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SOFIMUN.org ---> Organs |
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What is Model UN? |
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Model United Nations, commonly known as MUN, is a
simulation of the United Nations. In this
simulation participants (students and young
professionals) take on the roles of foreign
diplomats and debate contemporary international
matters. Depending on the UN body he or she is
assigned to this can vary from a military crisis
or human rights abuses to climate change... |
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Preparation for a Model UN |
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- How
to get prepared for a model UN?
- What
to do step-by-step?
- What
information do I need?
- From
where to gather information?
- What
is a position paper and how to right it?
- What
is a state fact-sheet?
- Why
do I need an opening speech? |
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more... |
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SOFIMUN organs |
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Topics |
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 Security
Council of the United Nations Organization
The
Security Council has primary responsibility, under
the Charter, for the maintenance of international
peace and security. It is so organized as to be
able to function continuously, and a
representative of each of its members must be
present at all times at United Nations
Headquarters.
When a
threat against international peace is brought to
the attention of the Security Council, the council
first attempts to negotiate a settlement between
the disputing parties. The council may use its own
member delegations, refer the issue to discussion
in the General Assembly, or appoint the
Secretary-General, the head of the United Nations,
to act as mediator. It may set forth principles
for a peaceful settlement as well.
If no
peaceful agreement can be reached, and the
disputing factions use violence, intimidation, or
force, the Security Council can then enact policy
resolutions to solve the conflict or restore
peace. Sometimes this policy includes economic
sanctions such as trade embargoes or prohibitions
on governments borrowing from international funds.
Under the Security Council regulations, however,
humanitarian aid can never be withheld from any
nation or group of people. The Security Council
also reserves the right to recommend expulsion of
any UN member state in gross violation of the UN
charter and international law, though the
dismissal must be voted on and passed in the
General Assembly.
The
Security Council is the only United Nations
organization that can authorize military action
and maintain a military-trained peacekeeping
force. In violent international dispute, the
Security Council can send intervening peacekeeping
troops to secure areas in turmoil.
The
Security Council is further responsible for
overseeing compliance with international
agreements involving weapons, the rules of
engagement (conduct during war), the illegal
spread of nuclear technology, and other threats to
international peace. To enforce these treaties,
such as international agreements on nuclear
non-proliferation, the Security Council can
authorize UN-led inspections of a nation's
military arsenal. In addition, the Security
Council can order sanctions or authorize military
action.
More
at:
www.un.org/Docs/sc
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Topic
A
Keeping Peace in Post-Referendum Sudan
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Topic
B
Use of Child Soldiers
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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Sudan
is entering a new age. Whether it will be an age
of peace or continuous violence, is much up to
international community and their willingness to
help. What is the future of Sudan and what role
should the UN play there and how should
peacekeeping operations be organized, if in any
way, these are all the questions the SC should
address.
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Many
times the Security Council has tried to keep
children from any types of involvement in armed
conflict. Still, there are numerous cases of
children being used in war. They not only fight in
the front lines, but are numerous times
deliberately killed and/or raped as part of
dreadful war tactics.
The
Security Council should work to prevent this
injustice in the future and discuss possible
sanctions as well as other ways to stop children
casualties in armed conflict.
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UN
Security Council (17)
3 VACANT PLACES
States: (BOLD style = taken)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
China, PR - *RE
Colombia
Congo, DR - OBS - *RE
France - *RE
Gabon
Germany
India
Lebanon
Nigeria
Portugal
Russian Federation - *RE
South Africa
Sudan - OBS - *RE
United Kingdom - *RE
United States of America - *RE*
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 Human
Rights Council of the United Nations Organization
The
United Nations Human Rights Council is created in
March, 2006 and is the successor to the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights, which was
often criticized for the high-profile positions it
gave to member states that did not guarantee the
human rights of their own citizens. The Council is
considered an international body within the United
Nations System and its purpose is to address human
rights violations.
The
Council assumes all the mechanisms, mandates,
functions and responsibilities of the Commission
for Human Rights. At the same time, it is tasked
with the review, rationalization and improvement
of these. This makes up the bulk of the Council’s
work in its first year.
Special
procedures" is the name given to the mechanisms
established by the former United Nations
Commission on Human Rights and continued by the
Human Rights Council to monitor human rights
violations in specific countries or examine global
human rights issues. Special procedures can be
either individuals who are leading experts in a
particular area of human rights, or working groups
usually composed of five members. In order to
preserve their independence they do not receive
pay for their work.
More
at:
www.un.org/rights
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Topic
A
Unpunished Military Crimes
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Topic
B
Contemporary Forms of Slavery: Human Trafficking
and Drug Smuggling
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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Military Justice has it’s own special codes and
laws. Therefore it is very difficult if not
impossible for civilian institutions to prosecute
crimes done by military personnel. For
authoritarian governments it has also become very
easy to frequently use the military to silence and
oppress those that oppose them. The Human Rights
Council needs to address this issue from a more
global perspective.
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Much
legislation has been passed and many organisations
are fighting against human trafficking, but it is
nevertheless the fastest growing criminal industry
in the world. On a global level, industry is
exploiting millions of people every day, most of
which are women and children. Every country in the
world is affected by human trafficking, whether as
a country of origin, transit or destination for
victims. Victims themselves are exposed to
different psychological and health problems and,
when pushed into drug trafficking, often face
severe criminal sanctions, one of which is the
death penalty.
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UN
Human Rights Council (23)
9 VACANT PLACES
States: (BOLD style = taken)
Angola
Belgium
Brazil
China, PR - *RE
Cuba
France - *RE
Japan
Libya - *RE
Malaysia
Mexico - *RE
Nigeria
Pakistan
Poland
Russian Federation - *RE
Senegal - *RE
Spain
Thailand - *RE
Uganda
United Kingdom - *RE
Ukraine
United States of America - *RE
Amnesty International - OBS - *RE
Human
Rights Watch - OBS - *RE
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 United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
The United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a
specialized agency of the United Nations
established in 1945. Its stated purpose is to
contribute to peace and security by promoting
international collaboration through education,
science, and culture in order to further universal
respect for justice, the rule of law, and the
human rights along with fundamental freedoms
proclaimed in the UN Charter. It is the heir of
the League of Nations' International Commission on
Intellectual Cooperation.
UNESCO has 193 Member States and seven Associate
Members. Most of the field offices are "cluster"
offices covering three or more countries; there
are also national and regional offices. UNESCO
pursues its objectives through five major
programs: education, natural sciences, social and
human sciences, culture, and communication and
information. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include
literacy, technical, and teacher-training
programmes; international science programmes; the
promotion of independent media and freedom of the
press; regional and cultural history projects; the
promotion of cultural diversity; international
cooperation agreements to secure the world
cultural and natural heritage (World Heritage
Sites) and to preserve human rights, and attempts
to bridge the worldwide digital divide.
More
at:
www.unesco.org
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Topic
A
Social Networking – A source of Knowledge
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Topic
B
Drafting Recommendations on the Conservation of
Historic Urban Landscapes
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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Over
the past few years, social networks have begun
playing a major role in people’s lives, especially
when dealing with the communication of world
issues and problems. Yet, certain cultures
minimize the use of social networks; is it right,
or wrong?
Assistant Director General Communication and
Information Janis Karklins is strongly committed
to address the privacy and securtity issues
relating to new developments of social networking.
It was discussed in a workshop during the Global
Internet Forum in September 2010 in Vilnius. It is
now up to the to be simulated WSIS at SOFIMUN to
establish recommendations for social networking.
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The
General Conference of UNESCO decided at its 35th
session (October 2009) that existing UNESCO
standard-setting instruments relating to urban
heritage should be supplemented through a new
recommendation on the conservation of the Historic
Urban Landscape.
A
special meeting will be held at UNESCO in spring
2011 to discuss the preliminary report and the
draft recommendations. The many different aspects
that need to be taken into account in the
conservator and management of historical city
centers, especially in a modern urban context.
Participants of the General Conference at SOFIMUN
need to take into account notions like rapid
urbanization, sustainable development vs. economic
development and modern city planning vs. monument
care.
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United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (24)
10 VACANT PLACE
States: (BOLD style = taken)
Argentina
Australia
Bulgaria
China, PR
Cuba
Egypt - *RE
Hungary - *RE
Italy - *RE
Japan - *RE
Latvia - *RE
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Morocco
Mexico - *RE
Nigeria
Norway
Russian Federation
Santa Lucia
South Africa - *RE
Sweden - *RE
Thailand
Tunesia
United Kingdom - *RE
United States of America - *RE
Zimbabwe
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 Council
of Ministers of the EU -
Economic and Financial Affairs Council
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council is one
of the oldest configurations of the Council. It is
commonly known as the Ecofin Council, or simply "Ecofin"
and is composed of the Economics and Finance
Ministers of the Member States, as well as Budget
Ministers when budgetary issues are discussed. It
meets once a month.
The Ecofin Council covers EU policy in a number of
areas including: economic policy coordination,
economic surveillance, monitoring of Member
States' budgetary policy and public finances, the
euro (legal, practical and international aspects),
financial markets and capital movements and
economic relations with third countries. It
decides mainly by qualified majority, in
consultation or codecision with the European
Parliament, with the exception of fiscal matters
which are decided by unanimity. The Ecofin Council
also prepares and adopts every year, together with
the European Parliament, the budget of the
European Union which is about 100 billion euros.
The Eurogroup, composed of the Member States whose
currency is the euro, meets normally the day
before the Ecofin meeting and deals with issues
relating to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
It is an informal body which is not a
configuration of the Council. When the Ecofin
Council examines dossiers related to the euro and
EMU, the representatives of the Member States
whose currency is not the euro do not take part in
the vote of the Council.
More
at:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showpage.aspx?id=250&lang=en
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Topic
A
Taking the Next Step- Fiscal Union
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Topic
B
The Eastern Partnership – Economic Goals and
Guidelines for the Future
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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At the
EU summit on 4th of February 2011 Germany and
France presented their plans for the European
Union as a fiscal union in a document entitled
"Competitiveness Pact". Even tough the document
drew lots of criticism further negotiations will
be scheduled. The document covers many areas
public finances and policies, taxation, labor
policies, pensions systems, retirement age and
ultimately achieving the fiscal union. This
controversial document came only a month after the
new "European Semester" timetable commenced and it
is clearly another step towards achieving the
ultimate goal. European Union becoming a fiscal
union is not a question of "if" any more but a
question of "how" and "when".
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The
Eastern Partnership (EaP) is concerned with the
relations of the European Union with Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
The expanding EU borders have brought these
countries closer; therefore their economic and
political stability is increasingly important for
the EU. However, the EaP is a controversial issue,
which could be interpreted in different ways. Is
the EaP a driver of reform, democracy and economic
stability or is it an attempt to bring these
counties closer to a EU membership? The exact role
of the Partnership brings up the different
interests of the 'old' (EU-15) vs. the 'new'
member states, which will ultimately determine the
future of the EU relationship with the six former
Soviet countries.
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Council of Ministers of the EU - Economic and
Financial Affairs Council (28)
13 VACANT PLACES
States: (BOLD style = taken)
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France - *RE
Germany - *RE
Greece
Hungary - *RE
Ireland
Italy - *RE
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxemburg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland - *RE
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain - *RE
Sweden
United Kingdom - *RE
Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs -
OBS - *RE
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 European
Parliament - Committee on Foreign Affairs (EP-AFET)
The European Parliament is the only EU body
elected directly by the European citizens; its
members exercise the independent mandate, this
means that each and every one of the 735 MEPs
represent all of the people of Europe regardless
of political color or nationality. This is the
most significant difference between Member of the
European Parliament (MEP) and a diplomat, in other
words a diplomat is obliged to represent his/hers
national government and cannot go beyond the
mandate that has been given. A MEP is free to say
or do whatever one deems as fit for any topic,
according to one’s political views.
The other difference between the EP and an
intergovernmental body (e. g. the Council of the
European Union) is that its members are seated
according to their political affinities as part of
political groups that cannot be comprised by MEPs
form one Member State, the minimum is one fifth of
all Member States.
The European political groups act as political
parties on Union level. The difference between the
political parties on national level and the ones
on the EU level is that the later ones are not
comprised of members, but are more like political
federations comprised of national political
parties. Given that in every political group there
are slight differences between the positions of
the national political parties, but not every
national political party forms its own position
concerning a certain issue, sometimes they use the
one of the European political group as it was
their own or e. g. in the case of the Bulgarian
MEPs members of the EPP group, they adopt the
position of the CDU/CSU as their own.
As in any other parliament the technical debate on
the proposed legislation is not done at a plenary
session but in the Parliament’s committees where
the proposals are being discussed before they are
presented at a plenary session. In a discussion on
a proposal one committee is assigned as
“responsible” and one or more are to deliver
“opinions”. When the work in a committee is done
it presents the plenary with opinions, amendments
to a proposal or it may be the so-called
“Own-initiative report”. The EP has twenty
committees each of them having specific
competencies.
More
at:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/homeCom.do?language=EN&body=AFET
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Topic
A
European Security and Defense Policy: Framing a
Common Defense Policy
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Topic
B
Russia – EU Member States Economic Cooperation
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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The
Treaty of Lisbon did not only establish the
position of a High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy but in Chapter
two, Section 1, Article 24 (1) also calls for the
“progressive framing of a common defence policy
that might lead to a common defence”. Although the
AFET-committee has no legally binding capacity on
these issues it must as the representative of the
European People must voice its opinion on this
matter.
European Union states already cooperate in joint
peacekeeping operations, as for example in the
Western Balkans and the Republic of Congo. The EU
also cooperates with the NATO on such issues as
Afghanistan and Iraq. Still the European Council
has not taken sufficient steps to enhance further
cooperation as stated in Article 24 (1) and it is
once again the task of the EP to remind the Member
States of their duties.
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Benefits for the EU deriving from the relations
with the Russian Federation in the field of
energy, export and import; the need for
transparency and fair access to energy markets as
key assets in Russia – EU economical relations.
Are bilateral agreements concluded between the EU
and Russia sufficient to guard both parties’
economic interests and what other agreements
should be signed, so that the EU’s economic
interests are protected in the best way? The role
of Russia as a large market for EU goods and
services as well as EU investments in Russia and
the way they are influencing their relations
should be put to discussion. MEPs, as
representatives of the European People need to
discuss what the current EU-Russia energy and
economic partnership is based on and what are the
perspectives for it in the future.
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European Parliament - Committee on Foreign Affairs
(EP-AFET) (27)
15 VACANT PLACE
States: (BOLD style = taken)
EPP: 9 members
1. Austrian Peoples Party
2. Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
3. New Democracy (Greece)
4. Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
5. People’s Party (Spain)
6. Slovak Democratic and Christian Union –
Democratic Party
7. Christian Social People's Party (Luxembourg)
8. Fine Gael (Ireland)
9. Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats
S&D: 7 members
1. Bulgarian Socialist Party
2. Czech Social Democratic Party
3. Socialist Party (France)
4. Hungarian Socialist Democratic Party
5. Labour Party (UK)
6. Social Democrats (Slovenia)
7. Social Democratic Party (Estonia)
ALDE: 4 members
1. Basque National Party (Spain)
2. Romanian National Liberal Party
3. Democraten 66 (Netherlands)
4. Liberal People’s Party (Sweden)
Greens/EFA: 2 members
1. Bündnis 90/Die Grünen – Green Party (Germany)
2. Green League (Finland)
ECR: 2 members
1. Law and Justice (Poland)
2. The Conservatives (UK)
EUL – NGL: 2 members
1. French Communist Party
2. Progressive Party of Working People (Cyprus)
EFD: 1 member
1. Northern League (Italy)
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 Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest
security-oriented intergovernmental organization.
Its mandate deals with issues such as arms
control, human rights, freedom of the press and
fair elections.
The OSCE is an ad hoc organization under the
United Nations Charter and is concerned with early
warning, conflict prevention, crisis management
and post-conflict rehabilitation. Its 56
participating states are in Europe, the Caucasus,
Central Asia and North America and cover most of
the northern hemisphere. It was created during the
Cold War era as an East-West forum.
Based on the OSCE's comprehensive concept of
security, the main objective of the Office of the
Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental
Activities (OCEEA) is to promote economic and
environmental co-operation among OSCE
participating States and, when appropriate, their
Asian and Mediterranean Partners.
Under the guidance of the Economic and
Environmental Committee in Vienna, the OCEEA works
closely with Economic and Environment Officers in
OSCE field operations to identify, monitor and
counteract economic and environmental threats and
challenges to security and stability.
OCEEA activities include monitoring both economic
and environmental developments, as well as helping
to develop and implement policies and projects
that promote security and co-operation in the OSCE
region.
More at:
http://www.osce.org/eea
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Topic
A
Sustainable Energy and Energy Security - Conquest
of Arctic Natural Resources
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Topic
B
Economic Aspects of the Rebuilding of
Post-Revolutionary States
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Synopsis
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Synopsis
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The
Arctic region is one the richest regions in the
world in terms of natural resources (like
minerals, fuels, forests, fishing etc.) but it is
also the region that suffers from the worst impact
of climate change on earth.
During
the 19th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum
(7-8/02/2011), the Arctic Countries underlined the
fact that the prospects of sustainable energy and
sustainable economic growth remain uncertain due
to many reasons, such as technological
shortcomings, scarce resources, climate change,
political volatility and conflicts.
Therefore they stressed the fact that more
cooperation is needed among Member States, and
that energy security should be a first priority on
the OSCE’s agenda.
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With
this winter's unrest in the North African region,
the issue of stability and security through
migration management and its linkages with
economic, social and environmental policies has
come out to be of utmost importance to the
international community.
The
tackling of this issue would require considering
many different aspects, such as border control and
integration policies, migration routes in the
Mediterranean Sea, the economic impact of
remittance, the economic consequences of political
revolutions (the stop of international tourism and
the disappearance of archeological treasures being
just some examples), the EU dependence on North
Africa oil trade.
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Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (25)
16 VACANT PLACES
States: (BOLD style = taken)
Azerbaijan
Canada - *RE
Denmark
Finland
France - *RE
Germany
Greece
Holy See - *RE
Iceland - *RE
Italy - *RE
Macedonia, FYR
Norway - *RE
Poland
Romania
Russian Federation - *RE
Spain - *RE
Sweden - *RE
Turkey - *RE
United Kingdom
Ukraine
United States of America - *RE
Uzbekistan
Egypt - OBS - *RE
Algeria - OBS - *RE
Tunisia - OBS - *RE
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 SNN
- SOFIMUN
News Network (Official media body of SOFIMUN)
The SNN is the official media body of the Sofia
International Model United Nations conference. The
media will be set up to keep all participants in
the conference informed about the latest events
and developments in the various forums and
lobbying areas.
The SNN media is part of the conference organs.
Achieving its aim to keep all SOFIMUN participants
up-to-date, the media will be launched entirely
via the internet with contant update, video
broadcasts – interviews, news, etc. Being
developed for three years already, SNN is
considered to be the most modern media in the
Model UN conferences world, offering to its team
the opportunity to experience every side of the
journalism work – both new and traditional media.
The purpose of SNN is to serve as central
information point on all important things that
happen on SOFIMUN. Its journalist team will be
selected through international application (same
as for the other SOFIMUN organs).
The
journalist team will broadcast the work of each
committee; pay specific attention to any delegate
and his work; write articles and take interviews
from participants during the conferece. Each
SOFIMUN organ will have journalists, carefully
following its work and broadcasting the latest
news on world issues that are of concern of the
bodies being represented at SOFIMUN. Therefore,
the SNN is the place where all of you wishing to
be active as journalist and are interested in the
media field can show what you've got!
You
will represent the strong voice and influence of
the medias in the modern world. What you write
constitutes the principal source of information on
the developments within the workshops at the
delegate’s disposal. It fundamentally influences
their decision-taking during the negotiations and
the sessions.
WHY BEING AT SNN?
Participation in SNN as a journalist offers you a
unique opportunity to act and work as a real
journalist - realistic insight into the work of a
journalist reporting on an international
conference, the possibility of deepening your
knowledge in journalism and a specific area of the
international relations, the opportunity of
meeting over 150 people from around the world
sharing your passion for journalism and world
affairs.
WHAT IS EXPECTED?
Being
a journalist also brings responsibilities, from
which among the most essential are: proficient
English, talented writing, fluent use of technical
devices (computer, camera), adoption of critical
approach without loosing accuracy, team-working
and flexibility.
You
can select which media you want to represent by
the SNN media list published on the right of this
text.
If you wan to take part in the SNN media, register
through our registration form. and mark "SNN
(SOFIMUN News Network)" in "Desired
organ" field.
More
at:
www.snn.sofimun.org
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SOFIMUN News Network (12)
3 VACANT PLACES
Media
representatives: (RED
color = taken)
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Al Jazeera - *RE
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Fox News - *RE
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Le Monde Diplomatique
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SPIEGEL
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Economist
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People’s Daily - *RE
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El País
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RIA Novosti - *RE
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Granma
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Huffington Post
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EU Observer
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PHOTOGRAPHER
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*RE -
Requires Experience |
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