA’s Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plan (INSSP) framework provides Member States with tools for strengthening their approaches to nuclear security in line with IAEA best practices. IAEA also supports capacity-building and peer-review programs to help States share knowledge and implement recommendations. In recent years, IAEA has also hosted a review conference for the A/CPPNM in 2022 and a regular International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS), last held in 2024, to bring stakeholders together around key security issues.

As IAEA prepares its 2026–2029 Nuclear Security Plan, the list of threats to nuclear security is lengthy and evolving. Cyberattacks remain a substantial area of concern, particularly as nuclear facilities increasingly rely on automated operations. Successful cyberattacks—such as the 2011 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s Nantanz nuclear facility— pose significant risks, potentially compromising physical protection regimes or command and control systems. IAEA provides assistance to Member States to help them implement best practices for cybersecurity as well as providing updated guidance for States and industry partners to implement on their own. Novel technologies, both nuclear and non-nuclear, also pose new security challenges. Global demand for new nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs), also requires updates to regulatory frameworks and comes with additional security considerations. IAEA and other experts are increasingly focused on the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence around nuclear security. IAEA has also released guidance around maintaining physical protection against drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles, noting increased use by both state and non-state actors.

Another significant concern in nuclear security is the risk of insider threats, malicious acts carried out by people with authorized access to nuclear materials or facilities. Like cyberattacks, insider threats have been successfully carried out against nuclear facilities—such as a 2014 attack in Belgium that resulted in substantial damage to a reactor’s turbine. IAEA updated its guidance for insider threats in 2020 in the face of increased risks and established a working group to continue developing new approaches and best practices to share with Member States.

While these efforts have achieved results in the nuclear security landscape over time, nongovernmental organizations have called out the international community for stalling or backsliding on its commitment to nuclear security, particularly for failing to meet information-sharing and political commitments. While the number of States Parties to the A/CPPNM has grown, as of December 2023, only 78 of 135 States Parties have shared their legal frameworks with IAEA for review, a key component of its implementation. The binding nature of A/CPPNM, coupled with the investments necessary to meet its obligations, has historically slowed acceptance. States Parties have also called for additional support from IAEA in implementing nuclear security plans, particularly in physical protection. IAEA has also come under criticism for maintaining broad strategic goals versus measurable performance indicators.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• What areas should IAEA emphasize in the forthcoming Nuclear Security Plan 2026–2029?
• How can the international community balance the benefits of implementing new technologies with the need to protect from cyberattacks and other threats to nuclear security?
• What can IAEA do to help build capacity and work towards greater compliance with international nuclear security instruments?
• How can the international community improve risk management around insider threats to nuclear and radioactive facilities?

Bibliography

• Al-Qaeda ‘plotted nuclear attacks’ (8 September 2002). BBC News.
• Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (2005).
• Anthony, Ian, and Vitaly Fedchenko (2005). International non-proliferation and disarmament assistance.
• Applegarth, Claire (May 2005). UN Adopts Nuclear Terrorism Convention; Treaty Seven Years in the Making.
• Ayodeji, Abiodun, et al. (July 2023). Cyber security in the nuclear industry: A closer look at digital control systems, networks and human factors.
• Belgian Doel 4 nuclear reactor closed till year-end (14 August 2014). Reuters.
• Boureston, Jack, and Tanya Ogilvie-White (September/October 2010). Expanding the IAEA’s nuclear security mandate. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
• Brosnan, Jack, et al. (16 April 2024). Time to Change Course on Nuclear Security.
• Bufford, Jessica. Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and the 2005 Amendment: Past, present, and future.
• Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (28 January 2025). In Depth: Nuclear Risk.
• Bunn, George (January 2007). Enforcing International Standards: Protecting Nuclear Materials From Terrorists Post-9/11.
• Bunn, Matthew, et al. (July 2020). IAEA Nuclear Security Recommendations (INFCIRC/225): The Next Generation.
• Case Lackner, Sarah, and Mara Zarka (April 2025). Nuclear Security and the Nuclear Supply Chain in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
• Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1979).
• Fildes, Jonathan (15 February 2011). Stuxnet virus targets and spread revealed. BBC News.
• Hewes, Mitchell (June 2023). How Artificial Intelligence Will Change Information and Computer Security in the Nuclear World.
• IAEA unveils nuclear security training centre (4 October 2023). World Nuclear News.
• Insider Threat Mitigation. About.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (28 February 2025). More than 145 Reports Added to IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database in 2024.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (2025). IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) 2025 Factsheet.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (2025). Information and Computer Security for Activities Involving Radioactive Material and for Associated Facilities.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (26 July 2024). New CRP: Nuclear Security Implications of Uncrewed Aerial, Ground, and Maritime Systems (J02018).
• International Atomic Energy Agency (2022). IAEA Nuclear Safety and Security Glossary.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (2020). Preventive and Protective Measures against Insider Threats.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Conference of the Parties to the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material 2022.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its Amendment.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plan (INSSP).
• International Atomic Energy Agency. International Conference on Nuclear Security 2024: Shaping the Future.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. International Nuclear Security Advisory Service (INSServ).
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Milestones in the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Programme.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Nuclear Security Plan.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Nuclear Security Series.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Resource Mobilization and the Nuclear Security Fund.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Security aspects of nuclear facilities.
• International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005).
• Institute for Economics and Peace (5 March 2025). Global Terrorism Index 2025.
• Liou, Joanne (13 September 2023). What are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?
• Natha, Riyaz (November 2018). Security Considerations for Small Modular Reactors (SMR).
• National Research Council of the National Academies (2006). Strengthening Long-Term Nuclear Security: Protecting Weapon-Usable Material in Russia National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Strengthening Long-Term Nuclear Security: Protecting Weapon-Usable Material in Russia.
• Nilsson, Anita, et al. (December 2016). International Nuclear Security Peer Reviews: Making the IAEA IPPAS General and Sustainable.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative (July 2023). Falling Short in a Dangerous World: The 2023 NTI Nuclear Security Index.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative (September 2014). Nuclear Security Primer: The Existing System.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative. Addressing Cyber-Nuclear Security Threats.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative. International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
• Peel, Ross, et al. (2022). Nuclear Security and Safeguards Considerations for Novel Advanced Reactors.
• Rahandini, Andrea (June 2023). IAEA Assists African Countries in Developing Computer Security Regulations.
• Rosenbach, Eric, and Matan Chorev (29 March 2016). Belgium Highlights the Nuclear Terrorism Threat and Security Measures to Stop it. HuffPost.
• Roth, Nickolas (July 2024). Recalibrating the Path to Nuclear Security.
• Smugglers, Thieves, and Terrorists (11 January 2018). Outrider Foundation.
• Steinhäusler, Friedrich (January 2009). Legal Instruments to Prevent Nuclear WMD Use by Non-State Actors.
• Tafili, Vasiliki (June 2023). Addressing Computer Security Threats: The Evolution of the IAEA’s Assistance Programme.
• Tafili, Vasiliki, and Anh Thu Dang (4 October 2023). Strengthening Nuclear Security Worldwide Through A/CPPNM and ICSANT.
• Treaty on the Non-Prolifération of Nuclear Weapons (1968).
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004).
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Factsheet: International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT).
• United Nations Security Council. 1540 Committee.
• United States Government Accountability Office (July 2019). Nuclear Security: The International Atomic Energy Agency Could Improve Priority Setting, Performance Measures, and Funding Stabilization.
• UN News (22 June 2025). US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites ‘marks perilous turn’: Diplomacy must prevail, says Guterres.
• UN News (25 November 2024). Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy system risks nuclear disaster: Rights experts.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (12 September 2024). Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards in Ukraine. GC(68)/8.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (September 2024). Nuclear Security. GC(68)/RES/9.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (August 2024). Nuclear Security Review 2024. GC(68)/INF/3.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (30 July 2024). International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future: Report by the Director-General. GC(68)/INF/6.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (19 July 2024). Nuclear Security Report 2024. GC(68)/7.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (September 2023). Nuclear Security. GC(67)/RES/8.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (15 September 2021). Nuclear Security Plan 2022–2025 . GC(65)/24.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (2011). Nuclear Security Recommendations on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities. INFCIRC/225/Rev.5.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (12 August 2002). Progress on agency measures to protect against nuclear terrorism . GC(46)/14.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (September 1975). The Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. INFCIRC/225.
• United Nations, Security Council (28 April 2004). Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. S/RES/1540.

Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications

Nuclear science is the study of atomic nuclei and their application in nuclear power plants, atomic theory and radiation. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the world’s intergovernmental forum focused on ensuring safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Globally, there are 220 research reactors, many of which produce medical and industrial isotopes. Today, nuclear science is utilized in a litany of industries including agriculture, medicine, transportation and environmental science. Despite a growing interest in nuclear science and energy, developing states lack the internal capacity to support the research and have to rely on external sources for initial designs and fuel. 

The United Nations and the nuclear age emerged nearly simultaneously. As a result, the first United Nations General Assembly resolution established a United Nations Atomic Energy Commission in 1946. Goals of this commission included creating means for Member States to exchange scientific information and use nuclear energy for peaceful means. Seven years later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his landmark address to the United Nations General Assembly where he recognized the capability of nuclear energy for “universal, efficient and economic usage”. Following President Eisenhower’s speech, the United Nations established the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1957. From the beginning, IAEA’s mandate was to work with Member States to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies. 

Nuclear proliferation continued to escalate through the 1960s. In response, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968. While mainly focused on disarmament, the NPT actively encouraged Member States to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful means and to share equipment, materials and scientific and technological information with each other. The NPT is viewed as the cornerstone of global nuclear non-proliferation, but further work was required. As Member States began expanding their nuclear science and technology programs, IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Fund increased, allowing the agency to fund multi-year projects. With the adoption of Elements of a comprehensive programme of disarmament in 1979, the United Nations provided further baseline recommendations as they pursue further disarmament following the NPT, including shifting resources utilized for nuclear proliferation towards nuclear science and its applications in both social and economic development.

Following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. This convention expanded IAEA’s role providing assistance to Member States that experienced a radiological emergency. Shortly after the adoption of the convention, IAEA’s capabilities were tested in response to a radiological incident in Brazil and led to further realization that while nuclear science, technology and applications can provide significant benefits to a variety of industries, radiological incidents can still occur. IAEA shifted away from directly providing capacity building and safety assistance to Member States pursuing nuclear science and technology, focusing on providing oversight and establishing norms for Member States through the Convention on Nuclear Safety in 1994. Through this convention, Member States could obtain licenses for developing nuclear power plants and in exchange, would have to uphold the established guidelines, specifically in regards to safety and emergency preparedness.

Ten years later, IAEA established the Collaborating Centre’s Scheme, allowing Member States to take an active role in implementing IAEA’s programs on nuclear science, technology and applications. Since its inception, 76 Collaborating Centres have been established with the majority of them focusing on non-power nuclear technology. To further encourage Member States to pursue peaceful uses of nuclear technology, IAEA established the Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI) in 2010. Through this program, IAEA shifted back to taking an active role in mobilizing extrabudgetary funds from the Technical Cooperation Fund to support Member States initiatives, but also added a layer of flexibility in case IAEA is required to quickly respond to an emergency. 

IAEA continues to lead to charge in establishing nuclear science, technology and application initiatives through programs such as the the Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) project, creating networks and capacity-building measures for Member States to access molecular, nuclear and isotopic techniques in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics) where gamma and electron beam radiation is utilized to break down plastic polymers, converting it into fuel, feedstocks and additives. 

While the Technical Cooperation program continues to serve as an effective framework for collaboration, nuclear technology is expected to rapidly advance, resulting in an increased demand for IAEA’s support. In response, IAEA enacted the Medium Term Strategy 2024-2029, which lays out goals and objectives IAEA hopes to achieve before the end of the decade, including increased partnership with other United Nations bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Likewise, Member States can continue to engage in independent collaboration with each other through South-South and Triangular Cooperation to create practical solutions and improve interregional collaboration.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can Member States utilize IAEA’s Technical Cooperation programmes to pursue nuclear science, technology and application initiatives?
• How can Member States assist IAEA in achieving the objectives of the Medium Term Strategy 2024-2029?
• What steps should IAEA take in response to evolving threats in nuclear technology while still supporting Member States in their development of peaceful technology?

Bibliography

• Council on Foreign Relations. Timeline: U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Control.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (June 2025). Collaborating Centres Scheme Reference Guide.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (May 2021). NUTEC Plastics: A nuclear solution to plastic pollution.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (24 October 1997). Technical Co-operation Strategy.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (5 July 1994). Convention on Nuclear Safety.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (1988). The Radiological Accident in Goiania
• International Atomic Energy Agency (18 November 1986). Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. About the IAEA.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Atoms for Peace Speech.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. History.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Medium Term Strategy 2024-2029.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Peaceful Uses Initiative.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Prospects and Achievements of the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme in the 21st Century: Overview and Future Prospects.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC).
• Nuclear Energy Agency. Nuclear science.
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968).
• United Nations. Atomic Energy.
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
• World Nuclear Association (29 July 2025). Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries.
• World Nuclear Association (17 July 2025). Nuclear Power in the World Today.
• World Nuclear Association (17 February 2025). Chernobyl Accident 1986.
• World Nuclear Association (10 January 2025). The Many Uses of Nuclear Technology.

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, General Assembly (9 June 1999). Review of the Implementation of the Recommendations and Decisions Adopted by the General Assembly at its Tenth Special Session: Report of the Disarmament Commission. A/51/182/Rev.1
• United Nations, General Assembly (1 February 1946). Establishment of a Commission to Deal with the Problems Raised by the Discovery of Atomic Energy. A/RES/1(I).
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (September 2024). Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications. GC(68)/RES/11.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (September 2023). Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications. GC(67)/RES/10.
• United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (8 August 2022). Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications. GOV/2022/30-GC(66)/9.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) 

ECOSOC is the primary body that addresses the economic, social, humanitarian and cultural work of the United Nations system. It also has a mandate to coordinate the activities of United Nations technical and specialized agencies and programs. ECOSOC oversees five regional economic commissions and eight functional commissions. ECOSOC is composed of 54 Member States elected by the General Assembly for three-year renewable terms.

ECOSOC at AMUN 

AMUN simulates ECOSOC as a special committee on a rotating basis. Much like the General Assembly bodies and unlike the ECOSOC report-writing bodies (discussed below), ECOSOC’s primary initiative is to discuss the designated topics and produce resolutions, preferably by consensus. A resolution will often provide historical context for a topic or issue as well as present a path forward for Member States and international institutions. A resolution must be in the purview of the committee that passes it, and it must contain at least one preambular clause and one operative clause. For more information on resolution formatting, requirements and best practices, please reference this chapter of the handbook or speak with the committee rapporteurs at Conference.

As a way to preserve students’ productive time and experience, AMUN has chosen to forgo ECOSOC plenary sessions. Similarly, AMUN has also chosen to provide a streamlined set of report-writing rules meant to better facilitate the work of the body. 

A Note About AMUN’s Simulation Philosophy 

The Conference exists to provide a safe and educational environment where both representatives and AMUN Secretariat members can grow and learn. At the core of this is one of AMUN’s founding principles—to create the most realistic simulation possible by mirroring the beliefs and processes of the United Nations. Diplomacy is a tool with the power to change lives for the better. Our report-writing bodies (RWBs) offer another perspective on diplomacy as representatives work in small groups throughout Conference to build not resolutions, but entire reports. Report-writing leads to a non-competitive and free-flowing exchange of ideas that ultimately builds an intensely collaborative environment and informs ECOSOC on the actions it should take regarding the complex international issues that make up the topics.

Report-writing Bodies and their Role at AMUN 

Each year, AMUN simulates one or more bodies that write reports rather than resolutions. These bodies—which can be committees, councils or commissions and which have various relationships to ECOSOC—are generally referred to as  “report-writing bodies” (RWBs). These bodies have a unique function within the United Nations system, and delegates to these bodies are often subject matter experts. Their role is to inform the broader ECOSOC body and the international community by collaboratively producing reports on topics in their expertise rather than to produce resolutions that define a specific course of action. These reports are the foundation for the United Nations’ later policy decisions.

Each body produces one report on each of its topics, so collaboration and consensus building in these committees are essential. Producing only one report also means that dissenting or minority opinions may be recorded within the text of the document capturing deliberations on the topic. Reports follow a specified format, but the length, content and complexity of each report varies. AMUN has adapted the format for annual reports for use in these reporting bodies. The time constraints of the simulation necessitate the use of a format that bears many similarities to those of the United Nations, but is not identical. Just as representatives familiarize themselves with their State’s positions, they must also do the same with the AMUN report format.

All reports at AMUN consist of four chapters, each of which serves a specific function. Chapter I contains the text of any resolutions passed by the commission that are recommended for subsequent adoption by ECOSOC. Chapter II contains an account of the deliberations that the commission considers essential to understand the recommendations that the commission makes. Chapter III details all decisions made by the commission that do not require further action from ECOSOC. The final chapter, titled “Adoption of the Report,” details how the commission adopted the report, including the voting record, if any—this chapter is generated by your simulation’s Rapporteurs after the report is adopted. Additionally, all reports must contain a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary. More information on report components and the report-writing process can be found here and in the United Nations Documents section of the Handbook.

While RWBs are empowered to author resolutions, they are rarely empowered to make decisions in their own name; that work remains for plenary bodies. The main focus of an RWB is to create a report which functions as a recommendation for actions that may be subsequently taken by ECOSOC. Thus, it is important that the report contains a record of how the body came to its conclusions. This is the primary function of the report’s Deliberations section, without which a report cannot exist. The nature of a report often leads to a process that is highly collaborative and inclusive of all Members of the body. If the body disagrees on an issue, it is common to include all sides of the discussion in the final report, thus allowing for consensus even if not all parties agree on specific recommendations. 

Consultative Session 

Both ECOSOC and reporting bodies have available to them a special rule intended to facilitate their work: Consultative Session. Consultative Session is a designated period of time in which the committee is still in session but the formal rules of debate, with the exception of Rule 2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy, are suspended. It is moderated by whomever the body chooses for the role, with the first Consultative Session usually being moderated by a member of the dais staff. Consultative Sessions allow for free and open exchange between representatives in a less-formal setting than is created in formal debate. It is an expedient method of accomplishing many of the report-writing processes and is typically also used to pass the Executive Summary, which is the final piece of a report.

Research and Resources Available 

One of the most important responsibilities of a representative is to complete research before Conference. This research can greatly affect a representative’s experience in the simulation. AMUN has several suggestions for how to go about researching a State’s position, history and culture. These can be found in the Research and Preparation Section. AMUN also publishes research briefs specific to each simulation in the AMUN Handbook. These briefs are designed to provide an overview of each topic area and should be used to craft your delegation’s position on each topic at Conference.

Two types of staff are readily available to assist participants within a simulation: committee presidents and rapporteurs.

The committee presidents preside over the room and facilitate debate in each General Assembly simulation. They are experts on AMUN’s Rules of Procedure and are more than willing to help representatives understand and use the rules throughout the simulation. Presidents also observe substantive debate and keep track of the committee’s proceedings.

Rapporteurs review the written content produced in General Assembly simulations. They work with representatives to generate high-quality written work that meets the standards set by both AMUN and the United Nations. They also provide guidance on committee purview and will help representatives work resolutions into purview, should it be necessary.

Home Government is available to help representatives with several tasks. If a representative wants an in-depth review of their country’s position on the topics being covered in a committee, Home Government can conduct briefings to provide them the information they need to participate more fully in the simulation. Home Government also has the ability to furnish committees with roleplayers who provide information to the entire body as opposed to an individual representative. Secretariat members in each simulation can assist representatives in submitting an information request.

AMUN encourages representatives to publish written content to the rest of the Conference. The International Press Delegation (IPD) fields a team of student reporters that publish regular articles in the AMUN Chronicle, a periodical distributed to all Conference participants. Representatives may also submit letters to IPD editors that may be published in the Chronicle, give interviews to student reporters, or utilize IPD to host press conferences to spread information about their simulation’s work.

1.0 Administrative 

1.1 The Secretariat. The Secretariat consists of the volunteer staff members of American Model United Nations (AMUN).

1.2 Rules Committee. The President of the General Assembly, the Vice President of the General Assembly, the Director of Security Council Procedures, the Director of Rules and Procedures, and one other person as appointed by the Secretary-General shall compose the membership of the Rules Committee.

1.3 Credentials. All questions concerning the validity of representative credentials shall be submitted in writing to the Secretariat,

• The Secretariat has sole authority to decide all questions concerning credentials, and
• Representatives must wear approved credentials at all times while on the Conference premises.

1.4 Quorum/Majority. A quorum is one-fourth of the member delegations in attendance for each Committee; a majority is one-half of the member delegations in attendance for each Committee,

• A quorum must be present at all times during Committee sessions,
• A majority must be present for a substantive question to be put to a vote,
• Questions concerning quorum or majority should be directed to the President, and
• It is the responsibility of the President to ensure that a quorum is present at all times.

1.5 Committee Officers. The Secretariat shall appoint the President for each Committee, and shall select any other positions necessary to help conduct the sessions of the Committees,

• Hereafter, in these rules, “President” refers to the President who is presiding over the meeting, facilitating formal and informal debate, and ruling on procedural items before the body. 
• Hereafter, in these rules, “Committee” will refer to any Committee, Council or Commission, unless otherwise stated in the rule.

1.6 General Authority of the President. In addition to exercising such authority conferred upon the President elsewhere in these rules, the President shall,

• Declare the opening and closing of each session,
• Ensure the observance of the rules,
• Facilitate the discussions of the Committee and accord the right to speak,
• Advise the Committee on methods of procedure that will enable the body to accomplish its goals, and
• Rule on points and motions, and subject to these rules, have complete control of the proceedings of the Committee and the maintenance of order at its meetings.

• During the course of the session, the President may propose Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1), Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), Closure of Debate (rule 7.4), and Limits on Debate (rule 7.9).

The President is under the direct authority of the Rules Committee and may be directed to inform the body on matters of procedure or the body’s topical competence if such action is deemed necessary by the Rules Committee.

1.7 Absence of President. If the President is absent during any part of a Committee Session, the President will designate a member of the AMUN Secretariat, usually the Vice President, to chair the session with the same authority.

1.8 Number of Accredited Representatives. Each delegation is allowed two representatives per Committee on which it is a member, plus one Permanent Representative.

1.9 Selection of Agenda Topics. Agenda topics shall be selected by the Secretariat prior to the start of the conference. Once selected, these topics are fixed for the duration of the conference.

1.10 Observer Status. Those delegations recognized as having Observer Status by AMUN shall be accorded all rights in the Committee except the following,

• They may not vote,
• They may not make or second the following motions:
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), and
  • Closure of Debate (rule 7.3).

2.0 General Rules

2.1 Statements by the Secretariat. The Secretary-General or any member of the Secretariat may make verbal or written statements to a Committee at any time.

2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy. All participants in the AMUN Conference must accord Diplomatic Courtesy to all credentialed representatives, Secretariat Members, Faculty Advisors, Observers and Hotel staff at all times,

• Representatives who persist in obvious attempts to disrupt the session shall be subject to expulsion from the Committee by the President,
• The Secretariat reserves the right to expel any representative or delegation from the Conference, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.3 Speeches. No representative may address the Committee without obtaining the permission of the President,

• Delegations, not representatives, are recognized to speak; more than one representative from the same delegation may speak when the delegation is recognized,
• Speakers must keep their remarks germane to the subject under discussion,
• A time limit may be established for speeches (rule 7.7),
• At the conclusion of a substantive speech, representatives will be allowed to answer questions concerning their speech,
• A delegation that desires to ask a question of the speaker should signify by raising a Point of Inquiry (rule 6.3),
• All questions and replies are made through the President,
• A speaker who desires to make a motion may do so after speaking and accepting Points of Inquiry, but prior to yielding the floor, and
• By making a motion the speaker yields the floor.

2.4 Recognition of Speakers. Delegations wishing to speak on an item before the body will signify by raising their placards,

• The exception to this rule occurs on any Point of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2), or Inquiry (rule 6.3), at which time a representative should raise their placard and call out “Point of ___________” to the President,
• Points will be recognized in the order of their priority,
• Motions may not be made from Points of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2), or Inquiry (rule 6.3), or from any procedural speeches, except,
• A motion to Appeal the Decision of the President (rule 7.4), may be made when recognized for a Point of Order.
• The President shall recognize speakers in a fair and orderly manner, and
• Speakers’ lists will not be used.

2.5 Right of Reply. The President may accord a Right of Reply to any representative if a speech by another representative contains unusual or extraordinary language clearly insulting to personal or national dignity,

• Requests for a Right of Reply shall be made in writing to the President,
• Requests shall contain the specific language which was found to be insulting to personal or national dignity,
• The President may limit the time allowed for a reply,
• There shall be no reply to a reply, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.6 Withdrawal of Motions. A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has begun,

• Seconds to a motion may also be withdrawn, by raising a point of order or ending a speech with a request, and
• A withdrawn motion or second may be reintroduced by another delegation.

2.7 Dilatory Motions. The President may rule out of order any motion repeating or closely approximating a recent previous motion on which the Committee has already rendered an opinion,

• This decision is not appealable.

3.0 Rules That Relate to the Rules

3.1 Rule Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this handbook are the official rules of procedure of the American Model United Nations and will be used for all Committee sessions. These rules take precedence over any other set of rules.

3.2 Precedence of Rules. Proceedings in the Committees and General Assembly sessions of AMUN shall be conducted under the following precedence of rules;

1. AMUN Rules of Procedure,
2. AMUN General Assembly (GA) & Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Order of Precedence of the Rules Short Form,
3. Rulings by the Rules Committee,
4. Historical usage of the AMUN Rules of Procedure,
5. Historical usage of the United Nations Rules of Procedure, and
6. The Charter of the United Nations.

3.3 The Order of Precedence of Procedural Motions.The order of precedence of procedural motions is listed in both the General Assembly (GA) and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Precedence Short Forms and in these rules under Section 7, “Procedural Motions In Order of Priority.”

3.4 Rule Changes. The Rules Committee reserves the right to make changes to these rules at any time. Should a change occur, it will be communicated to the representatives in a timely manner.

4.0 Draft Proposals & Amendments

4.1 Definition of Draft Reports. A draft report is a formal written proposal consisting of sections and paragraphs that detail a committee’s deliberations and recommendations on a particular topic. The report may include resolutions that the reporting body recommends for adoption by the body that receives the report. Reports must include an Executive Summary (rule 4.8).

4.2 Draft Reports. Draft reports may be submitted to the Committee Dais for approval at any time during the Conference,

• For a draft report to be considered, it must be organized in content and flow, have a minimum of 35 percent of the delegations in attendance listed as sponsors, and the approval of the Dais staff,
• The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Rules Committee at conference registration and announced at the opening of each committee session,
• After acceptance by the Dais staff, draft reports shall be processed in the order in which they are received,
• The full text of the draft report shall be issued to the committee, and a copy of the Executive Summary shall be distributed to all delegations as soon as feasible,
• Only one draft report per topic area shall be accepted for consideration by the Dais staff,
• Once a draft report is on the floor for discussion, additional sponsors may only be added to that draft report with the consent of the original sponsors,
• Any resolutions adopted by the committee on the topic of the report will be automatically included in Section III of the report, including after the adoption of the report or Executive Summary,
• Once a vote has been taken on any part of a draft report, including a contested amendment, it becomes the property of the body, and no additional sponsors or friendly amendments may be added or removed,
• Friendly amendments (rule 4.6) do not limit the addition of sponsors as above,
• See also Closure of Debate (rule 7.3) and Consideration of Draft Items (rule 7.10),
• Objections or reservations to the report shall be included in the text of the report, and
• Objections to the report must be in writing and may be submitted before or after the final vote on the report, and
• The default method of voting for reports shall be Adoption by Consensus (rule 5.3). If there is any objection, the Committee will proceed with a substantive vote, which requires a simple majority for passage.

4.3 Definition of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution is a written proposal consisting of at least one preambular and one operative clause.

4.4 Draft Resolutions. Draft resolutions may be submitted to the Committee Secretariat for approval at any time during the Conference,

• For a draft resolution to be considered, it must be organized in content and flow, be in the proper format, have a minimum of 35 percent of the delegations in attendance listed as sponsors, and have the signature of the Rapporteur,
• The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Rules Committee at conference registration in conjunction with the Director of Rapporteur Procedures. Rapporteurs shall remain apprised of the required number and shall make that information available to all representatives.
• After acceptance by the Rapporteur(s), draft resolutions shall be processed in the order in which they are received and distributed to all delegations as soon as feasible.

A draft resolution that has been distributed may be proposed when the Committee considers the agenda topic that is the subject of the draft resolution.

• Only one draft resolution may be considered on the floor at any time during formal debate,
• Once a draft resolution is on the floor for discussion, additional sponsors may only be added to that draft resolution with the consent of the original sponsors,
• Once a vote has been taken on a contested amendment to a draft resolution, no sponsors may be added or removed,
• Friendly amendments (rule 4.6) do not limit the addition of sponsors as noted above, and
• See also Closure of Debate (rule 7.3) and Consideration of Draft Items (rule 7.10).

4.5 Definition of Amendments. An amendment to a draft report or resolution is a written proposal that adds to, deletes from, or revises any part of a draft proposal.

4.6 Amendments. All amendments must be signed by 15 percent of the delegations in attendance,

• The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Rules Committee in conjunction with the Director of Rapporteur Procedures at conference registration and announced at the opening of each committee session.

An amendment is submitted on an official amendment form to the Rapporteurs for approval.

• Amendments will be approved if they are legible, organized in content and flow, and in the proper format,
• Approved amendments will be assigned an identification letter by the Rapporteurs, and
• Typographical errors in a report will be corrected by the Rapporteurs and announced to the body.

One or more amendments may be considered on the floor at any given time (see also Closure of Debate (rule 7.3) and Consideration of Draft Items (rule 7.10)).

An amendment will be considered “friendly” if all sponsors of the draft report are also sponsors of the amendment. 

A friendly amendment becomes part of a draft proposal upon the announcement that it is accepted,

• A dais member shall announce the acceptance of a friendly amendment on the first opportunity at which no speaker has the floor, and
• Friendly amendments cannot be accepted after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment or after closure of debate on the report/resolution has been moved.

4.7 Definition of Executive Summaries. The reporting body must issue an Executive Summary of the finalized report which will briefly summarize the contents of the report.

4.8 Executive Summaries. Executive Summaries are discussed, drafted and accepted outside of formal Committee sessions during a Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1) or Consultative Session (rule 7.5),

• The default method of accepting the Executive Summary is through an informal consensus of the committee during Suspension or Consultative Session. If there is objection to consensus, the committee will proceed with an informal vote which requires a simple majority for passage.
• The final Executive Summary must be presented to the dais for inclusion with the Report and distribution to the Committee receiving the Report.

4.9 Withdrawal of Sponsorship. Sponsorship of a draft report, resolution or amendment may be withdrawn,

• Sponsorship of a draft report or resolution may not be withdrawn after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment,
• If a draft report, resolution or amendment falls below the number of sponsors required for consideration, additional sponsors may be added to that proposal with the consent of the original sponsors, and
• If a draft report, resolution or amendment falls below the required number of sponsors, it is automatically removed from consideration.

5.0 Voting

5.1 Voting Rights. Each Member State is accorded one vote in each Committee on which it is represented,

• No representative or Delegation may cast a vote on behalf of another Member State.

5.2 Simple Majority. Unless otherwise specified in these rules, decisions in the Committee shall be made by a majority vote of those Members present and voting. If there is an equal division between yes and no votes, the motion fails.

5.3 Adoption by Consensus. The adoption of draft reports, resolutions and amendments by consensus is desirable when it contributes to the effective and lasting settlement of differences, thus strengthening the authority of the United Nations,

• Any representative may request the adoption of a draft report, resolution or amendment by consensus at any time after closure of debate has passed,
• For reports, the default method of voting is adoption by consensus,
• The President then shall ask whether there is any objection to a consensus and then shall ask if any Member States wish to abstain from consensus,
• Delegations abstaining from consensus will be officially recorded,
• If there is no objection, the proposal is approved by consensus, and
• If any representative objects to consensus, voting shall occur as otherwise stated in these rules.

5.4 Method of Voting. The Committee shall normally vote by a show of raised placards,

• The President may grant a request by a delegation for a roll call vote on any substantive matter, and the President’s decision on such a request is not subject to appeal,
• When applicable, roll shall be called in English alphabetical order beginning with a member selected at random by the President,
• Representatives shall reply “yes,” “no,” “abstain” or “abstain from the order of voting” and
• A member may abstain from the order of voting once during a roll call; a second abstention from the order of voting will be recorded as an abstention.

5.5 Structure of Voting For Draft Reports. The Committee shall vote on any draft report items in the following manner. 

• The body shall vote individually on each chapter and resolution to be included in the report. A vote in favor of the chapter or resolution shall be a vote in favor of including that section or resolution in the final version of the report, and voting shall occur in the following order:
  • First, the body shall vote on any resolutions included in Chapter II (Matters calling for action) of the report. The body will vote on each resolution in the reverse order in which they are introduced to the body. For each resolution, the body will vote on any amendments to that resolution in the reverse order in which they were introduced to the body.
  • Second, the body shall vote on its findings in Chapter III of the report. The body will vote on any amendments to this chapter in the reverse order in which they were introduced to the body.
  • Third, the body shall vote on any resolutions included in Chapter IV (Decisions adopted) of the report, in the same order identified above for resolutions included in Chapter II. 
  • Fourth, the body shall vote on Chapter I (Executive summary). The body will vote on any amendments to the executive summary in the reverse order in which they were introduced to the body. See rule 4.8 for voting on the Executive Summary.
  • After all sections of the draft report have been voted upon by the body, the remaining sections shall be compiled into the final draft version of the report, and the body shall vote on the report as a whole.
• Each vote is entitled to the full rights and voting methods under Method of Voting (rule 5.4), including, but not limited to,
  • Division of the question (rule 7.8), 
  • Requests for roll call votes (rule 5.4),
  • Adoption by consensus (rule 5.3), and
  • The items enumerated in Conduct During Voting (rule 5.6).
• The body may request, when a report has been passed, a representative from the Secretary-General’s office or the Economic and Social Council plenary body to present their findings. The body may conduct this presentation orally in a structure and manner that the body determines is appropriate, and that conforms to the requirements of Diplomatic Courtesy (rule 2.2).

5.6 Conduct During Voting. Immediately prior to a vote, the President shall describe to the Committee the item to be voted on, and shall explain the consequences of a “yes” or a “no” vote. Voting shall begin upon the President’s declaration that “we are now in voting procedure” and end when the results of the vote are announced,

• Following Closure of Debate, and prior to entering voting procedure, the President shall pause briefly to allow delegations the opportunity to make any relevant motions,
• Relevant motions prior to a vote include:
  • Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1), 
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), 
  • Consultative Session (rule 7.5), or 
  • Division of the Question (rule 7.8), and
• Relevant requests prior to a vote include: 
  • Adoption by Consensus (rule 5.3), 
  • Request for a roll call vote (rule 5.4), and
• Once in voting procedure, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a Point of Order or Point of Information concerning the actual conduct of the vote.

5.7 Changes of Votes. At the end of a roll call vote, but before Rights of Explanation (rule 5.8) and the subsequent announcement of the vote, the President will ask for any vote changes. Any delegation that desires to change its recorded vote may do so at that time.

5.8 Rights of Explanation. Rights of Explanation are permitted on all substantive votes after voting. The President may limit time for Rights of Explanation. Limits on Rights of Explanation should be no less than 30 seconds.

6.0 Points of Procedure in Order of Priority

6.1 Point of Order. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a Point of Order if the representative believes that the Committee is proceeding in a manner contrary to these rules,

• The representative must call out their point and will be recognized immediately by the President and the point ruled on,
• A representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak substantively on any matter,
• If a representative’s ability to participate in the Committee’s deliberations is impaired for any reason, the representative may rise to a Point of Order,
• A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.2 Point of Information. A Point of Information is raised to the President if a representative wishes to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matters before the Committee,

• The representative must call out their point to be recognized,
• A Point of Information may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.3 Point of Inquiry. During substantive debate, a representative may question a speaker by rising to a Point of Inquiry,

• Questions must be directed through the President and may be made only after the delegation has concluded their remarks, but before the delegation has yielded the floor,
• The representative must call out their point to be recognized,
• A Point of Inquiry may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

7.0 Procedural Motions in Order of Priority

7.1 Suspension of the Meeting. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move to suspend the meeting. Suspending a meeting recesses it for the time specified in the motion,

• This motion requires a second,
• This motion is not debatable,
• The President may request that the delegation making the motion modify the time of suspension, and
• If the motion passes, upon reconvening the Committee will continue its business from the point at which the suspension was moved.

7.2 Adjournment of the Meeting. The motion of adjournment means that all business of the Committee has been completed for the year, and that the Committee will not reconvene until the next annual session,

• This motion requires a second,
• This motion is not debatable,
• The President may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the Committee still has business before it, and
• This decision is not appealable.

7.3 Closure of Debate. A representative may move to close debate on a draft report, resolution or amendment before the Committee at any time during the discussion of item. The effect of this motion, if passed, is to bring a draft report, resolution or amendment that is on the floor to a vote,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak against closure; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• Representatives should specify whether the motion for closure applies to an amendment or a draft report or resolution,
• If closure passes on a draft report or resolution, all amendments on the floor will be voted on in the reverse order from which they were moved to the floor, and
• After voting on all amendments is completed, the draft report or resolution shall be voted upon in accordance with these rules.

At the conclusion of voting procedure, the draft report, resolution or amendment being voted on is removed from consideration, regardless of whether the proposal passes or fails. Debate then continues on the current agenda topic.

7.4 Appealing a Decision of the President. Rulings of the President are appealable unless otherwise specified in these rules,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• An appeal must be made immediately following the ruling in question,
• This motion may be made by a delegation that has been recognized through a Point of Order,
• The President shall put the question as follows: “Shall the decision of the President be upheld?” A “yes” vote supports the President’s decision; a “no” signifies objection,
• The decision of the President shall be upheld by a tie, and
• Rulings by the President on the following rules or motions are not appealable:
  • Diplomatic Courtesy (rule 2.2), 
  • Right of Reply (rule 2.5), 
  • Dilatory Motions (rule 2.7), 
  • Granting of a roll call vote (rule 5.4), 
  • Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), and
  • Any time a ruling by the President is a direct quotation from these Rules of Procedure.

7.5 Consultative Session. The Council may choose to suspend the rules and enter an informal, consultative session if the Members determine that this process will better facilitate the discussion of a particular issue,

• The motion should specify a length of time and a moderator for the consultative session,
• A moderator can be a representative or Secretariat Member,
• The moderator is to facilitate the flow of debate, recognizing speakers or otherwise instituting a method of recognition (popcorn method, circle the room, etc.),
• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote, and
• The Council will move immediately into a formal session at the conclusion of the consultative session.

7.6 Consideration of Agenda Topics. Agenda topics will be considered in the order in which they appear in the AMUN Handbook, unless that order is altered by the passage of a motion for Consideration of Agenda Topics,

• This motion requires a second, and
• This motion is not debatable.

7.7 Limits on Debate. The body may choose to limit or extend the time allotted to each delegation, or limit the number of times each delegation can speak on a proposal,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The time allotted for substantive speeches shall be no less than three minutes,
• The time allotted for procedural speeches shall be no less than one minute,
• This motion may limit the number of Points of Inquiry a speaker may accept to a minimum of one, and
• A motion to limit the time of debate on an agenda topic, draft report, draft resolution or amendment is also in order.

7.8 Division of the Question. 

The Committee may choose to divide the question, proposing that clauses of an amendment or draft resolution or paragraphs of a draft report be voted on separately,

• This motion requires a second,
• Two delegations may speak in favor of the motion and two opposed; the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• After a motion for Division of the Question passes, no other motion for Division of the Question is in order on that amendment, draft resolution or draft report,
• The motion is only available after Closure of Debate has passed on the relevant report, amendment, or resolution,
• Those clauses or paragraphs of the amendment, draft resolution or draft report which are approved shall then be put to a vote as a whole, and
• If division causes the draft document to no longer be in the proper format (rules 4.1, 4.3 and 4.5), the proposal as a whole is rejected.

7.9 Reconsideration of Proposals. A motion for Reconsideration of Proposals is in order on a report, resolution or amendment which has passed or failed when put to a final vote,

• This motion requires a second and a two-thirds majority vote for passage,
• Two delegations may speak opposed to the motion, and
• If the motion passes, the issue is brought back before the body for debate and may be voted on again.

7.10 Consideration of Draft Items. To bring a draft report, draft resolution or amendment to the floor for discussion, a delegation must first be recognized by the President,

• Draft reports and resolutions moved to the floor require a second, are subject to a vote by the body and must pass by a simple majority for consideration.
• No second is required to bring an amendment to the floor for discussion,
  • Upon recognition of this motion by the President, the amendment will be under consideration by the body, and
  • The Secretariat will present the amendment to the body.
• This motion is not debatable.
• Only one draft report or resolution is allowed on the floor at any time; any number of amendments to that draft proposal are allowed.
• The delegation motioning for consideration will be allowed to speak first on the item, if desired.

Economic and Social Council Short Form

Download a PDF version of these rules optimized for printing.

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is one of five regional commissions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ESCWA is responsible for promoting economic and social development through regional and subregional cooperation and integration. The Commission provides a framework for harmonizing Member States’ sectoral policies, while focusing on meeting Arab States’ needs and emerging global challenges in development. ESCWA reports to ECOSOC on Western Asia’s economic challenges, progress and proposals for the future.

War on Gaza: tenets and essential elements for sustainable recovery

In the years since the start of the 2023 War on Gaza, the infrastructure within the Gaza Strip—the coastal portion of the State of Palestine located along the Mediterranean sea between Israel and Egypt—has been devastated from the ongoing conflict. Increased attacks on healthcare centers, roads, homes, food sources and water services threaten the viability of public health in Gaza and diminish efforts towards sustainable recovery. The World Health Organization reports that major hospitals have suspended medical service and that of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, only 19 remained operational as of March 2025. These hospitals continue to face supply shortages, a limited number of health workers and a surge of casualties they can treat only with basic care. The damaged roads and fuel blockades are creating conditions for mass starvation with trucks carrying food unable to reach Palestinians in Gaza. Severe constraints on water, sanitation and hygiene services persist, with 67 percent of related infrastructure destroyed between October 2023 and July 2024. In line with the mandate to monitor, analyze and document the repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the Palestinian people, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is committed to developing a plan for sustainable humanitarian recovery and development in Gaza that addresses the root causes of the conflict, the immediate needs of the people and the systemic challenges to development.

During the International Conference on the Question of Palestine held in September 1983, the United Nations Member States convened to seek effective ways to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights. The Conference highlighted the right to self-determination, the withdrawal of Israeli military forces and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority over Gaza and other occupied territories as important facets for successful implementation of sustainable recovery efforts. In 1992, bilateral and multilateral negotiations commenced in Madrid and Moscow to rebuild relations in the region and generate conditions for which security, water, refugee issues, environmental protection and economic development could be adequately addressed. In 1993, the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements prompted some military withdrawal by the Israeli government. To alleviate the scarcity and improve the quality of water in Gaza, the World Bank Group proposed the Emergency Recovery Program for the Occupied Territories and approved funding to improve water management and sanitation services in Gaza. 

The 2007 blockade on the Gaza strip, imposed by Egypt and Israel, hindered recovery by restricting the entry of dual-use goods such as concrete, construction machinery and medical supplies— greatly impairing economic development in the region. Combined with the ongoing military attacks, the ban on dual-use goods limited the ability of Gazans to rebuild their homes and service buildings. The United Nations remained heavily involved in efforts to address the impact of the blockade. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency established the Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Programme, which helped coordinate the entry of construction materials to build 34 schools and 3 health centers, aiming to improve living conditions for displaced Palestinians and expand access to education and healthcare. Given the blockade’s restrictions on humanitarian aid delivery, ESCWA called for the reopening of border crossings to ensure the sustained and regular flow of persons and goods—particularly humanitarian assistance—into Gaza.

The situation in Gaza dramatically escalated on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a raid into Israel, killing and capturing a large number of civilians. In response, Israel launched a series of ground and air offensives in Gaza. The General Assembly responded with a resolution focused on protection of civilians during combat operations in Gaza. Recognizing that meaningful reconstruction efforts usually follow a lasting peace, the United Nations remains committed to creating and implementing recovery strategies despite the ongoing destruction of Gaza’s built environment. The United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People stated that a permanent ceasefire is necessary for reconstruction.The repeated bombing and ground campaigns in Gaza have resulted in perpetual de-development, destruction of 81 percent of the economy, forced displacement of Palestinians and an estimated 57,000 people killed and over 100,000 injured. 

Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, ESCWA produced a report in December 2023 detailing essential elements for sustainable recovery and laying the groundwork for post-conflict reconstruction. The report emphasized the importance of enabling Palestinians to define their own comprehensive damage, loss and needs, rather than having these assessments imposed by donors and other humanitarian actors. Despite intervention from United Nations agencies and programs, Gaza still faces severe food scarcity, surging malnutrition and rising demands for medical assistance. The need for humanitarian assistance is high. ESCWA further recommended that the planning and distribution of humanitarian aid  not be bound by Israeli policies and procedures, especially when they violate international law, such as the blockades on dual-use resources. In December 2023 the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution to strengthen the logistical capacity for  humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza. In this resolution the United Nation Security Council adopted fundamental aspects of sustainable recovery including the removal of the blockade, a call for the reconstruction of infrastructure and a push for political stability that would encourage economic revival of Gaza.

Some United Nations actions and recovery efforts have focused on the legal obligations of Israel as an occupying power, however historically these approaches have had limited success in changing conditions on the ground. The complete scale and impact of the War on Gaza is yet to be fully measured. ESCWA continues to work on implementing strategies for sustainable recovery; however, various States have put forward differing proposals regarding reconstruction in Gaza. Israeli officials have proposed direct control of the territory for an indefinite period, disregarding previous calls for the Palestinian Authority to govern, and conflicting with ESCWA’s recovery plan, which aims to strengthen Palestinian institutions. In contrast, Arab countries are convening to discuss possible funding for Gaza’s recovery and to propose alternatives that respect and prioritize the rights and perspectives of the Palestinian people.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can reconstruction efforts navigate the concerns of some Member States about inadvertently benefiting Hamas, while also addressing objections from others to normalizing or legitimizing the Israeli occupation of Gaza?
• What steps can be taken during ongoing fighting to lay the groundwork for a successful reconstruction of Gaza?

Bibliography

• Amnesty International (7 June 2017). Israel’s Occupation: 50 Years of Dispossession.
• Bunkall, Alistair (5 May 2025). Benjamin Netanyahu Says Israel Plan to Seize All of Gaza and Hold It Indefinitely Will Be ‘Intensive’. Sky News.
• Efron, Shira, and Jess Manville (11 March 2025). The Gaza Gray Zone: Between War and Recovery. Think Global Health.
• Lederer, Edith (2 May 2024). The unprecedented destruction of housing in Gaza hasn’t been seen since World War II, the UN says. AP.
• Murphy, Matt, and Kevin Nguyen (May 2025). How the controversial US-Israeli backed Gaza aid plan turned to chaos. BBC.
• United Nations (5 February 2025). International community must keep pushing for permanent ceasefire, work towards Gaza’s reconstruction, Secretary-General tells Palestinian Rights Committee. 
• United Nations (6 April 2024). Planning the Post-war Reconstruction and Recovery of Gaza.
• United Nations (1983). Report of the International Conference on the Question of Palestine (ICQP).
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Microfinance. 
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. What We Do.
• United Nations, The Question of Palestine. UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
• World Bank, et al. (June 2021). Publication: Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment,. Open Knowledge Repository.
• World Bank Group (9 December 1993). Water, Sanitation and Municipal Roads Component Technical Assistance Activities. 

United Nations Documents

• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (28 November 2023). War on Gaza: tenets and essential elements for sustainable recovery. E/ESCWA/31/9.
• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (12 April 2019). Social and economic situation of Palestinian women and girls (July 2016 – June 2018). E/ESCWA/EC.6/2019/10.
• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (15 December 2016). Justice for the Palestinian people: fifty years of Israeli occupation. 326 (XXIX).
• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (October 1985). FOOD SECURITY in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. E/ESCWA/AGR/85/4.
• United Nations, General Assembly (19 December 2023). Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations. A/RES/ES-10/22.
• United Nations, General Assembly (9 January 2023). Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. A/RES/77/247.
• United Nations, Security Council (22 December 2023). The Situation in the Middle East, Including the Palestinian Question. S/RES/2720. 
• United Nations, Security Council (11 October 1993). Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements . A/48/486.
• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (1985). FOOD SECURITY in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. E/ESCWA/AGR/85/4.

Economic governance: market competition challenges in the Arab Region

Creating and maintaining a healthy and competitive economic market is critical for the Arab region to continue to meet development goals. Competitive markets allow Member States to enable market access for entrepreneurs and create productive employment and reduce poverty by increasing employment opportunities and breaking down barriers to access. However, there are challenges to effective market competition and adequate competition law and policy implementation which perpetuate conditions for low economic integration in a time when Member States are seeking greater participation and influence in the global economy. A continued reliance on state-owned enterprises, typically running monopolies in critical industries including telecommunications, finance and oil, poses a large barrier to robust market competition in the Arab region and limits the extent of innovation, productivity and expansion into digital markets for those industries.  

Arab countries notably came together to form the Arab League in 1945 with the aim of improving coordination in multiple areas including economic cooperation. To mark their commitments to economic integration, fourteen members of the Arab League signed the 1997 Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), an agreement that worked to remove tariffs and other non-tariff barriers and toward the liberalization of agricultural markets supported by institutional development. While GAFTA provided a framework to increase macroeconomic gains, challenges of volatility persist. In 2001, the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Western Asia (ESCWA) published the report Competition Laws and Policies in the ESCWA Region recommending that Member States adopt competition policies to promote and diversify private sector participation, including antitrust laws and remedies to restrictive business practices. These competition policies were in line with those prescribed by international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. However, weaknesses in economic policy and institutional frameworks created barriers for growth, particularly for non-oil exports.

Guided by the United Nations Millennium declaration, ESCWA adopted a Revised Mid-term Plan for the period 2002-2005 in 2002 aimed at nurturing comprehensive, integrated equitable and sustainable economic and social development. The Revised Mid-term Plan outlined the need for tools to measure, identify and outline achievements and ways to improve. During that time, the Arab region’s oil and energy industries experienced dramatic fluctuations that were further exacerbated by the 2008 global economic crisis. With uprisings sweeping through the region in early 2011, citizens expected their national governments to address both their political and economic demands. However, governments facing transitions prioritized stabilizing domestic political conditions which resulted in lagging economic standards and liberalization policies and thus low economic growth and high unemployment. 

Informed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in 2015 ESCWA produced the Competition and Regulation in the Arab Region report reaffirming the commission’s commitment to market competition. However, state-owned enterprises continued to dominate the economic framework of the Arab region. ESCWA noted in the 2018 report on Economic Governance for Entrepreneurs in the Arab Region that the regulatory practices and policy priorities were not favorable for entrepreneurial endeavors, undercutting previous efforts to promote and diversify the private sector. The report further identified that firms with political connections leveraged these connections to secure funding, support and approval at a rate that distorted the market. These practices enabled monopolies to persist in the Arab region and hindered the effective implementation of competitive policies in both the public and private sector. The policy frameworks that perpetuated these dynamics reduced incentives to invest in new technologies and to improve productivity. 

In 2020, ESCWA, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, established the annual Arab Competition Forum, intended to promote the exchange of policy, enforcement and developmental knowledge to promote liberal market competition. To further help Member States access a repository of legislative regulations pertaining to anti-corruption, competition, consumer protection and foreign direct investment, ESCWA launched the Arab Legislations Portal in 2021. The Arab Legislations Portal offers domestic comprehensive assessments in an effort to enhance corporate governance and enable strategic reforms that improve the business environment and promote substantial economic growth. 

Although the Arab region continues to affirm commitments to improving economic governance and the necessary conditions for successful market competition, there are still challenges. In 2023, ESCWA submitted a report on Economic governance: market competition challenges in the Arab region. The report weighed the contributions of state-owned enterprises, noting that some demonstrate outstanding performance and efficiency while others were burdens to the public budget and discourage private investment. The report recommended that Member States commit to strengthening the capacity of competition authorities to implement and enforce policies within their jurisdictions. While many Arab countries are advancing their economic capacities, ESCWA reports that there are structural challenges including large informal sectors, lack of competition policy incentives and limited enforcement of competition policies. These challenges limit potential business development and the economic benefits expected from strong market competition policies, while also creating conditions that enable corrupt practices. 

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• What can be done to further promote market competition when monopolies and state-owned enterprises dominate most industries?
• How can growing e-commerce be used to promote sustainability goals and market competition?
• How can Member States ensure that political and economic reforms are carried out simultaneously? 

Bibliography

• Abdelbary, Islam, James Benhin (2019). Governance, capital and economic growth in the Arab Region. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance. 
• Economic and Social Council of the Arab League (1997). Arab Free Trade Area Agreement. 
• Economic Commission for Western Asia (March 2024). The Arab Business Legislative Frameworks.
• Economic Commission for Western Asia. Arab Legislations Portal.
• International Monetary Fund (10 October 2013) Arab Countries in Transition: Economic Outlook and Key Challenges.
• International Monetary Fund (10 May 2010) Regional economic outlook: Middle East and Central Asia.
• Khan, Moshin (February 2014). The Economic Consequences of the Arab Spring. Atlantic Council. 
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2013), State-Owned Enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa: Engines of Development and Competitiveness? 
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Arab Competition Forum. 

United Nations Documents 

• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (31 October 2023). Economic Governance: Market Competition Challenges in the Arab Region. E/ESCWA/31/6.
• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (2023). Competition law The Arab Business Legislative Frameworks. E/ESCWA/CL6.GCP/2023/ABLF/1/Series.1/Overview.
• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (26 September 2018). Economic Governance for Entrepreneurs in the Arab Region : Prioritizing Policy Challenges. E/ESCWA/EDID/2018/TP.6.
• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (2018). Rethinking Fiscal Policy for the Arab Region E/ESCWA/EDID/2017/4. 
• United Nations, Economic Commission for Western Asia (2015). Competition and Regulation in the Arab Region. E/ESCWA/EDID/2015/5.
• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (19 March 2002) Revised Medium-Term Plan For The Period 2002-2005. E/ESCWA/S-4/3.
• United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (23 August 2001). Competition Laws and Policies in the Escwa Region. E/ESCWA/ED/2001/10.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 October 2015). Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A/RES/70/1.
• United Nations, General Assembly (18 September 2000). United Nations Millennium Declaration. A/RES/55/2.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the central policymaking body of the United Nations on drug-related matters. As a functional Commission of the Economic and Social Council, CND monitors the implementation of the three international drug control conventions and is empowered to consider all matters pertaining to the aim of the conventions, including the scheduling of substances to be brought under international control. It also advises on all matters pertaining to the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors. CND submits reports to the Economic and Social Council on its proposals to strengthen the international drug control system.

Promoting alternative development as a development-oriented drug control strategy that is sustainable and inclusive

The illicit drug cultivation of cannabis, coca and opium cause immense harm to 300 million people annually. Moreover, millions are negatively affected by drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism as a result of illicit cultivation. While efforts to enforce drug control have existed within the United Nations system for decades, in recent years United Nations’ strategies have worked to incorporate what is called “alternative development” in efforts to combat the production of illicit drugs. Alternative development refers to development-based strategies aimed at helping communities involved in illicit drug production transition to legitimate, sustainable livelihoods. Rather than focusing exclusively on criminal enforcement or eradication, alternative development emphasizes economic opportunity, infrastructure, education and social inclusion. 

The global framework designed to control the production and distribution of illegal substances began in the wake of global reckoning with the Chinese opium crises in the late 19th century. Throughout the mid-20th century, the United Nations adopted several instruments addressing illicit drugs including the Lake Success Protocol in 1946, the Paris Protocol in 1948, which culminated with the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This convention attempted to regulate illicit drug cultivation for purely medical and scientific purposes through required reporting to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). However, these regulations proved ineffective as the convention failed to provide Member States with the tools necessary to implement the convention’s provisions. Moreover, because the convention explicitly targeted drug cultivation in developing countries, it failed to recognize that illicit drug production had become embedded in the social, cultural and religious traditions of some Member States.  Twelve years later, the United Nations amended the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs to provide Member States with technical assistance needed to implement the provisions of the convention and increase reporting requirements for Member States cultivating illicit drugs. Despite some early progress in decreasing cultivation of illicit drugs, by the end of the 1970s, global use of cocaine and opium skyrocketed.

Recognizing that drug trafficking harmed not only humans, but also the economic, social and cultural pillars of society, the United Nations enacted the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in 1988.  While the convention continued to take a punitive stance against drug trafficking, it provided increased support for Member States working toward decreasing their production of illicit substances, including offering alternative development methods. Two years later, the United Nations declared 1991-2000 as the Decade Against Drug Abuse, signaling an increased devotion towards combating drug trafficking and abuse. 

In 1998, the United Nations reconvened in a special session, enacting the Action Plan on International Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug Crops and on Alternative Development through their outcome Political Declaration. The action plan signaled a shift in the United Nations’ attitude towards Member States cultivating illicit drugs as it recognized that for many Member States illicit drug cultivation was the only viable means for sustainability. Alternative development sought to provide a mechanism for leading these economies away from their reliance on such cultivation, and combined with increased cooperation, innovation and comprehensive law enforcement measures, hoped to succeed where previous drug control strategies had stalled. 

Following the special session, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) established the Global Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme to provide Member States with assistance and reliable data to help them achieve a significant reduction or elimination of illicit narcotic crops.  Following up upon the 1998 meeting, in 2009, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) issued the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation Towards An Integrated And Balanced Strategy To Counter The World Drug Problem. This declaration recognized that advances in alternative development were hindered by lack of sustained financial and technical assistance and called for Member States to increase cooperation through providing access to markets for alternative development and continued integration of alternative development within Member States’ existing infrastructure.

In 2016, the United Nations convened in another  Special Session, resulting in Our Joint Commitment to Effectively Addressing and Countering the World Drug Problem. The joint commitment further emphasized illicit drug cultivation remained a serious concern, while recommending the implementation of the lessons gained from the Second International Conference on Alternative Development held in Thailand the year prior and the promotion of targeted assistance to Member States, alternative development can become a preventive tool against drug trafficking. 

Despite the United Nations promotion of alternative development, the 2024 World Drug Report indicated that while opium cultivation decreased 70 percent due to the Taliban Opium Ban,  illicit drug cultivation remains high with coca cultivation seeing a twelve percent increase between 2021 and 2022. However, UNODC released the Practical Guide to Alternative Development and the Environment in 2023. The Practical Guide provides Member States with policy recommendations and best practices for sustainable alternative development focusing on the three pillars of sustainability: planet, people and profit. Moreover, alternative development strategies continue to face challenges with environmental progress  and inclusivity. In response, the Ninth Expert Group Meeting on Alternative Development recommends updating the United Nations Guiding Principle on Alternative Development to incorporate current scientific evidence and best practices regarding alternative development.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can Member States’ experience with alternative development influence potential changes within the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development?
• What ways can Member States provide increased support and technical cooperation to Member States attempting to utilize alternative development?
• What steps can Member States take to shift alternative development from a reactive response to the world drug problem to a preventive solution?

Bibliography

• International Narcotics Control Board (2024). Report 2024.
• International Narcotics Control Board (2021). Celebrating 60 Years of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961  and 50 Years of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971.
• Protocol amending the Single Convention on  Narcotic Drugs (1972).
• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961).
• Transnational Institute (15 March 2011). Fifty Years of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs: A Reinterpretation.
• United Nations (1976). Commentary on the Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.
• United Nations. Drugs.
• United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988).
• United Nations Information Service Vienna (25 June 2023). UNODC World Drug Report 2023 warns of converging crises as illicit drug markets continue to expand.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2024). Online World Drug Report 2024 – Drug market patterns and trends.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2024). World Drug Report 2024: Special Points of Interest.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2023). Practical Guide: Alternative Development and the Environment.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2023). World Drug Report 2023: Executive Summary.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2016). Outcome Document of the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (23 November 2015). Experts in Thailand discuss alternative development approach with eye on UN drugs meeting in 2016.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. A Century of International Drug Control.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Frequently Asked Questions.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. UNODC and illicit crop monitoring.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. UNODC legal mandates for alternative development.
• United Nations UN Chronicle (18 December 2024). Moving Away from Illicit Crop Production Contributes to Socioeconomic Development, Peace and Stability.
• United Nations Video. Taliban’s Poppy Ban in Afghanistan: Can it Work?

United Nations Documents

• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2024). Report on the sixty-seventh session. E/2024/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2023). Report on the sixty-sixth session. E/2023/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2022). Report on the sixty-fifth session. E/2022/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2019). Report on the sixty-second session. E/2019/28.
• United Nations, General Assembly (12 February 2015). International cooperation against the world drug problem. A/RES/69/201.
• United Nations, General Assembly (18 February 2014). International cooperation against the world drug problem. A/RES/68/197.
• United Nations General Assembly (1 October 2013). United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development. A/RES/68/196.

Promoting comprehensive and scientific evidence-based early prevention

The world drug problem is a complex challenge impacting millions of people. The negative effects from illicit drugs range from substance abuse problems to embroiling communities in organized crime, corruption and terrorism. In 2023, 316 million people used illegal drugs, over 63,000 tons of illegal drugs were seized and over three million drug crimes occurred. While drug treatment is an important facet of any drug control strategy, evidence- based prevention is a massive cost-saver for Member States. Moreover, the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), ensures healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages, and includes targeted measures to strengthen Member States’ prevention policies.

Early international drug conventions such as the International Opium Convention of the Hague in 1912 and the League of Nations’ International Opium Convention of 1925, the Convention limiting the Manufacture and regulating the distribution of Narcotic Drugs of 1931 and the Convention of 1936 for the Suppression of Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs  all targeted the production, exportation and importation of illicit substances. While early treaties mention drug demand-reduction strategies such as prevention, they regarded this as a responsibility for Member States to address domestically. In 1961, the United Nations adopted the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, a landmark convention targeting illicit drugs. While this convention continued to target the production of illicit substances, it contained explicit provisions encouraging Member States to take preventative measures to limit drug abuse, such as early identification, treatment and education.

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was amended in 1972, resulting in further expansion on demand reduction provisions by specifically promoting public understanding of the risks associated with drug abuse. Drug demand reduction became more prominent in the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, adopted in 1988. The United Nations shifted its approach to drug demand strategies from treating them solely as a domestic responsibility to encouraging Member States to adopt cooperative measures aimed at prevention. Prevention programs continued to see an increase with  the creation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 1997.

The following year, the United Nations General Assembly held a special session focused on combating the world drug problem, and with unanimous support from Member States, adopted the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction and Measures to Enhance International Cooperation to Counter the World Drug Problem. This declaration recognized the indispensable nature of demand reduction policies and the importance of collaborating with public health, social welfare and law enforcement authorities in establishing sustainable drug prevention programmes. Despite lacking a formal sanction mechanism, the political declaration was highly successful with sixty percent of Member States reporting improvements in the implementation of drug control programmes by 2007.

Strategies to address the world drug problem started changing in 2009 when the United Nations adopted the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation Towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem. This comprehensive mandate continued to encourage further cooperation between Member States to create demand reduction programs, but also emphasized the importance of programs that are both comprehensive and evidence-based. Compared to previous prevention strategies, comprehensive and scientific evidence-based prevention is relevant to local needs, sustainable and is sufficiently documented and thus replicable. Moreover, these programs must consider the unique challenges and circumstances each Member States faces regarding drug abuse. 

Seven years later, the United Nations General Assembly convened to review progress on the Political Declaration and Plan of Action. This special session resulted in the adoption of Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem. As part of this commitment, the United Nations recommended comprehensive and scientific evidence-based prevention programs targeted at children and youth. Furthermore, the commitment recommended increased data collection and sharing to formulate effective drug prevention strategies.  Building off the recommendations from the joint commitment, UNODC and the World Health Organization (WHO) created International Standards on Drug Use and Prevention in 2018.  These standards recommend that Member States seeking to establish a drug prevention system focus primarily on the environmental and developmental factors related to drug abuse, with a smaller emphasis on providing information. 

Member States continue to struggle with adopting scientific evidence-based prevention programs, thus making such programs ineffective and unsustainable. To help Member States in assessing their own prevention programs, the United Nations launched the Review of Prevention Services (RePS). This tool allows Member States to identify strengths and weaknesses in their domestic drug prevention programs and thus adapt them to comply with the International Standards.  While the COVID-19 pandemic brought on a slight decline in drug use, the amount of people using drugs globally continues to rise, especially amongst youth. In response to this alarming trend, UNODC implemented Children Amplified Prevention Services (CHAMPS) in 2024. Through this program, UNODC aims to adopt a future-oriented framework that focuses on the specific needs of children and relies on evidence-based prevention models.

Questions to consider from your country’s perspective:

• How can Member States collaborate and build capacity together to strengthen and expand prevention policies?
• What steps can the United Nations take to encourage further adoption of the International Standards on Drug Use and Prevention?
• How can Member States utilize RePS and CHAMPS to develop comprehensive, evidence-based prevention systems?

Bibliography

• 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961).
• Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988).
• Convention for limiting the Manufacture and regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs (1931).
• Convention of 1936 for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs (1936).
• International Opium Convention (1925).
• International Opium Convention (1912).
• Lemahieu, Jean-Luc (25 June 2024). Promoting Evidence-Based Prevention Strategies to Mitigate the Harms of Drug Use: The Role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
• Protocol amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 (1972).
• Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
• United Nations Conferences Drugs. 20th Special Session of the General Assembly: World Drug Problem, 8-10 June 1998, New York.
• United Nations. Global Issues: Drugs
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025). 2025 World Drug Report: Key Findings.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2024). 2024 World Drug Report: Special Points of Interest.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (29 September 2020). UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (26 February 2009). This day in history: The Shanghai Opium Commission, 1909.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2009). A Century of International Drug Control.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. About Us.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. CHAMPS Initiative Framework.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Drug Dependence Treatment: Sustained Recovery Management.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Prevention.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Review of National Prevention Systems based on the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention: Final report of the pilot in Norway.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. World Drug Report 2024: Statistical Annex.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime South Africa. UNODC Mandate.
• UN News (4 March 2025). ‘Rapid Expansion’ of Synthetic Drugs Reshaping Illicit Markets, UN Anti-narcotics Body Warns.
• UN News (26 June 2013). Designer Drugs on the Rise as Demand for Traditional Drugs Levels Off, UN Reports on World Drug Day.
• Yong, Nicholas (12 December 2023). Myanmar Overtakes Afghanistan as Top Opium Producer.
• World Health Organization (29 August 2023). Opioid Overdose.

United Nations Documents

• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2025). Report on the sixty-eighth session. E/2025/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2024). Report on the sixty-seventh session. E/2024/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2023). Report on the sixty-sixth session. E/2023/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2022). Report on the sixty-fifth session. E/2022/28.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2021). Report on the sixty-fourth session. E/2021/28.
• Economic and Social Council (21 June 1991). United Nations International Drug Control Programme. E/RES/1991/47.
• United Nations, General Assembly (23 April 2013). International cooperation against the world drug problem. A/RES/67/193.
• United Nations, General Assembly (21 October 1998). Political Declaration. A/RES/S-20/2.

The Security Council’s primary responsibility is maintaining international peace and security. The membership of the Security Council consists of fifteen Members: five Permanent Members (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) and ten at-large Member States which the General Assembly elects for rotating two-year terms. A majority in the Security Council consists of nine Members voting “yes” (except in eleven-member Historical Security Councils before 1965, where a majority consists of seven Members voting “yes”); however, a “no” vote by any of the Permanent Members has the effect of vetoing or blocking actions.

As the Security Council only meets to discuss topics concerning international peace and security, representatives of the Security Councils at AMUN (both Contemporary and Historical) should note that the agenda provided is only provisional and represents a fraction of the issues the Security Council discusses. Unlike other committees and councils at AMUN, the topics presented do not constitute a complete list of topics the Security Councils can discuss. Likewise, the inclusion of the topics presented does not guarantee or mandate that a listed topic will be formally discussed during the simulation. Any issue regarding international peace and security for that time may be brought before the councils.

Therefore, representatives on the Contemporary Security Council must have a broad knowledge regarding current events in the international community. Periodicals and online sources are some of the best resources available for day-to-day updates. Recommended sources include: The New York Times, United Nations Chronicle, The Times of London, Al Jazeera, the Mail & Guardian, Foreign Policy and The Economist. UN News and the UN Chronicle are excellent resources for timely information, and good ways for representatives to stay abreast of the most recent reports published by the Security Council and other relevant United Nations bodies.

Historical Security Council (HSC) representatives should approach their council’s issues based on events up to the start date of the simulation and should do their research accordingly. This means using historical materials whenever possible. The world has changed dramatically over the years, but none of these changes will be evident within the chambers of the HSC. While histories of the subject will be fine for a general overview, representatives should peruse periodicals and other primary sources from three to five years before the year in question to most accurately reflect the worldview at that time. Periodicals contemporary to the period, which can be easily referenced in a Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature or the New York Times Index, will provide a much better historical perspective and feel for the times than later historical texts.

AMUN’s Security Council Simulation Philosophy 

One of the core principles of AMUN is to mirror the practice and dynamics of the United Nations as much as possible. To that end, AMUN strives to create and conduct simulations that are a realistic representation of diplomacy at the United Nations and within the broader international system. We believe this commitment furthers AMUN’s aims to create a fair and engaging experience for all representatives and to enhance the educational mission of the organization.

This commitment to realism is especially important in Security Councils, where representatives respond to a simulated world that changes depending on the Council’s actions. Representatives are therefore asked to act within the realm of the possible.

Simulations staff are always available to consult with representatives as they work through their diplomatic options. Representatives are encouraged to seek out Simulations staff to act in the home office capacity when they need to supplement their research on a situation. Simulations staff wear many hats, including acting as an in-house resource for representatives about their countries and the topics at hand.

All actions (as opposed to statements) proposed by Council Members must be approved by simulations staff, who are charged with managing each simulation’s timeline and alternate reality. As a rule, the simulations staff will give representatives a wide latitude in decision-making. However, the simulations staff may deny a certain action if it falls outside of the bounds of reality or would negatively impact the realism of the simulation for all participants.

For any issue before the United Nations, each Member or Observer State has a range of possible responses; however, a realistic simulation should include only those options that would have reasonably been considered by a State at that specific moment in time. In other words, certain options may be off the table due to historical, cultural or political constraints that limit what a State could or would do. Options that fall outside these constraints should not be included to best maintain the realism of the simulation. Unrealistic approaches will not be permitted at AMUN.

This commitment to realism does not mean that simulations have a set trajectory they must follow. In the Historical Security Councils, there will certainly be many deviations from historical timelines, and rethinking the way diplomacy played out in the past is encouraged. The same is encouraged in the Contemporary Security Council. As situations change, so do the options and attitudes of the Council Members and other countries. There are near-infinite possibilities within the bounds of realism, and our simulations staff will help representatives work through their options.

Declarative Statements and Operational Decisions 

Security Council Members are able to make declarative statements and operational decisions that will affect the course of the simulation; this ability to change reality makes these simulations different from other simulations at AMUN. Council representatives must actively bring their State’s policies and capabilities into the simulation. Representatives are welcome and encouraged to make declarative statements—including real or implied threats and deals—that do not carry operational implications outside of the United Nations; however, representatives must always consult with the simulations staff before making any operational decisions.

Operational decisions include any actions that would have a real-world effect outside of the United Nations, including, for example, the announcement of movements of, or actions by, national military forces. In these cases, the simulations staff act as the home office or government of the involved Member States(s).

Parties to the Dispute 

Sometimes other States and organizations will be involved in the deliberations of the Council as Parties to the Dispute. Delegations representing these States, if present at AMUN, will be asked to participate in deliberations by the Council. If they are not present, or cannot provide a representative to address the Council, a member of AMUN’s Home Government will represent them as necessary. It is customary for the Council to request the presence of relevant Member States during discussion of a topic relevant to that State’s interests, however it is not required. Any State mentioned in the background research for a specific Security Council simulation has the potential to be called as a Party to the Dispute in the Council as well as any State related to a topic relevant to international peace and security. The Secretariat will notify in advance States likely to be asked to appear before one or more of the Security Councils. Those delegations should have one or more representatives prepared to come before the Council at any time. Because these States will not be involved in all issues, the representative(s) responsible for the Party to the Dispute must be assigned to another Committee, preferably with a second representative who can cover that Committee while they are away. A floating permanent representative would also be ideal for this assignment.

Roleplaying in Historical Security Councils 

AMUN’s HSCs are unique not only in their topics, but also in their treatment of those topics. History and time are the HSC’s media, and they are flexible. History will be as it was written until the moment the Council convenes; the start date for the historical simulation is provided later in this chapter. From the start date forward, what transpires will be dependent upon both Council Members’ actions and simulations staff decisions. Council Members are encouraged to exercise free will based on the range of all the choices within their national character, upon the capabilities of their governments and within the bounds of realistic diplomacy.

Effective roleplaying for an HSC Member State will not just be a routine replay of national decisions as they evolved in that year. Indeed, the problems of the era may not transpire as they once did, and this will force active evaluations—and reevaluations—of national policies. Thus, it cannot be said that the policy course a government took in that year will necessarily be the wisest. Even were circumstances the same, it is not a sure thing that any given government would do things exactly the same way provided a second opportunity to look at events. History is replete with the musings of foreign ministers and heads of State pining for second chances.

HSC simulations will follow a flexible timeline based on events as they occurred and as modified by the representatives’ policy decisions in the Council. The simulations staff will be responsible for tracking the simulation and keeping it as realistic as possible. In maintaining realism, representatives must remember that they are roleplaying the individual assigned as their State’s representative to the United Nations. They may have access to the up-to-the-minute policy decisions of their States, or they may be relatively in the dark on their State’s moment-to-moment actions in the world.

Open Agenda 

A unique feature of each Security Council simulation at AMUN is the Council’s ability to set its own agenda. The situations outlined in the council-specific topic briefs on the following pages are only a few of those facing the world at the time, and each Security Council can discuss any topic that the body wishes. For the Contemporary Security Council, this includes any real-world event up until the day the simulation convenes. For the Historical Security Council, representatives should have a working knowledge of the events prior to and including the start date for their simulation. For the Historical Security Council of 1994, the start date is 1 January 1994.

For the time periods in question, open issues could include any active United Nations peacekeeping operations, the work of any United Nations body active at the time, and any social or economic issue of the day. It is strongly recommended that all representatives be well-versed in current and historical global events relevant to their simulation.

Other Aspects to Consider 

• Council Members must actively bring their country’s policies and capabilities into the simulation when discussing problems and issues before the Council.
• Representatives should consider the cost of involvement by the United Nations. An increase in costs often causes the Security Council to re-prioritize its efforts.
• Sovereignty and the role of the Council and the United Nations are also key points to consider. While State governments often do not want international meddling in what they feel are national policies or disputes, this in no way lessens the responsibility of Council Members to make the effort and find ways to actively involve themselves in crisis solutions. This task must, however, be accomplished without violating the bounds of the Member States’ national characters.

Background Research 

The following sections offer brief synopsis of the main international situations facing the Security Council. For the Contemporary Security Council, these briefs are current as of 1 August 2025. Information for the Historical Security Council covers information available up until the start date of the simulation, 1 January 1994. AMUN recommends that representatives have a solid foundational knowledge of the background of major international issues. The topics laid out in this handbook are provided as a starting point for further research.

1.0 Administrative

1.1 The Secretariat. The Secretariat consists of the volunteer staff members of American Model United Nations (AMUN).

1.2 Rules Committee. The President of the General Assembly, the Director of Rules and Procedures, the Director of Security Council Procedures, the Vice President of the General Assembly and one other person as appointed by the Secretary-General shall compose the membership of the Rules Committee.

1.3 Credentials. All questions concerning the validity of representative credentials shall be submitted in writing to the Secretariat,

• The Secretariat has sole authority to create and distribute credentials,
• The Secretariat has sole authority to decide all questions concerning credentials, and
• Representatives must display approved credentials at all times while on the Conference premises.

1.4 Quorum. A quorum is made up of all Member States; to begin a Council session, all Members must be present,

• The Secretariat reserves the right to adjust quorum as it deems necessary.

1.5 Security Council Officers. The Secretariat shall appoint the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Security Council and shall select any other positions necessary to help conduct the sessions of the Council.

1.6 General Authority of the Security Council President. In addition to exercising such authority as conferred upon the President elsewhere in these rules, the President shall:

• Declare the opening and closing of each session,
• Ensure the observance of the rules,
• Facilitate the discussions of the Council and accord the right to speak,
• Advise the Council on methods of procedure that will enable the body to accomplish its goals, 
• Rule on points and motions and, subject to these rulings, have complete control of the proceedings of the Council and the maintenance of order at its meetings, and
• During the course of the session, the President may propose Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1), Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), Closure of Debate (rule 7.5), Consultative Session (rule 7.7), and Limits on Debate (rule 7.11). 

The President is under the direct authority of the Rules Committee and may be directed to inform the Council on matters of procedure if such action is deemed necessary by the Rules Committee.

1.7 Absence of Council President. If the Council President should find it necessary to be absent during any part of a Council session, the President shall designate an individual, normally the Vice President, to chair the Council session with the same authority.

1.8 Attendance at Security Council Sessions. Each Security Council Member delegation assumes the responsibility to have a minimum of one accredited representative at each Council session.

1.9 Emergency Council Sessions. Emergency Security Council Sessions may be called by the Secretariat at any time international conflicts require immediate Council attention, as established in the Charter of the United Nations.

1.10 Provisional Agenda. The Secretariat shall distribute a provisional agenda to all delegations prior to the start of the Conference,

• This agenda in no way limits the Council’s topics,
• This agenda in no way confirms the inclusion of topics during the Council’s deliberations, and
• The provisional agenda does not constitute a default agenda for the Council.

1.11 Daily Order of Consideration of Agenda Topics. The Council will establish the daily order of consideration of agenda topics at the start of each daily session. Once established, this will become the working agenda for the duration of that day,

• Agenda topics will be discussed in the order in which they appear on the working agenda (rule 7.10), and
• A delegation wishing to change this order may move to add an agenda topic (rule 7.8) and change the order of consideration of the working agenda (rule 7.9).

1.12 Participation by Non-Council Member States and International Organizations. When an issue before the Security Council involves a non-Council United Nations Member State or Observer, the Council may request that the delegation be represented during Council sessions in which the issue is being discussed,

• To do this a Council Member must move that the Member or Observer be brought as a Party to the Dispute (rule 7.15),
• A non-Council United Nations Member or Observer that has been requested to attend Council sessions will usually be given debating privileges, allowing the delegation to be recognized by the President during debate,
• A non-Council United Nations Member State or Observer may submit draft resolutions or amendments, but may not move these to the floor or vote at any time, and
• A non-Council Member requested to attend a Council session, but not given debating privileges, will be subject to a question and answer period.

When discussing any issue, if the Security Council finds it necessary to have a representative of a non-United Nations Member State, an international organization or any other persons it considers competent for the purpose present, the Council may request one by means of Party to the Dispute (rule 7.15). A representative will be made available to the Council in a timely fashion,

• These representatives may not be given debating privileges, but will be subject to a question and answer period, and
• The Secretariat will assume full responsibility to certify representatives’ credentials prior to their appearance before the Council.

Due to technical and logistical limitations the Contemporary Security Council will not be able to declare an “open meeting” during any virtual session.

1.13 Security Council Priority Relating to Issues Concerning the Maintenance of International Peace and Security. The Security Council, as established in the United Nations Charter, shall have priority over the General Assembly on issues that pertain to the maintenance of international peace and security,

• Issues of this type, while under discussion in the Security Council, shall be seized from General Assembly action,
• General Assembly draft resolutions that deal with a seized issue may be discussed and amended, but no final vote on the draft resolution may be taken, and
• Accordingly, any General Assembly draft resolution pertaining to a seized issue may be discussed and amended but cannot be put to a final vote in the General Assembly until the Security Council has completed its deliberations on the issue.

If no resolution has been adopted, the Security Council will be considered to have completed its deliberations on a seized issue once that agenda topic is no longer under discussion. The Council may declare itself actively seized on a topic by stating this in a resolution; this seizure will prevent the General Assembly from taking action until a two-hour time period has elapsed. General Assembly representatives will be kept informed by the Secretary-General of any seized issues.

2.0 General Rules

2.1 Statements by the Secretariat. The Secretary-General or any member of the Secretariat may make verbal or written statements to the Security Council at any time.

2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy. All participants in the AMUN Conference must accord Diplomatic Courtesy to all credentialed representatives, Secretariat Members, Faculty Advisors and Observers at all times,

• Representatives who persist in obvious attempts to disrupt the session shall be subject to expulsion from the Council by the President,
• The Secretariat reserves the right to expel any representative or delegation from the Conference, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.3 Speeches. No representative may address the Council without obtaining the permission of the President,

• Delegations, not representatives, are recognized to speak; more than one representative from the same delegation may speak when the delegation is recognized,
• Speakers must keep their remarks germane to the subject under discussion,
• A time limit may be established for speeches (rule 7.11),
• Representatives, at the conclusion of a substantive speech, will be allowed, if they are willing, to answer questions concerning their speech,
• A delegation that desires to ask a question of the speaker should signify by raising a Point of Inquiry (rule 6.3),
• All questions and replies are made through the President,
• A speaker who desires to make a motion may do so after speaking and accepting points of inquiry, but prior to yielding the floor, and
• By making a motion the speaker yields the floor.

2.4 Recognition of Speakers. Delegations wishing to speak on an item before the body will signify by raising their placards (or the virtual equivalent as directed by the President),

• The exception to this rule occurs on any Point of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2), or Inquiry (rule 6.3), at which time a representative should indicate their motion to the President in the manner directed by the President.
• Points will be recognized in the order of their priority,
• Motions may not be made from Points of Order (rule 6.1), Information (rule 6.2) or Inquiry (rule 6.3), except
  • A motion to Appeal the Decision of the President (rule 7.6), may be made when recognized for a Point of Order.
• The President shall recognize speakers in a fair and orderly manner, and
• Speakers’ lists will not be used, except during an open meeting (rule 1.12).

2.5 Right of Reply. The President may accord a Right of Reply to any representative if a speech by another representative contains unusual or extraordinary language clearly insulting to personal or national dignity,

• Requests for a Right of Reply shall be made in writing to the President,
• Requests shall contain the specific language which was found to be insulting to personal or national dignity,
• The President may limit the time for reply,
• There shall be no reply to a reply, and
• This decision is not appealable.

2.6 Withdrawal of Motions. A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has begun,

• A withdrawn motion may be reintroduced by any other delegation.

2.7 Dilatory Motions. The President may rule out of order any motion repeating or closely approximating a recent previous motion on which the Council has already rendered an opinion,

• This decision is not appealable.

2.8 Open Debate on Motions. Representatives wishing to speak to a motion may do so for any motions which are subject to open debate,

• The President shall declare the opening and closing of debate on motions,
• Points of Inquiry are not in order during this debate,
• Motions of higher priority than the one being debated may be made from the floor during open debate,
• The President will declare debate closed when no other delegation signifies its desire to speak,
• Closure of open debate may not be moved by a delegation from the floor, and
• The body will move to an immediate vote on the motion following the President’s declaration of closure.

2.9 Consultative Session. The Council may choose to suspend its formal rules and enter an informal consultative session moderated by the Council President if the Members determine that this process will better facilitate the discussion of a particular issue,

• The Council will move immediately into a formal session once the time period or topic set for the Consultative Session has expired (rule 7.7).

3.0 Rules That Relate to the Rules

3.1 Rule Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this handbook are the official rules of procedure of American Model United Nations and will be used for all Council sessions. These rules take precedence over any other set of rules.

3.2 Precedence of Rules. Proceedings in the Security Council of AMUN shall be conducted under the following precedence of rules

1. AMUN Rules of Procedure,
2. AMUN Security Council Order of Precedence of the Rules Short Form,
3. Rulings by the Rules Committee,
4. Historical usage of the AMUN Rules of Procedure,
5. Historical usage of the United Nations Rules of Procedure, and
6. The Charter of the United Nations.

3.3 The Order of Precedence of Motions. The order of precedence of motions is listed in order of priority in both the Security Council Precedence Short Form and in these rules under Section 7, “Motions in Order of Priority.” 

3.4 Rule Changes. The Rules Committee reserves the right to make changes to these rules at any time. Should a change occur, it will be communicated to the representatives in a timely manner.

3.5 Rule Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this handbook are the official rules of procedure of AMUN and will be used for all Council sessions. These rules take precedence over any other set of rules.

3.6 Precedence of Rules. Proceedings in the Security Council of AMUN shall be conducted under the following precedence of rules:

1. AMUN Rules of Procedure,
2. AMUN Security Council Order of Precedence of the Rules Short Form (see page 40),
3. Rulings by the Rules Committee,
4. Historical usage of the AMUN Rules of Procedure,
5. Historical usage of the United Nations Rules of Procedure,
6. The Charter of the United Nations.

3.7 The Order of Precedence of Motions. The order of precedence of motions is listed in order of priority in both the Security Council Precedence of the Rules Short Form and in these rules under Section 7, Motions in Order of Priority. These motions, in the order given, have precedence over all other proposals or motions before the Security Council.

3.8 Rule Changes. The Rules Committee reserves the right to make changes to these rules at any time. Should a change occur, it will be communicated to the representatives in a timely manner.

4.0 Draft Resolutions, Amendments & Statements

4.1 Definition of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution is a written proposal consisting of at least one preambular and one operative clause.

4.2 Draft Resolutions. Draft resolutions may be submitted to the Security Council President/Vice President for approval at any time during the Conference,

• For a draft resolution to be considered it must be organized in content and flow, in the proper format and approved by the Council Dais, 
• Approved resolutions will be assigned an identifying number by the Vice President, and
• After acceptance, draft resolutions shall be processed in the order in which they are received and distributed to all delegations as soon as feasible.

A draft resolution that has been distributed may be proposed when the Council considers the agenda topic that is the subject of the draft resolution,

• Only one draft resolution may be considered at any time during formal debate,
• Once a draft resolution is on the floor for discussion, additional sponsors may only be added to that draft resolution with the consent of the original sponsor(s),
• Once a vote has been taken on a contested amendment to a draft resolution, no additional sponsors may be added,
• Friendly amendments (rule 4.4) do not limit the addition of sponsors as noted above, and
• See also Closure of Debate on an Agenda Topic (rule 7.4), Closure of Debate (rule 7.5), and Consideration of Amendments (rule 7.14).

4.3 Definition of Amendments. An amendment to a draft resolution is a written proposal that adds to, deletes from, or revises any part of a draft resolution.

4.4 Amendments. All amendments must be submitted on an official amendment form to the President/Vice President for approval,

• For an amendment to be considered it must be organized in content and flow, be in the proper format, and be approved by the Council Dais,
• Approved amendments will be assigned an identification letter by the Vice President, and
• Typographical errors in a draft resolution will be corrected by the Council Secretariat and announced to the body.

One or more amendments may be considered on the floor at any given time (see also Closure of Debate on an Agenda Topic (rule 7.4), Closure of Debate (rule 7.5), and Consideration of Amendments (rule 7.14)).

An amendment will be considered “friendly” if all sponsors of the draft resolution are also sponsors of the amendment,

• A friendly amendment becomes part of a draft resolution upon the announcement that it is accepted by the dais,
  • No vote is required to add a friendly amendment to a draft resolution.
• The President shall announce the acceptance of a friendly amendment on the first opportunity at which no speaker has the floor, and
• Friendly amendments cannot be accepted after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment or after closure of debate on the resolution has been moved.

4.5 Withdrawal of Sponsorship. Sponsorship of a resolution or amendment may be withdrawn at any time before entering into voting procedure on the item,

• Sponsorship of a resolution may not be withdrawn after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment,
• If a draft resolution or amendment has all sponsorship withdrawn, any delegation may take up sponsorship of that draft resolution or amendment by informing the President, and
• If all sponsors withdraw from a draft resolution or amendment, it is automatically removed from consideration.

4.6 Definition of Presidential Statements. The Security Council may choose to issue a Presidential Statement on issues which do not warrant a resolution. This statement is formally issued by the President of the Council, but is drafted by the body, or its designees.

4.7 Presidential Statements. Presidential Statements are discussed, drafted and accepted in informal debate or outside of a formal Council session,

• This statement must be accepted by a consensus of the Council during a Consultative Session (rule 7.7),
• As this type of statement does not represent a formal decision of the Council, no formal vote is recorded on a Presidential Statement,
• Unlike resolutions, Presidential Statements are not binding on Member States.
• A Presidential Statement may be submitted to the Security Council President/Vice President for approval at any time during the Conference, and
• For a Presidential Statement to be considered it must be organized in content and flow, be in the proper format, and be approved by the Council Secretariat.

5.0 Voting

5.1 Voting Rights. Each Security Council Member is accorded one vote,

• No delegation may cast a vote on behalf of another Member State.

5.2 Votes Required for Passage. Unless otherwise specified in these rules or by the Rules Committee, decisions in the Council require nine affirmative votes for passage,

• Historical Security Councils occurring prior to 1966, consisting of eleven members, require seven affirmative votes for passage of decisions.

5.3 Adoption by Consensus. The adoption of amendments and draft resolutions by consensus is desirable when it contributes to the effective and lasting settlement of differences, thus strengthening the authority of the United Nations,

• Any representative may request the adoption of an amendment or draft resolution by consensus at any time after closure of debate has passed,
• For Presidential Statements, the required method of voting is adoption by consensus,
• The President shall then ask whether there is any objection to consensus,
• The President shall then ask whether there are any delegations wishing to abstain from consensus,
• Delegations abstaining from consensus will be officially recorded,
• If there is no objection, the proposal is approved by consensus, and
• If any representative objects to consensus, voting shall occur as otherwise stated in these rules.

5.4 Method of Voting. The Council shall normally vote on motions by a show of raised placards or other method as indicated by the President,

• The votes of Council Members on all substantive matters shall be officially recorded, and all substantive matters are subject to the Consent of the Permanent Members, regardless of the means by which they are voted upon (rule 5.8),
• Any delegation may request a roll call vote on substantive matters, unless adopted by consensus; the President may grant a request by a delegation for a roll call vote on any substantive matter, and the President’s decision on such a request is not subject to appeal,
• When applicable, roll shall be called in English alphabetical order beginning with a Member selected at random by the Vice President,
• Representatives shall respond with “yes,” “no,” “abstain” or “abstain from the order,” and
• A Member may abstain from the order of voting once during a roll call; a second abstention from the order of voting will be recorded as an abstention.

5.5 Conduct During Voting. Immediately prior to a vote, the President shall describe to the Council the proposal to be voted on, and shall explain the consequences of a “yes” or a “no” vote. Voting shall begin upon the President’s declaration, “we are now in voting procedure,” and end when the results of the vote are announced,

• Following Closure of Debate, and prior to entering voting procedure, the President shall pause briefly to allow delegations the opportunity to make any relevant motions,
• Relevant motions prior to a vote include Adoption by Consensus (rule 5.3), Suspension of the Meeting (rule 7.1), Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), Enter Consultative Session (rule 7.7) and Division of the Question (rule 7.12), and
• Once in voting procedure, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a Point of Order or Point of Information concerning the actual conduct of the vote.

5.6 Changes of Votes. At the end of roll call, but before Rights of Explanation (rule 5.7) are granted and the subsequent announcement of the vote, the Vice President will ask for any vote changes. Any delegation that desires to change its recorded vote may do so at that time.

5.7 Rights of Explanation. Rights of Explanation are permitted on all substantive votes after voting. The President may limit the time for Rights of Explanation.

5.8 Consent of the Five Permanent Members. As established in the Charter of the United Nations, each of the five Permanent Members (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) shall have the right to veto any substantive matter which comes to a vote before the Security Council,

• A substantive matter which has a majority of votes in favor but receives a “no” by any Permanent Member fails due to lack of consent of the Permanent Members.

6.0 Points of Procedure in Order of Priority

6.1 Point of Order. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a Point of Order if the representative believes that the Council is proceeding in a manner contrary to these rules,

• The representative must identify their point in the method indicated by the President and will be recognized immediately by the President and the point ruled on,
• A representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak substantively on any matter,
• If a representative’s ability to participate in the Council’s deliberations is impaired for any reason, the representative may rise to a Point of Order,
• A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.2 Point of Information. A Point of Information is raised to the President if a representative wishes to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matters before the Council,

• The representative must identify their point in the method indicated by the President,
• A Point of Information may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

6.3 Point of Inquiry. During substantive debate, a representative may question a speaker by rising to a Point of Inquiry,

• Questions must be directed through the President and may be made only after the speaker has concluded his/her remarks, but before he/she has yielded the floor,
• The representative must identify their point in the method indicated by the President,
• A Point of Inquiry may not interrupt a speaker, and
• See also Speeches (rule 2.3).

7.0 Motions in Order of Priority

7.1 Suspension of the Meeting. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move to suspend the meeting. Suspending a meeting recesses it for the time specified in the motion,

• The motion is not debatable,
• The President may request that the delegation making the motion modify the time of suspension, and
• If the motion passes, upon reconvening the Council will continue its business from the point at which suspension was moved, unless otherwise stated in these rules.

7.2 Adjournment of the Meeting. The motion of adjournment of the meeting means that all business of the Council has been completed, and that the Council will not reconvene until the next annual session,

• The motion is not debatable,
• The President may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the Council still has business before it, and
• This decision is not appealable.

7.3 Adjournment of Debate. During the discussion of any draft resolution, amendment or agenda topic before the Council, a representative may move for adjournment of debate,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall be put to a vote,
• Adjournment of debate on a draft resolution or amendment has the effect of removing that item from consideration and allows the committee to move on to another draft resolution or amendment,
• An adjourned draft resolution can be resubmitted to the floor by any delegation, at the discretion of the President as to the dilatory nature of such a motion,
• Adjourning debate on an agenda topic has the effect of postponing debate on the topic and allowing the Council to move on to consideration of other topics or issues, and
• The Council may return to discussion of an agenda topic by changing the order of consideration of the working agenda (Rule 7.9).

7.4 Closure of Debate on an Agenda Topic. A representative may move to close debate on an agenda topic at any time during the discussion of that topic. The effect of this motion, if passed, is to bring the draft resolution that is on the floor to a vote,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, and
• If no draft resolution is on the floor, the effect of this motion is to end debate on this topic, removing it from the working agenda and moving to the next topic on the working agenda.

7.5 Closure of Debate. A representative may move to close debate on a draft resolution or amendment at any time during the discussion of that item. The effect of this motion is to bring the issue under discussion to an immediate vote,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• Representatives should specify whether the motion for closure applies to an amendment or a draft resolution,
• If closure passes on a draft resolution or agenda topic, all amendments on the floor will be voted upon in the reverse order from which they were moved to the floor,  and
• After voting on all amendments is completed, the draft resolution as amended, shall be voted upon in accordance with these rules.

At the conclusion of voting procedure, the draft resolution or amendment being voted on is removed from consideration, regardless of whether it passes or fails. Debate then continues on the current agenda topic.

7.6 Appealing a Decision of the President. Rulings of the President are appealable unless otherwise specified in these rules,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• An appeal must be made immediately following the ruling in question,
• This motion may be made by a delegation that has been recognized through a Point of Order,
• The President shall put the question as follows: “Shall the decision of the President be upheld?” A “yes” vote supports the President’s decision; a “no” vote signifies objection,
• The decision of the President shall be upheld by a tie, and
• Rulings by the President on the following rules or motions are not appealable: Diplomatic Courtesy (rule 2.2), Right of Reply (rule 2.5), Dilatory Motions (rule 2.7), granting of a roll call vote (rule 5.4), Adjournment of the Meeting (rule 7.2), and any time a ruling by the President is a direct quotation from these Rules of Procedure.

7.7 Consultative Session. The Council may choose to suspend the rules if the Members determine that this process will better facilitate the discussion of a particular issue,

• The motion should specify a length of time or topic, and a moderator, if desired, for the consultative session, 
  • This can be set to a specific time, or based on the discussion of a specific amendment, draft resolution or agenda topic (rule 2.9),
  • A moderator can be a Council Member or Secretariat Member, and
• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote.

7.8 Add an Agenda Topic. A motion to add an agenda topic to the working agenda is in order during any Council session,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, 
• Once an issue is added as an agenda topic, it is placed as the last topic on the working agenda.

7.9 Change the Order of Consideration of the Working Agenda. A motion to change the order of consideration of topics on the working agenda is in order during any formal session. The effect of this motion is to change the order in which agenda topics are to be discussed by the Council,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, and
• The delegation making this motion must state, in the motion, the new order in which the agenda topics are to be considered.

7.10 Set Working Agenda. At the start of each daily session the Security Council shall establish a working agenda (rule 1.11). A delegation may move to set the working agenda,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The motion must include the order in which agenda topics are to be considered, and
• A working agenda does not have to contain all agenda topics.

7.11 Limits on Debate. A motion to limit or extend the time allotted to each delegation, or limit the number of times each delegation can speak on any matter, 

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The time allotted for speakers on amendments, draft resolutions and agenda topics shall be no less than three minutes,
• The time allotted for non-substantive speeches shall be no less than one minute,
• This motion may limit the number of Points of Inquiry a speaker may accept to a minimum of one, and
• A motion to limit the time of debate on an agenda topic, draft resolution, or amendment is also in order.

7.12 Division of the Question. A motion to divide the question, proposing that clauses of an amendment or draft resolution be voted on separately, is in order at any time prior to entering voting procedure on the amendment or draft resolution,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• No debate or vote is necessary if the sponsor(s) of the draft resolution does not object to the division,
• If a vote has previously been taken on a contested amendment to the draft resolution, any Council Member may object to division and require a vote,
• After a motion for Division of the Question passes, no other motion for Division of the Question is in order on that amendment or draft resolution,
• Those clauses of the amendment or draft resolution which are approved shall then be put to a vote as a whole, and
• If division causes a draft resolution to no longer be in proper format (rule 4.1), the proposal as a whole is rejected.

7.13 Consideration of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution may be moved to the floor by any delegation that receives recognition by the President,

• This motion is not debatable,
• Only one draft resolution may be on the floor at any time, and
• The delegation moving consideration will be allowed to speak first on the draft resolution, if desired.

7.14 Consideration of Amendments. To bring an amendment to the floor for discussion, a delegation must first be recognized by the President,

• This motion is not subject to debate
• The Vice President will present the amendment to the body, and
• The delegation moving consideration will be allowed to speak first on the amendment, if desired.

7.15 Party to the Dispute. When the Security Council discusses a topic/issue that involves a nation or international organization not represented on the Council, it may request a representative by moving for a Party to the Dispute,

• This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
• The motion must state the United Nations Member State(s), Observer(s) or organization(s) whose representative is desired and the length of time requested and, if a Member State or Observer, whether debating privileges are to be granted,
• If debating privileges are not granted, a formal “question and answer” period shall be instituted by the President, for the purposes of questioning the representative on the issue(s) at hand,
• If it is determined that many Members or Observers outside of the Contemporary Security Council have an interest in a specific issue, the Council may declare an “open meeting” on any issue being discussed, and
• See also Participation by Non-Council Member States and International Organizations (rule 1.12).

Security Council Rules of Procedure Short Form

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