MODEL UNITED NATIONS

BASE DELEGATE COURSELIFE OF A RESOLUTION

POSITION PAPER

Each topic should be addressed briefly in a policy statement representing the relevant views of your assigned country, NGO, or expert role.

You should also include recommendations for action to be taken by your committee. All papers must be typed and formatted according to the example in the background guide.

If printed, length must not exceed one double-sided page (two single-sided pages is not acceptable)

Font must be Times New Roman sized between 10 pt. and 12 pt.

Country/NGO name, School name and committee name clearly labeled on the first page

Agenda topics clearly labeled in separate sections

Position PaperDelegation from Represented by Islamic Republic of Mauritania I.D.A.

Position Paper for General Assembly First Committee

The topics before the General Assembly First Committee are: conventional ammunitions surplus stockpiles; the role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament; disarmament, demobilization, and demining as prerequisites for peace in Africa. Mauritania is dedicated to multilateral- regional and international- approaches to assure the regulation of arms and weapons in West-African territories as the beginning of a long-range plan of cooperation in the name of the search of peace and security in Africa.

I. Conventional ammunitions surplus stockpiles

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania endorses the United Nations commitment towards ammunitions surplus stockpiles regulation. We believe that this issue must be encouraged and developed in promoting transparency, solidarity, cooperation and compliance, prerogatives that represent, inter alia, the solid and concrete United Nations founding principles. For years, we have been showing our pledge to ban the ownership of hunting weapons and their ammunition. We understand that there is not one comprehensive definition of conventional weapons and the topic is very abstract, but the Islamic Republic of Mauritania requires efforts by all Member States to highlight their willingness to achieve, peacefully and effectively, the common objective of ammunition surplus stockpiles regulation. We have demonstrated our point of view and our interest regarding this matter, by participating at several Projects and Conventions.

Working Paper

The Working Paper is the first stage of a resolution, usually written during the caucuses.

Working papers are merged discussed and re written many time, during caucuses; the more delegates come in the more difficult will be to merge all the instance in one paper.

Always remember that to be accepted a Working Paper has to respect this rules: it should be single-spaced, with each line numbered in the left-hand margin; you have to show who is sponsoring and who is supporting the working paper, what topic are you writing about, and the first word must be in Italic.

Always remember not to write the working paper by yourself and then to show it to other delegates, it will go un-noticed.

Who are the sponsors?

The sponsors of a working paper are often the ones who created the content of it and who will be most responsible for seeing it through until it is voted on as a resolution.

Sponsors of a working paper have the right to allow friendly amendments or to force a committee vote on an amendment.

Member States acting as sponsors of a working paper should be prepared to be available to defend the paper and answer questions regarding it during session hours.

Always try to be a sponsor, you’ll considerably increase you visibility and the chance of be awarded in the final session

Who are the signatories?

Signatories are Member States, observers or NGOs who are interested in bringing the working paper forward for consideration by the committee. They often support the content of the paper, but were not necessarily instrumental in creating it, and may ultimately disagree with its content.

The required number of signatures usually for a paper to be submitted totals 20% of the membership, depending on committee size. The Director will provide the required number during the second committee meeting.

Don’t rely to much on be a signatories, you may find out to be cut of from the paper when you don’t even expect it.

Submitting the Working Paper

When the sponsors feel that the working paper is complete, in the correct format, and ready to be distributed to the entire body, they must submit it to the committee director.

The Director will examine the working paper and may require changes before it can be distributed to the committee at large.

The Director may require revisions to a working paper, including changes in format and/or content. The Director may also, at his or her discretion, require two or more groups to combine or merge similar working papers before approval.

After approval, the working paper is assigned a number, upgraded to a draft resolution, and sent to Conference Services for printing.

DRAFT RESOLUTION

A Draft resolution is nothing but the working paper approved by the Director and proposed to the commission.

The main difference is this: The name of sponsors and signatories have been previously removed from the working paper.

A draft resolution is composed by three parts: the heading, the preambular clauses, and the operative clauses. The entire resolution consists of one long sentence, with commas and semi-colons throughout, and only one period at the very end.

Into the Draft

Heading: It’s just the title of the topic the resolution deal with.

Preambular Clauses: they supply historical background for the issue as well as justify the action; Preambular clauses usually begin with a participle and cite appropriate sections of the UN Charter, past UN resolutions and precedents of international law relevant to the topic. Remember that preambular clauses begin with participles, are in italics, and are always followed by a comma.

Operative Clauses: The solution in a resolution is presented through a logical progression of sequentially numbered operative clauses. These clauses may recommend, urge, condemn, encourage, request certain actions, or state an opinion regarding an existing situation. They call for specific actions.

Sample Preambular Clauses Affirming Alarmed by Aware of Bearing in mind Believing Confident Contemplating Convinced Declaring Deeply concerned Deeply conscious Deeply convinced Deeply disturbed Deeply regretting Desiring Emphasizing

Expecting Fulfilling Fully alarmed Fully aware Fully believing Further deploring Further recalling Guided by Having adopted Having considered Having considered

further Having devoted

attention Having examined Having heard Having received

Having studied Keeping in mind Noting further Noting with deep

concern Noting with regret Noting with satisfaction Observing Realizing Recalling Recognizing Referring Seeking Taking note Welcoming

Sample Operative Clauses

Accepts

Affirms

Approves

Authorizes

Calls

Condemns

Confirms

Considers

Declares accordingly

Deplores

Designates

Draws attention

Emphasizes

Encourages

Endorses

Expresses its hope

Further invites

Further proclaims

Further recommends

Further reminds

Further requests

Further resolves

Have resolved

Delegates skills

Who’s the Delegate ?

The delegate represents the state’s interest in the commision he’s assigned in.

The delegate’s aim is to achieve his topic goal reaching the best possible agreement with other States.

Delegate’s best qualities are: Good and fluent oral skills, capacity of listening, keen observer of other nation interest, and very patient!!

Delegates have to be always present and ready to participate to committee sessions; you’ll may find out to be totally out of the negotiation just after the first day if you are not present enough.

The Head Delegate

The Head Delegate is the coordinator for all the delegates in the Delegation. There are two Head Delegates for each delegation.

He decides the basic lines of the delegation, and the main strategy for all the commissions, however he can’t join the formal sessions.

His task is to lead and support the delegate team giving them the technical and motivational tools to pursue their goal.

The Head Delegate acts as a spokesperson between the Delegation and the coordinators giving them feedback about the working progress and possible critical points.