Letter From The Chair

Dear Delegates, Welcome to the first ever Westmount Charter School High School Model United Nations! Your chairs and other committee staff for the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) are excited and honoured to have you participate in our council and hope to see a strong effort in discussion and coming up with creative resolutions to resolve the complex problems faced by our world today. Your topics for this council are as follows:

1. Sustainable Utilization of Renewable Natural Resources 2. Improvement of Quality of Life in Rural Areas 3. Production and Distribution of Heroin in Asia

All of the aforementioned topics as well as the council will be introduced in this background guide. We have hopes that this document will serve as a good starting point, however we recommend that all delegates do further research in order to fully understand the issues being discussed. The committee staff of the ACD hopes that everyone will have a fun and educational time here at the WCSHSMUN and thanks you for attending. We look forward to seeing all of the wonderful ideas you come up with! Sincerely, Ana Dragomir Bjorn Foulston Rojas Ishaan Gill

Asia Cooperation Dialogue Mission The Asia Cooperation Dialogue is an organization created with the purpose of increased cooperation between Asian nations. Established on June 18th, 2002 by eighteen nations, the ACD currently has thirty-four member states, with the most recent addition being Nepal in March of this year. Many of the member nations are party to one or more regional organizations such as ASEAN, however, the goal of the ACD is to create a more inclusive Asian Community. The ACD integrates several regional organisations such as ASEAN, SAARC, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the EAEU. The ACD has a total of twenty areas of cooperation which can be sorted into six primary categories: connectivity; science, technology and innovation; education and human resource development; interrelation of food, energy and water security; culture and tourism; and promoting approaches to inclusive and sustainable development. This being said, the primary objectives of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue are:

1. To promote a collective interdependence among all Asian countries in many sectors of cooperation by recognizing Asia's common strengths and the opportunities that will help reduce poverty and improve the overall quality of life for Asian people whilst developing a knowledge-based society within Asia and enhancing community and people empowerment;

2. To expand the trade and financial market within Asia and increase the bargaining power of Asian countries in lieu of competition and, in turn, enhance Asia's economic competitiveness in the global market;

3. To serve as the missing link in Asian cooperation by building upon Asia's potentials and strengths through supplementing and complementing existing cooperative frameworks so as to become a viable partner for other regions;

4. To ultimately transform the Asian continent into an Asian Community, capable of interacting with the rest of the world on a more equal footing and contributing more positively towards mutual peace and prosperity.

(Sourced from http://www.acd-dialogue.org/about-acd.html)

The administrative aspects of the ACD are carried out by the Provisional Secretariat, located in Kuwait City within the State of Kuwait. The Provisional Secretariat also serves as the communication channel within the ACD itself as well as between the ACD and other organizations. The ACD holds annual Ministerial Meetings and meets on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss progress made.

Asia Cooperation Dialogue Member States

Afghanistan

Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan

Brunei Cambodia People’s Republic of China

India

Indonesia Islamic Republic of Iran

Japan Kazakhstan

Republic of Korea

Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos

Malaysia Mongolia Myanmar

Nepal

Oman Pakistan Philippines

Qatar

Russia Saudi Arabia

Singapore Sri Lanka

Tajikistan Thailand Turkey United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan Vietnam

Sustainable Utilization Of Renewable Natural Resources The Asia Cooperation Dialogue is currently drafting the ACD Vision for Asia Cooperation 2030. This is to set a clear direction for future regional cooperation of member states with regards to the U.N Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The ACD Vision is to be announced at the 2 nd ACD Summit in Thailand in October 2016. However, concept papers of the ACD Vision have outlined the importance of ensuring stabilization of natural resources while working towards eradicating poverty in Asia, reducing disparities across countries and subregions, promoting energy and food security, boosting labour productivity, and preparing for urbanization booms (Concept Paper: ACD Vision for Asia Cooperation 2030, 2016). This working paper does not contain an exhaustive list of all renewable natural resources requiring sustainable management.

Aquaculture

Asia is the most important region for fisheries and aquaculture production in the world. In 2008, Asia’s fishing industry gartered 50% of the world’s global fish capture. Several Asian countries are in the top 10 world producers of fish, such as China, Indonesia, Japan, India, Philippines, and Myanmar. 3 billion people globally rely on seafood as a primary source of protein, and it is the largest traded food commodity in the world. Fish are a resource, and as the global community’s population grows larger, the demand for fish and fish-based products is only increasing. As response to this demand, some fishing fleets are 250% larger than the sustainable fishing population. However, more than 200 million people are employed in the fishing industry. Aquaculture is the fastest growing animal-based food-producing sector in developing countries, and 97% of fishers are based in developing countries. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that 85% of marine fish stocks are exploited or overfished. Many fisheries worldwide have experienced declines in recent decades due to overfishing, but zones are also threatened by pollution, mismanagement of freshwater, and habitat and coastal zone modification. Evidently, without preventative measures, both fish ecosystems and the economies of countries will collapse, but halts to this industry now could mean a collapse of global and national markets, especially to millions of medium and small-scale fishermen. One case study is with the Bluefin tuna: In the 1960s, Bluefin tuna sold for pennies per pound, and due to its fatty meat, was commonly used for cat food. However, in the 1980s, the globalization of sushi awakened a new interest in the fish, a staple item in sushi, from Germany to America. It quickly became one of the most sought-after fishes by fishing nations. In the period between 1970 and 1990, fishing for the Bluefin tuna raised by more than 2000% according to the Internationals Union for Conservation of Nature. Originally selling for pennies, the fish now sells upwards of $3,600 per pound. However, Bluefin tuna numbers have declined by more than 96%. Many attempts to protect the Bluefin tuna internationally have failed. In 2010 at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, 72 out of 129

member nations voted against protecting the fish, on the basis that it would devastate fishing economies due to how significant the pricy fish is in global trade. The global community has only rejected calls to ban international trade in Bluefin tuna, without partaking in any reasonable debate to end the practice of harvesting Bluefin tuna, even though there is overwhelming scientific justification for the dwindling populations. Today, 85% of fisheries have been pushed beyond their biological limits, in dire need of strict management for restoration. One of the best examples of this overfishing is with the Bluefin tuna. To protect future generations, the new question to be answered lies in how can certain fish species harvesting can be restricted without being detrimental to countries’ economies.

Water Resources

The ACD plays a key role in strengthening connections among member nations by dealing with developmental challenges. At the 14 th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting on March 10 th, 2016 member states reached a consensus on the reorganization of 20 cooperation fields within the ACD into six pillars. One of these pillars focuses on the inter-relationship in food security, energy, and water resources between member states. The ACD is beginning to put a primary focus on ensuring the security of water resources as water scarcity continues to be a growing issue in Asia. The global demand for freshwater is only soaring and supplies are becoming more uncertain. Globally, one out of six people do not have adequate access to fresh water. The United Nations predicts that by 2050, as many as three out of four people globally could be affected by water scarcity. Water scarcity is a universal issue within many of the ACD member states. Due to water pollution in China, less than half of freshwater resources can be treated to the point where it is safe to drink. A quarter of surface water is even unusable for industrial needs. In India, one in eight people do not have access to clean drinking water, and contaminated water accounts for up to three-quarters of all diseases. In Vietnam, up to 80% of diseases can be attributed to the effects of water pollution, and in Indonesia, untreated sewage results to six million tonnes of human wastewater being released into water bodies each year. This amount of water pollution means that half the population has no access to clean water. Even fairly water-rich nations in the nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Bhutan face water quality and supply constraints in major cities because of population growth, environmental degradation, damaging agricultural activities, poor management of water catchment areas, industrialization, and groundwater overuse. A recent study by the Bertelsmann Foundation suggested that countries tend to prioritize economic growth over environmental protection, so the question to answer is how can water resources be protected and conserved for future generations, without halting economic progress. Large quantities of water are needed for urban and industrial processes, but if the overexploitation and pollution of water resources is not seriously addressed, future generations and rural communities will continue to suffer. Asia is home to more than half of the world’s population, but it has less fresh water per person per year than any other continent besides Antarctica. Almost two thirds of global

population growth occurs in Asia, and urban populations are expected to increase by 60% within the next ten years. Growing populations, rapid urbanization and industrialization, and economic development are increasing the pressure on freshwater resources in the Asia-Pacific region. This growth is placing pressure on aquatic ecosystems and is affecting the region’s capacity to meet water needs. Growing populations and rapid industrialization are spreading water resources thin. Pollution of these water bodies continues to rank as one of the most critical issues affecting water security, rendering many water resources unusable. In the Asia-Pacific Region, the total volume of wastewater produced in urban areas is estimated around 150/250 million cubic meters per day, the majority of which is discharged directly into water bodies, or leaches into subsoil.

Resources to Consider

East Asia Forum: How Can Asia Protect Its Water Resources http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/02/20/how-can-asia-protect-its-water-resources/

Climate Change In Asia: Water Pollution in Asia http://ejap.org/environmental-issues-in-asia/Water%20Pollution.html

United Nations Department of Social and Economic Affairs: Integrated Water Resources Management http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/iwrm.shtml

Questions to Consider

❖ What is my nation’s environmental policy?

❖ How important are fisheries in my nations? Are they a crucial food source in my nation?

❖ What measures have been implemented elsewhere in order to preserve water

resources and/or fisheries?

❖ What other natural resources are under threat in Asia?

❖ What natural resources are most important to my nation?

Improvement of Quality of Life in Rural Areas

It is a recognised fact that a substantial portion of the Asian population lives below the poverty line, especially in rural areas. Poverty has been identified as one of the prime barriers to sustainable development. The Asia Cooperation Dialogue is looking to help mitigate this issue through several main areas of cooperation such as agriculture and education, placing emphasis on various methods of cooperation, particularly information sharing. It hopes that the successes of member states in alleviating poverty will serve as a model for the others in their national efforts to improve quality of life in rural areas. Agriculture has been an area of focus for the ACD since 2006 and the prime parties leading projects are China, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. The reason agriculture is listed here first is because many member states have a vested interest in this area of cooperation. Agriculture is a major part of the economy for many ACD member states, and also accounting for a large percentage of employment; in some countries, employment rates in the agricultural sector exceed 70%. It is also important to note that many developing nations seek to increase agricultural productivity as a way to both diversify and expand the economy as well as to increase employment rates in rural areas. Although unemployment rates of the total labour force for the ACD bloc as a whole are below the international average, there are several member states with concerning statistics. Regrettably, several ACD member states’ economies rely on remittances from citizens that are working abroad, showing a clear need for the diversification of their respective local economies. Spearheaded by the People’s Republic of China, the ACD’s focus thus far in the area of agriculture has been on trade, food security, quality of life in rural areas through information sharing on agricultural development and policy, sustainable development, and finally, training courses. Work done in the area of agriculture has focused mainly on the sharing of knowledge in a variety of areas such as market management, food safety, and agricultural technologies with China hosting many relevant workshops. Other ways to combat poverty in rural areas that have been identified are the availability of education and vocational training. Vocational training would provide a basic level of education for otherwise disadvantaged people and allow for more skilled labourers to enter the workforce while meeting the standards of technical education and basic knowledge. Many member states also wish to put an emphasis on flexible work and education hours in order to reduce the number of people dropping out. The ACD also notes the concerning matter of working children in Asia, the number of which is projected to increase along with the rate of urbanization. A common occurrence, working children may not have the skills needed in order to safely and accurately complete their work. In addition to this, they may not have even a basic level of education. Working children are among the target audience of the implementation of education and vocational training programs. Bangladesh has previously arranged a seminar for the rehabilitation of working children with some of the primary points being the maintenance

of quality education with flexible work and school time, as well as addressing gender, age, type of job, and wage problems at work. These can both be viewed as definitive steps forward in the improvement of quality of life if the issues are addressed. A contributor to the increase in literacy levels of rural communities has been the Asia e-University (AeU) established in 2007 by ACD member state Malaysia. The AeU offers courses in many fields such as education, business administration and social sciences, among others. The university is located in Kuala Lumpur but many of its courses are offered fully online, making higher education accessible to a wider range of people. It also boasts an easy credit transferring system, further boosting its convenience. The AeU can be seen as a positive result of ACD cooperation. Despite all the work that has been in the area of education, there continues to be a need for more. It is hoped that successes in the area will attract the attention of the international community and foreign donors. The amalgamation of worker education with the latest agricultural advances leads to increased productivity and allows the local economy to flourish. However, in order for there to be sufficient funds to pay for the various machinery and infrastructure necessary, the economy requires stimulation. Countries such as Cambodia are pushing for micro-financing in rural areas in order to create jobs and help expand businesses. By creating employment opportunities in rural areas it also hopes to reduce migration rates to large urban centres.

The improvement of quality of life in rural areas is a complex issue that must be looked at from many different angles, many of which were not even touched upon in this brief introduction. Delegates should also consider topics such as accessibility of electricity, health care, and proper law enforcement as well as the development of road systems. When looking at ways to resolve this problem, one must look at existing solutions as well as areas that require additional involvement. It is also important to note that Asia is a diverse continent and with many different and sometimes conflicting points of view, meaning that solutions must be multidimensional and adaptable.

Resources to Consider

International Fund for Agricultural Development: Rural Poverty in Asia https://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/region/home/tags/asia International Fund for Agricultural Development: Defining Rural Poverty http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/ruralpov/pdf/ifad_rural_poverty.pdf International Monetary Fund: Interim-Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for Pakistan http://www.imf.org/External/NP/prsp/2001/pak/01/113001.pdf

Questions to Consider

❖ What percent of the population of my country lives under the poverty line?

❖ What is the poverty line?

❖ What percent of the population of my country lives in rural areas?

❖ Are rural areas and urban areas in my country appropriately connected?

❖ What causes rural poverty?

Production and Distribution of Heroin in Asia

Heroin is produced from the resin in poppies. A sap-like substance is removed from the flower pod and fully refined in order to produce the drug. The substance is then injected intravenously, injected intramuscularly, smoked, or snorted. Heroin is extremely addictive and was originally invented in Germany in 1898 to cure tuberculosis as well as to help people combat morphine addiction. An unfortunate side effect is that it was in fact more addictive than morphine. In fact, morphine itself which is similarly produced from poppies, was first created as a less addictive version of opium. Methadone in turn was created in order to alleviate heroin addiction and is regularly prescribed by doctors. The most negative effects of using heroin include the possibility of a lethal overdose, and infections such as HIV transmitted through blood by using an unclean or shared needle. Heroin also has the capacity to strongly affect familial and social relationships and lead to mental health issues in users.

The top two opium producing areas in the world are the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle is located in southeast Asia in 3 countries, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, with Myanmar taking the top spot in the region. The Ruak and Mekong rivers that divide the three nations are heavily used for smuggling in the region. Opiates originating in the Golden Triangle will either travel to China and then much of East Asia or to Bangkok for further distribution. The Golden Triangle was the primary producer for opium until recently, when the Golden Crescent in Afghanistan overtook its spot as the world’s largest producer. Other Golden Crescent nations include Pakistan and Iran. However, while Iran and Pakistan have managed to reduce opium production, due to a number of factors, Afghanistan continues to be a global leader, producing some 90% of the world’s opium. In 2013, Afghan poppy fields generated almost $3 billion locally and $55 billion globally. Drug money funds the Taliban, many terrorist groups and other violent groups within Afghanistan but corruption at every level prevents the situation from improving. The government lacks the initiative and political power to prosecute high-profile members of the drug trafficking community and opium farming remains a lucrative business for local farmers. In addition to this, drug traffickers are able to obtain neighbouring passports without much difficulty. The Afghan economy is highly dependent on the global heroin trade. The bulk of opium produced in Afghanistan then goes on to Western Europe and the Russian Federation with an alarming increase of opiates also travelling to China.

Although Afghanistan is by far the largest producer, that is not to say that the Golden Triangle is to be discounted. In fact, opium production has increased in the region. According to a 2015 report, the market was worth $16.3 billion, with production tripling since 2006. This increase has been brought about by an increase in demand in surrounding regions (particularly China) as well as increased transportability. The nations of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and China have made efforts in collaboration with each other to reduce trafficking. A major issue in the region is the increase of heroin addiction. An

estimated 83 000 people are injecting heroin in Myanmar, 40 300 in Thailand, 170 000 in Malaysia, and a ballpark of 13 million in China. Due to historical reasons, China also has a population of people using pure opium. Insufficient health infrastructure as well as negative stigma against addicts prevents many from getting help when they need it. Just as in Afghanistan, many farmers in rural areas of Laos and Myanmar in particular have a hard time growing any other crop and rely on opium poppies as subsistence. Opium is in continual demand and it is relatively easy to supply, with the growing season being a mere four months. Farmers growing opium are also shown to make more than those who grow other crops. Without sufficient incentive, there is no reason for this to change. The illegal drug trade has many major societal impacts in the region, including but not limited to: an increase in crime rates, overburdening of law enforcement and the justice system, an increase in corruption levels, the spread (and funding) of violent groups (such as the Taliban in Afghanistan), as well as the spread of diseases communicable by blood prompted by the sharing of needles.

Various efforts have been made by governments and international organizations to curb the illicit trade of heroin (and other drugs) within Asia and worldwide but the stark reality is that the total opium output continues to grow. Due to the convenience of growing opium poppies as a crop, massive amounts of money to be made, high level of addiction, low support for afflicted individuals, lack of education about needle safety, and strict laws against usage, the heroin trade is a complex social issue in the Asia.

Resources to Consider

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Drug Trafficking in Central Asia https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/central-asia.html Drug Free World: Heroin Facts http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/heroin.html United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Drug Addiction in Afghanistan http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Studies/Afghan-Drug-Survey-2009-Executive-Summary-web.pdf

Questions to Consider

❖ What is my nation’s official drug policy?

❖ What is the level of addiction in my country?

❖ What causes are there for an increase in drug production in Afghanistan?

❖ What solutions have worked elsewhere in lowering overall drug production and consumption?