Jaco Model United Nations 2023

Conference
Handbook
 Conference Handbook

JacoMUN 2023 CONFERENCE HANDBOOK

From a humble beginning in 2009, with the very first JacoMUN being hosted on our school
premises, to the twelfth session of the conference in 2022 the St. James’ School Model
United Nations Conference has grown from strength to strength and JacoMUN’23 will be
taking it to an all-new level. Hosted by St. James’ School, Kolkata, this MUN has the
distinction of being one of the premier conferences in the country.

At St. James’, we value the art of re-defining ourselves with every event, and JacoMUN, over
the years, has edified this spirit, which is why our MUN shall be hosted at one of the most
renowned and accredited hotels of the country, the Hotel Hindusthan International, Kolkata.

Eight dynamic committees, the level of debate that has defined the conference in its past 12
sessions and a whole new ambience, all create a package that will ensure that JacoMUN’23
will give you the most memorable 3 days of your lives.

Each school attending the conference has been assigned one or more countries, and each
country is represented by one or two delegates in each committee. In most committees, the time
is divided between formal debate, caucuses, and the resolution writing process.

Non-Conference related Details

Dates

17th, 18th and 19th July, 2023.

Dress Code Policy

As a simulation of the United Nations, we at JacoMUN strive for professionalism in all

aspects of the conference. Delegates are expected to follow a dress code during all committee
sessions and conference events. Sandals, jeans, miniskirts and other informal articles of
clothing cannot be worn. At all times, we ask that delegates and Faculty Advisors exercise
good sense when interpreting the dress code. When casual attire is permitted, basic rules of
propriety will still apply. Delegates who are dressed inappropriately for any event may be
asked to return to change into more appropriate attire. At most times, the prevailing dress
code will be western business attire, although national attire and religious attire are also
permitted. The rules of Western business attire are as follows:

• Men must wear a suit or a jacket and dress pants (no jeans or cargo pants) with a dress,
shirt and tie. Socks and dress shoes must be worn. No hats or caps will be allowed.
• Women must wear a dress, suit, dress slacks (no jeans) or skirt of appropriate length
with a blouse or sweater. Dress shoes must be worn. No hats or caps will be allowed.

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The Dress Code for each of the three days of the Conference is as follows:
Day I: Business Formals
Day 2: Indian Formal Wear
Day 3: Business Formals

Electronic devices and Usage of the Internet

While electronic devices can be used during committee, delegates are not allowed to use the
Internet during committee sessions, except during an unmoderated caucus (Under Discretion
of the Executive Board). If a delegate wishes to use the Internet for any reason whatsoever,
the Executive Board can ask the Delegate to leave the committee room and access the
Internet.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided to outstation schools. Further details are mentioned on the

official JacoMUN website. Transportation will be provided to outstation delegations as well.

Logistics

Logistics members are there in each committee to assist delegates with any requirements. They
are available for the passing of communication chits while committee is in session so as to
facilitate negotiations/clarifications without disruptions. Delegates are to keep in mind that any
sort of derogatory behaviour towards the logistics members will not be tolerated.

Stationery

Delegates shall be provided with stationery at the start of the conference, after registration, by
our administration team. This includes a folder, a pen, a notepad, a chit pad, an ID card and a
placard for each delegate.

Debate

In order to prevent misunderstandings and delays during formal committee debate, delegates
must have a comprehensive understanding of the rules and their use. In the large General
Assembly committees, the Speaker’s List can become quite long, but yielded time, questions,
moderated caucus and comments from the floor, as well as the proposal of amendments, keep
the debate current flowing smoothly. Thus, knowledge of the rules is vital for airing your

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views through one of these mechanisms. Committee meetings over the conference of the
weekend will roughly adhere to the following pattern.

Statement by the Secretariat

At any time, any member of the Secretariat may make an oral or written statement or
announcement to the committee regarding an update on their topic. Such an announcement is
not questionable.

ID Cards

ID Cards will be handed out during the Conference Registration as per the Conference
Schedule. These must be worn at all times.

Venue

The conference will be held on the premises of the Hotel Hindusthan International, Kolkata.
The delegates shall be made cognizant of the areas allocated for the committees on the day of
the conference.

Food & Beverages

Food and beverages will be served on all days of the conference. Buffet lunch will be served
at Hotel Hindusthan International.

Restrictions

The following items are not allowed to be carried into or consumed on the premises of the
Hotel Hindusthan International, Kolkata:
1. Any tobacco products

2. Alcohol

3. Drugs

4. Weapons

5. All acts of theft or vandalism will be immediately reported to the police.

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The administration of Hotel Hindusthan International, Kolkata and the Secretariat of

JacoMUN reserve the right to remove any person from the premises of the hotel at any point
of time on grounds of violations of any of the aforementioned rules or regulations of the
conference or for any other grave misconduct.

COVID-19 Advisory

1. All Delegates are advised to wear a mask at Hotel Hindusthan International, Kolkata
(except when feeling uncomfortable).
2. All Delegates are advised to carry a hand sanitizer with them at all times.

Please note that this is not a regulated compulsion*

General Powers of the Committee Staff

The CHAIRPERSON will declare the opening and closing of each meeting and may propose
that committee adopt a certain procedural motion. During debate, the Chairperson shall
exercise absolute control over the proceedings. Thus, in effect, he will direct the flow of
formal debate, accord the right to speak, rule on points of order, announce decisions and
ensure and enforce the observance of these rules. The other members of committee staff may
advise individual delegates or the committee on the possible course of debate and may
perform any of the functions of the chairperson as and when they are delegated to them.

The Press Corps is free to publish any material within the purview of the MUN. The Press
enters and observes committee proceedings on the basis that the committee has no significant
objections to their presence.

Appeal

Delegates are free to appeal any decision made by the Moderator or Director.
However, it is at the Chairperson’s discretion to accept or reject any or all appeals. Should the
appeal not be related to immediate committee proceedings but the committee as a whole, the
delegates may appeal to the Secretary-General.

Quorum

The Quorum for the conference is set at one-third of the members of the committee. A
quorum will be assumed to be present unless specifically challenged and shown to be absent.
A roll call is not required. In case quorum fails; committee session will be suspended at the
discretion of the Secretary-General.

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On Debate

A guideline to the procedure followed to begin debate:

Setting the Agenda

At JacoMUN, the agenda is limited to the single topic area outlined in each committee’s study
guide. Thus, voting to set the agenda to the topic area is a mere formality. Since all committees
(except the World Media Council) have a single topic, this is a formality. This establishes the
topic that will be discussed in committee through a vote.

Once the agenda has been set, debate begins. In effect, there are two such formalities – ‘the
motion to open debate’ and ‘the motion to set agenda’ respectively.

General Speaker’s List

A General Speaker’s List must be opened by motioning for the same. In order to speak, the
delegate’s name must be placed on the General Speaker’s List, which remains open through
the committee. This can be done either by show of placards or through chits sent to the
Executive Board with the name of the delegate’s allotment on it. The General Speaker’s List
is open throughout the discussion of the topic area.

Motions to open any other medium of debate will not close the General Speaker’s List, but
will only overlap it. Hence, if an allotment is in queue to speak on it and another medium of
debate is opened, that allotment will remain in that position once the General Speaker’s List
is returned to.

Special Speakers’ List

The Special Speakers’ List is almost like the General Speaker’s List, except that it must be
motioned for. This is opened to discuss a particular topic within the topic area and is opened
for a specific time period. While motioning to open it, the purpose and time limit must be
specified. Speakers may only discuss the issue that the Special Speaker’s List was opened to
discuss. After a delegate finishes his/her speech, he/she has the option of yielding. If a
delegate chooses not to yield, two 30- second comments are in order. After a speaker finishes
a substantive speech (i.e., speech pertaining to the topic area within the restrictions of formal
debate), two thirty- second comments pertaining to that speech may be made. The comments
will be made by two speakers who ‘(usually by show of placards) display their intent to the
Chairperson. It is at the Chairperson’s discretion that a delegate may make comments. This
applies to the General Speaker’s List as well as any Special Speaker’s List.

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Yields

There are three different types of yields. Please remember, though, that yields only apply to
substantive speeches, there is only one yield per speech, and yielding precludes any
comments.

• To Points of Information’s: With this yield, the Chairperson selects delegates who wish to
ask you questions. Each delegate is allowed one question, and only your answer time is
subtracted from your remaining time. Often the best kind of yield that you can make,
yielding to questions lets you clear any misconceptions that delegates may have.
• To a delegate: When you yield to another delegate, he/she is given your remaining time to
speak.
• To the Chair: After you make this yield, the Chairperson proceeds to the next speaker,
unless there are any motions.

Moderated Caucus

The purpose of a moderated caucus is to facilitate substantive debate on a sub-part to the

agenda or a crucial aspect of a crisis. Compared to the strict parliamentary order of formal
debate, caucus may appear to be disorganized and hectic. A moderated caucus is also opened
for a specified purpose and a specified time. Delegates must mention for how long and for
what purpose they want to caucus, including the per speaker time. In a moderated Caucus,
delegates should attempt to be precise and to the point. Delegates are advised to refrain from
going off the immediate, specific, subtopic.

Unmoderated Caucus

It is used for negotiation that can lead to breakage of deadlock that formal debate has been
unable to achieve or to formulate paperwork. An unmoderated caucus is a state of committee
during which no speakers are recognized by the moderator. An unmoderated caucus
temporarily suspends formal debate and allows members to discuss ideas informally in the
committee room. The delegate making the motion must briefly explain the purpose of the
motion and specify a time limit for the caucus. The motion will be put to a vote immediately,
and a simple majority is required for passing such a motion.

How and When to Move to Caucus

When a motion for a caucus is raised, delegates must mention for how long and for what
purpose they want to caucus. If you feel that discussion among delegates outside of formal
debate is necessary, then move to an unmoderated caucus. Generally, delegates call for an
unmoderated caucus to review ideas, or establish consensus.

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A motion to caucus, since it is a non-debatable procedural motion, takes precedence over all
other motions except for Parliamentary Points.

Reconsideration

A motion to reconsider is raised when an amendment or resolution has been decided upon.
The Chairperson will recognize speakers for and against this motion, after which it is put to
an immediate vote. A two-thirds majority of the members present and voting is required for
reconsideration.

Points

1. Point of Personal Privilege: Whenever a delegate experiences personal discomfort that

impairs his/her ability to participate in the proceedings, he/she may rise to a Point of Personal
Privilege to request that the discomfort be corrected. While a Point of Personal Privilege may
interrupt a speaker, delegates should use this power with the utmost discretion.

2. Point of Order: During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a Point of Order
to indicate an instance of improper use of parliamentary procedure. The Point of Order will
be immediately ruled upon by the Chairperson in accordance with these Rules of Procedure.
The Chairperson may rule out of order those points that are dilatory or improper; such a
decision cannot be appealed. A representative rising to a point of order may not speak on the
substance of the matter under discussion. A point of order may only interrupt a speaker when
the speech itself is not following proper parliamentary procedure. Moreover, a delegate may
rise to a Point of Order to indicate a factual inaccuracy in another delegate’s speech. (Note:
There is a difference between opinion and a stated fact. For example: If a delegate says that
he/she “believes” that Berlin is the capital of India, then a Point of Order cannot be raised
since it is the other delegate’s opinion being highlighted. However, if a delegate says that
Berlin “is” the capital of India, then a Point of Order can be raised since Berlin is factually,
the capital of Germany and not India.)

3. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: When the floor is open, a delegate may rise to a Point of
Parliamentary Inquiry to ask the Chairperson a question regarding the Rules of Procedure. A
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry must never interrupt a speaker.

Point of Information: When a delegate has completed a speech, then the other delegates in
committee can ask the delegate a Point of Information which is primarily a question on the
speech given by a delegate. Every speech given in the General Speaker’s List will have at
least one Point of Information (subject to change) that can be asked by other delegates. The
number of Points of Information (if any) on speeches by delegates in the Moderated Caucus
will be determined by the Executive Board, depending on the content and nature of the
speech.

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4. Right to Reply: A delegate whose personal or national integrity has been impugned by
another delegate may request in writing a Right of Reply. The Reply, if granted, will take the
form of a thirty-second speech. Rights of Reply must be used judiciously and presented in the
correct format: quoting what the offending delegate has said, the speaker’s taken offence, an
offense to the national integrity, and the demand for an apology.

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Paperwork

Working Papers

Delegates may propose working papers for committee’s consideration. The objective of a
working paper is to bring to light certain solutions and to assist committee in further
deliberation by attempting to solve the crisis at hand.

Format

Working Papers do not have any specific format. They can be accepted in complete resolution
format, or as essays. However, care must be taken to keep the paper pertinent to the issue and
the format such that the views of the makers can be appropriately articulated. The main idea
behind a working paper is to ensure that solutions can be provided for a particular crisis being
faced by committee.

Communiqués

Communiqués are messages from usually, an allotment or the entire committee to another
country, organization, person or group of people. Communiques can be bilateral (between
two countries) or multilateral. They facilitate dialogue with relevant actors in a crisis so that
delegates can take action to resolve the various crises presented to them in committee.
Communiqués often include negotiations, threats, and requests for aid or support but are not
limited to those topics. Keep in mind that a communiqué needs to be just as well worded as a
directive and needs to be realistic enough. Delegates are to keep in mind that the Executive
Board has absolute discretion with regards to ratifying and reading out any Communique
submitted by a delegate as an update to the committee.

Communiqués may be either private or public.

Public Communique

A Public Communique is written to declare to the world that a country or an individual has
decided to implement a particular policy or take a certain action which can affect the
dynamics of committees as a whole. It is only read out to the committee by the Executive
Board if it is ratified or approved by the Executive Board.

Private Communique

A Private Communique is written by a delegate to an agency or individual within their own

country, to conduct a certain action which is usually covert or clandestine in nature. Private
Communiques provide the delegates with the opportunity to be creative and formulate
realistic ideas to change the dynamics of committee. The ideas written in private
communiques are only introduced by the Executive Board in the form of updates if the

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Executive Board believes that the idea is realistic and are in coherence with the Executive
Board’s own plan for committee.

Example of a Communiqué

Dear Mr. Phillip Hammond,

It has come to our attention that British naval forces are currently forming a blockade across
the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, and blocking United States naval vessels. This is a threat
to both our national security as well as economic security and we will not take it lightly. We
expect full compensation for damages to trade, as well as a full reversal of the blockade. In
your capacity as the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, stop this nonsense or
face consequences.

Sincerely,
The United States Cabinet

Closure of Debate

When the floor is open, a delegate may move to close debate on the substantive or procedural
matter under discussion.

Note: For all points of order, rights of reply, reconsideration motions, etc, delegates must
quote the offending delegate / justify the motion appropriately. The Chairperson of the
committee shall be the final authority on the validity of any motions / points.

Coming to Resolution

The desired product of successful negotiation is, of course, the resolution. Your solutions to
the problems that the committee confronts take the form of a resolution. Resolutions
represent the committee’s final attempt to draw together the interests of many competing
nations into a comprehensive solution that serves the interests of the collective world
community. From the procedural perspective, the resolution is the formal document upon
which the committee will take action via the amendment and voting processes.

Introducing Resolutions

Once a Resolution has been approved as stipulated above and has been copied and
distributed, delegates may raise a motion to introduce the Resolution. This motion requires
only authorization by the Executive Board and does not require a substantive vote. The dais
staff, time permitting, may read out the Resolution to committee or ask an author to do so. A

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Resolution will remain on the floor until debate is closed or a resolution on that topic area has
been passed.

Drafting the Resolution

Every good resolution should fulfil “the Three Cs”: Comprehensive, Collaborative, and
Conceivable. Virtually all the problems that the United Nations tackles are quite complex;
for a resolution to be a good solution to a problem of global importance it must be
comprehensive. If the Resolution is to gain enough support to be passed by the committee,
then it must also be collaborative. Moreover, the Resolution must be binding by the
Mandate (Set of rules and structures on which an organization is built and the powers it has)
of the concerned committee. Finally, if the resolution is to gain the approval of the Director,
then it must be conceivable. The realistic resolution must take into account the limitations of
the United Nations and the current international balance of power so as to make the most
effective use of diplomacy.

Finalizing the Resolution

One should type the Resolution out. Only soft copies shall be accepted and resolutions
submitted on paper shall not be considered by the Executive Board. At this stage, it is
important to carefully check grammar, syntax, style, etc. This Conference Handbook
contains a
Sample Resolution that delegates can follow. You must now get the required number of
delegate signatures. When attempting to get signatures, it is important to remind delegates
hesitant to sign that their signature does not bind them in any way to any future support, a
signature only implies a desire to see the resolution out on the committee floor.

Passing the resolution

Once a Resolution has the required signatories and is also approved by the Chairperson of
that committee, it is copied, distributed, and read out to the committee in unmoderated
caucus. Any two signatories of the Resolution will read out the Operative Clauses of the
resolution. The minimum number of signatories needed for a resolution to be considered by
committee is 1/5th of the total strength of committee. If the motion receives a simple majority
required for passage, the resolution shall be divided accordingly, and a vote shall be taken on
each divided part for its passage. Parts of the resolution which are passed shall be recombined
into the final resolution and shall be put to a substantive vote as a whole. If all the operative
parts of the proposal are rejected, the resolution or amendment in question will be considered
to be rejected as a whole.

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Emendments

Following the reading, a moderated caucus may be held where delegates clarify the syntax
(and syntax only) of the proposed resolution. This process of emending must take place
before the vote.

Amendments

As not everything can be worked out prior to the introduction of resolutions, it is expected
that amendments to resolutions will be presented on the floor. The amendment process allows
delegates to alter parts of a resolution without scrapping the entire document, strengthening
consensus on the resolution by allowing delegates to change sections upon which they
disagree. However, delegates must be aware of the direction in which the amendments are
steering the committee. If the amendments are not substantive, they merely bog the
committee down in procedure.

➢ An approved amendment may be introduced when the floor is open. General debate
will be suspended and two Speaker’s Lists will be established, one for and one against the
amendment. Debate will alternate between each list.

➢ A motion to close debate will be in order after the committee has heard two speakers
for the motion and two against, or when one of the Speakers’ Lists is exhausted. In
accordance with the normal procedure, the Chairperson will recognize two speakers
against the motion to close debate, and a two-thirds majority is required for closure of
debate.

➢ When debate is closed on the amendment, the Committee will move to an immediate
vote. Votes on amendments are substantive votes. After the vote, debate will return to the
General Speaker’s List.

Voting

Once committee is in voting procedure and all relevant motions have been entertained, the
committee will vote on the resolutions on the floor. Voting occurs on each resolution in
succession; once a resolution has been passed, no further resolutions will be voted on. In all
matters, both substantive and procedural, each country will have one vote. Each vote may be
a “Yes,” “No,” or “Abstain.” Most matters shall be voted upon by a show of placards, but roll
call vote shall come into play during voting on the passage of any kind of paperwork (or
otherwise at the discretion of the chair. Delegates have the option of voting “Yes with Rights”
and “No with Rights”. A delegate votes in either manner when their vote on the draft
resolution could violate their foreign policy.
During voting, no delegate can raise a motion or a point till voting ceases except for a point
of personal privilege or a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. A
simple majority requires more “Yes” votes than “No” votes; abstentions are not counted
toward either total. A two-thirds majority vote requires at least twice as many “Yes” votes as

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“No” votes. A procedural vote is a vote on any matter besides an amendment or resolution,
and requires every allotment to vote either “Yes” or “No” on the question.

Roll Call Voting for substantive motions

• In a roll call vote, the Chairperson will call all countries noted by the dais to be in
attendance in alphabetical order starting with a randomly selected member.

• In the first sequence, delegates may vote “Yes,” “No,” “Abstain,” “Pass,” “Yes with
rights,” or “No with rights.”

• A delegate who passes during the first sequence of the roll call must vote “Yes” or
“No” during the second sequence. The same delegate may not request the right of
explanation.

• A delegate may only vote with rights if he or she votes “Yes” or “No” in the first
round of voting and if his or her vote appears to insinuate a divergence from his or
her country’s policy. After all delegates have voted, delegates who had requested the
right of explanation will be granted 30 seconds each to explain their votes.

• The Chairperson will then announce the outcome of the vote.

• While roll call is taken at the beginning of the session, delegates may reply by
saying either ‘present’ or ‘present and voting’. Those calling out the latter in
response are compelled to vote by saying ‘yes ‘or ‘no’ during formal voting, while
those only responding ‘present’ during the roll call at the commencement of the
session can also ‘abstain’ later.

RESOLUTION FORMATTING GUIDELINES

Heading

The title should be centred, in capital letters, above the body of the draft resolution. The next
two lines should list the name of the committee and the title of the topic, left-aligned. Note
that only a maximum of five authors should be listed (The number of authors of a Resolution
is upon the discretion of the Executive Board).

Body

• The body of a resolution is written in the format of a long sentence, with the
following rules:
• The committees of the General Assembly and Security Council should begin their
resolutions with “The General Assembly” and “The Security Council,” respectively.

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All other committees should use their own names in the introductory line. The rest
of the resolution is comprised of two sets of clauses.
• The first set consists of perambulatory clauses, which describe the problem being
addressed, recall past actions taken, explain the purpose of the resolution, and offer
support for the operative clauses that follow. Each clause in the preamble begins
with an italicized (or underlined, if handwritten) word or phrase and ends with a
comma.
• The second set consists of operative clauses, which are numbered and state the
action(s) to be taken by the body. These clauses all begin with present tense active
verbs, which are generally stronger words than those used to begin perambulatory
clauses. These verbs are underlined. All operative clauses, except the last, which
ends with a period, are followed by semi-colons.

Operative clauses
Affirming

Alarmed by

Approving

Aware of

Bearing in mind

Believing

Cognizant of

Confident

Contemplating

Convinced

Declaring

Deeply concerned

Deeply conscious

Deeply convinced

Deeply disturbed

Deeply regretting

Desiring

Emphasizing

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Encourages

Expecting

Expressing its appreciation

Expressing its satisfaction

Has resolved

Notes

Proclaims
Reaffirms
Recommends

Regrets

Reminds

Requests

Resolves

Solemnly affirms

Strongly condemns

Supports

Takes note of

Trusts

Urges

Welcomes

Preambulatory clauses

Guided by

Having adopted

Having considered

Having considered further

Having devoted attention

Having examined

Having heard

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Having received

Having studied

Keeping in mind

Noting further

Noting with approval

Noting with deep concern

Noting with regret

Noting with satisfaction

Observing

Reaffirming

Realizing

Recalling

Recognizing

Referring

Seeking

Taking into account

Taking note

Viewing with appreciation

Welcoming

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SAMPLE RESOLUTION
Draft Resolution 1.0

Author: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Special Signatory: Ukraine

Signatories: Portugal, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg

The North Atlantic Council (NAC),

1. Calls upon the Russian Federation to:

a. Abide by the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security
between NATO and Russia, 1997 and the Rome Declaration of 2002 titled
“NATO-Russia Relations: A New Quality”, in accordance with which the
Russian Federation should re-join the NATO-Russia Council so as to engage
in a spirit of mutual cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) regarding the following but not limited to:
I. The prevention of conflict in Ukraine from spreading to the other NATO
States like Poland and Romania,
II. The prevention of conflict in the Baltic Region, especially with regards
to the Kaliningrad Exclave and the NATO territory surrounding it,
III. Progress in de-escalation of tensions between NATO and the Russian
Federation, especially after the sinking of the German frigate in the
Black Sea,
IV. Reduction of tensions between NATO and the Russian Federation with
regards to the recent Russian threats of use of nuclear weapons,
b. Engage actively with NATO Member States through the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council (EAPC) for facilitating a framework for smooth
coordination for fulfilling the aforementioned principles;

2. Recommends the Standard North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Maritime

Group 2 (SNMG2) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in
coordination with the United Nations Mines Action Service (UNMAS) to:
a. Form a Team of 100 experts titled “The Panel of Experts for Issuing Advice
relating to De-mining Operations in the Black Sea” (PEIADO) consisting of
the following individuals but are not completely limited to: -
I. Those individuals and/or officials who are part of the Standard NATO
Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and the United Nations Mine Action
Service (UNMAS),
II. Those individuals and/or officials who have participated in De-mining
operations in the past,

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III. Those individuals who have the required educational and experience-
oriented qualifications to participate in De-Mining Operations,

b. To facilitate a process for cooperation with officials at both the political and
military level in the Black Sea States such as Ukraine, the Republic of Turkey, the
Republic of Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia so as to: -

I. Allow the PEIADO experts and/or officials to access the extent of the
Black Sea which is under the rights of the respective countries,
II. Facilitate transportation of the PEIADO experts and/or officials to
access those respective portions of the Black Sea by- land, air and
water, while keeping in mind the Montreux Convention on Regime of
Straits, 1936.
III. Ensure non-interference in the work of the PEIADO experts and/or
officials by any means including but not limited to-

● Political Pressure,

● Collusion,

● Providing financial incentives, etc,

IV. Provide the PEAIDO experts and/or officials with comprehensive

information regarding-

● Recent mine activity in the portion of the Black Sea belonging to the
respective countries,

● Current efforts undertaken by the respective countries to diffuse or

remove floating mines in the Black Sea and particular nature of origin
of the floating mines,

● Locations of the floating mines,

● Current Technological Equipment used to remove or diffuse the

floating mines,

a. Provide advice to, in the context of efficiently and quickly removing and
diffusing the floating mines, and assist the respective countries to remove and
diffuse the floating mines in certain methods which include but are not limited
to: -

I. Mine Sweeping which is comprised of-

● Contact Sweeping usually resulting in the mooring wire of the

floating mines being cut off by a wire that is dragged through the water,

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● Distance Sweeping usually mimicking the sound and magnetism of a

ship and is pulled behind the sweeper, thus acting as the only sweep
effective against bottom mines,

II. Mine Hunting which involves the use of Specialized High Frequency
Sonars and High-Fidelity Side Scan Sonar,
III. Counter-mining, if absolutely necessary,

b. Formulate a time-schedule for beginning the period of aiding and advice to the
respective countries who are and will be involved in de-mining operations in
the Black Sea and coordinate with them an understanding of:
I. The potential locations where the floating mines may be found,

II. Which of the aforementioned and/or other methods of removing or

diffusing sea mines;

3. Encourages Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to take active
steps to counter Russia’s malign influence in the Black Sea by:
a. Significantly increase assistance to certain States integral to maintaining
NATO force presence in the Black Sea, in the form of: -
I. Financial assistance, aimed at driving them away from Russian
economic influence,
II. Assistance in the energy sector which is aimed at reducing Russian oil
and gas exports to the respective countries,
III. Assistance in the information and cyber sectors aimed at countering
Russian information warfare tactics and malicious cyber warfare tactics
by the Russian Federation against the respective countries,
IV. Military assistance in the form of provisions for deployment of air
missile defence systems and coastal defence missile systems in the
respective countries,
b. Expanding, increasing and continuing of naval exercises by the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) after holding consultations with the Republic of
Türkiye to allow passage for the warships into the Black Sea;

4. Encourages the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to begin developing and
enhancing its Eastern Flank near the Baltic Sea by:
a. Providing the Baltic States with important weapons including but not limited
to: -
I. Advanced and Sophisticated Air defence Systems,
II. Attack Helicopters,
III. Transport Helicopters,

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b. Enhancing and Improving Security among the Baltic States through the
following measures: -
I. Smooth and efficient coordination among the Baltic States with regards
to collective security and defence in the region,
II. Improvements and extension in training,
III. Interoperability of forces,
IV. Improvement in Command-and-Control functions and techniques,
V. Development of logistical capabilities,
VI. Intelligence gathering, providing comprehensive intelligence to the
Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty,
VII. Development and expansion of surveillance capabilities,
VIII. Establishment of a set of military exercises, to be conducted within a
fixed period of time, for the implementation and testing of the
aforementioned measures,
c. Implementing and facilitating a gradual and timely transition of NATO’s
military structure from one which supports the Battlegroup System to one
dealing with a brigade division level with depictions of classic rehearsals of
offensive, delay and defensive operations,
d. Choosing and facilitating the supplies of military equipment and weapons to
the Baltic States through less vulnerable routes or ways of transportation
which cannot be detected by radar or missiles belonging to the Russian
Government,
e. Increasing the capacity and speed of logistics involved in the weapon and
troop transfers,
f. Preparing the Baltic States, through a comprehensive and realistic assessment
of the military situation in the Baltic Region to defend themselves against any
possible Russian attack through the following measures which include but are
not limited to:
I. Electronic Jamming of Search Radars, Engagement Radars and
Command-and-Control Networks for Artillery Systems, Rocket
Systems and Missile Systems,
II. Tricking Radar systems on the ground, be it of artillery or missile
defence systems, by using Physical Decoys, Electronic Decoys and
Glider Decoys,
III. Militarily assisting insurgency efforts by Special Units in the militaries
of the Baltic States,
IV. Taking active steps to provide Sweden with membership so as to help
NATO use Swedish airbases, facilities which could be used for
emergency landing and could facilitate higher sortie rates in the event of
a NATO air operation against the Russian Federation in the Baltic
Region.

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 Conference Handbook

POSITION PAPER
Every committee will be having position papers which are primarily documents to highlight
your allotment’s policy regarding a particular agenda. It consists of three fundamental parts:

1. Statement of the Problem

2. Policy Pertaining to the Agenda

3. Solutions

Please do read the Sample Position Paper given below for reference and further
understanding.

POSITION PAPER

Name: Aryan Ghosh

School: St. James’ School, Kolkata

Committee: Special Political and Decolonization (Fourth) Committee of the United Nations
General Assembly (SPECPOL)

Agenda: Determining Future Peace Reconciliation Steps in Yemen with Special Emphasis on
the Recent Developments in the Southern Region

Allotment: The French Republic

Statement of the Problem

The Arab Spring of 2011

The Arab Spring of 2011 was a series of Anti-Government protests, uprisings and armed
rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world and began in response to oppressive
regimes and a low standard of living. In Yemen, the Arab Spring sparked the Yemeni
Revolution also known as the Yemeni Revolution of Dignity, against the rule of then
President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The shift of power from President Saleh to Vice President Hadi

In response to the uprising, the United Nations (UN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) brokered a transitional dialogue process called the National Dialogue Conference
from 18th March, 2013 and 24th January, 2014, which saw the transition of power from
President Saleh to Vice President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

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The Houthi Rebels

The Houthi Insurgency which was a military rebellion pitting Zaidi Shia Houthis mostly, was
sparked in Yemen began back in 2004. They were also very active in the Anti-Government
protests during the Arab Spring in Yemen in 2011 and are being provided logistical, financial
and military support from the Islamic Republic of Iran, through its’ radical proxy
organization Hezbollah and North Korea. During the civil war, the Houthi rebels have
committed grave human rights violations.
1
Houthi forces have repeatedly fired artillery indiscriminately into Yemeni cities such as Taizz
and
Hodeida, as well as launched indiscriminate ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia, including
Riyadh’s
International Airport1. Their use of cluster munitions and land mines are in violation of the
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Their deliberate attacks on the civilian
population as well as civilian sites like mosques are in grave violation of the Geneva
Conventions and the Additional Protocols which prohibit the deliberate targeting of civilians
and civilian facilities and therefore constitute war crimes. They have resorted to using child
soldiers, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture, all of which violate the
Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights, International Convention for the
Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment. They have also been responsible for blocking and preventing aid
from reaching civilian populations.

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen

In fear of the rapid spread of Iranian influence and the Houthi insurgency, on 26th March,
2015, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led a coalition of nine countries and began a bombing
operation in Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The legal basis of the operation was
Article 51 of the UN Charter which states that “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair
the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a
Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to
maintain international peace and security”. The air campaign was followed by a land, air and
naval blockade to prevent the smuggling of arms from Iran to the Houthis. However, the
blockade has resulted in certain humanitarian difficulties. The Saudiled coalition has been
receiving military and logistical support from the United States of America (USA), the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) and the French Republic. The coalition
efforts have been extremely effective in curbing violence by the Houthi rebels as well as
other non-state armed groups but have also caused civilian casualties.

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Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant
(ISIL)

The crisis in Yemen had created a power vacuum in certain parts of Yemen which then was
exploited by terror organizations such as the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and
the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) which have been involved in bombings in several
parts of Yemen against mostly pro-Hadi forces.

Southern Transitional Council (STC)

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) is a secessionist organization in Yemen calling for
and working towards the separation of Southern Yemen from the rest of the nation.
2
Beginning on 28th January 2018, separatists loyal to the STC seized control of the Yemeni
government headquarters in
Aden in a coup d'état against the Hadi Government. The STC declared self-governance on
26th April, 2020. In Aden, the movement's attempt was successful, as it occupied all
Governmental institutions2. Although the Saudi-led coalition has tried to come to a peaceful
settlement with the STC through the Riyadh Agreement, all efforts have gone in vain.

Policy pertaining to the agenda

Arms sales to the Saudi-led Coalition

The French Republic has been providing the Saudi-led coalition with military and logistical
support in order to defend itself against the Houthi rebels that continue to pose a great threat
to both the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially considering that
the Houthi rebels have targeted oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the construction of the
Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi. Keeping in mind the saying “A nuclear power
plant in a country is like a pre-deployed nuclear weapon for the enemy”, it is our belief that
the Nuclear Power Plant may be as vulnerable as Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq facility was, which
was protected by three layers of missile defence. Thus it might be vulnerable to drone or
missile strikes from the Houthi rebels because it does not have any added protection from
aeroplane crashes or missile attacks and does not even have a core catcher which can catch
the core in the scenario of a meltdown.

Careful methods of providing arms to the Saudi-led coalition to prevent violation of

international treaties

The French Republic takes a great number of steps in order to ensure that arms provided to
the

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Saudi-led coalition go through a number of checks. By providing the coalition with arms, the
French Republic is not violating the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which does not require
signatories to stop exporting weapons to countries that go to war. It requires only that
Governments carry out assessments that their weapons don’t contribute to war crimes. In
these efforts, the French
Government sets rules that parties to the conflict cannot use French arms in the Yemeni Civil
War in an offensive manner but only to protect themselves against Houthi offensives. 3Arms
sales are governed by strict procedures that are in line with international treaties.3

The War on Terror

The French Government sees Yemen as a stronghold for both Al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and therefore provides
arms to the Saudi-led coalition to fight such terror organizations as well as curb the activities
of Houthi rebels committing acts of terror. Acts of terrorism may pose a threat to international
peace and security, jeopardize friendly relations among States, hinder international
cooperation and aim at the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and the
democratic bases of society; Therefore, the French Republic will do anything in its’ power to
set forward the principles of the UN Charter and prevent the spread of terrorism.

Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

The French Republic is extremely concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
According to the UN, 4Yemen is suffering the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with
more than 24 million people, some 80 percent of the population in need of humanitarian
assistance, including more than 12 million children.4 The French Republic suggests that
Saudi Arabia abides by the No Strike List provided by the United States of America so as to
prevent any violations of the Geneva Conventions. In 2018, The French Government has
committed to giving Yemen €7.8 million in humanitarian aid via international organizations
such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Food Programme
(WFP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as well as Non-
Governmental Organizations (NGOs). 5The projects provided support in the fields of
healthcare and malnutrition to help combat the risks of famine and the cholera epidemic. In
January 2018, €1.5 million was also leveraged to fight against the risks of famine and
malnutrition as part of planned food aid for the country.5

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Solutions

Political Solutions to the War

The French Government advocates for the implementation of the measures mentioned in the
Hodeidah Agreement, the Stockholm Agreement and the Riyadh Agreement. The Saudi-led
coalition must draw up an agreement with the STC not only consisting of the contents of the
Riyadh
Agreement but also ensuring that the STC is given humanitarian and financial aid in order to
prevent them from backing out of the deal. This can serve as a first step towards coming to a
peaceful solution to the instability in Southern Yemen. Coming to the Houthi rebels, since
they claim that they have been marginalized, therefore the coalition must address their issues
through a formal peace negotiation format if there is any hope for a comprehensive peace
deal.

Economic Sanctions

Ever since the United States of America (USA) withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran Nuclear Deal of 2015 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, Iran s’
economy has begun collapsing and in the midst of the spread of the novel coronavirus, has
been suffering a financial crisis. The French Republic fears that if Iran does not withdraw its’
support for the Houthi rebels, then the international community might be compelled to
impose tougher sanctions on Iran. Thus, the Islamic Republic of Iran must withdraw its
support for the Houthi rebels and participate positively in the peace negotiations as well as
persuade the Houthi Rebels to negotiate with the Saudi-led coalition for a peaceful settlement
to the crisis. This could even set the process for negotiating a new nuclear deal with the US to
prevent sanctions from destroying the Iranian economy. The UNSC must also impose harsh
economic sanctions and arms embargos against the Houthi rebels.

Humanitarian Solutions

All nations should work with the Yemeni Government to build critical infrastructure, improve
health facilities, form a joint counterterrorism surveillance mechanism, draw up
comprehensive agricultural policies, provide clean water supplies, and in the process work
towards solving the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The French Republic believes that only a political solution can solve this war and therefore
all the warring parties must come to the table and formulate a comprehensive solution to the
war.

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Citations
1. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/yemen
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Transitional_Council
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20200113142837/https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/French-
ArmsSales-to-Saudi-Arabia-Increased-50-in-2018-Report-20190604-0018.html
4. https://christianaidministries.org/updates/helping-yemenis-in-their-struggle-to-survive/
5. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/yemen/

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PLAGIARISM POLICY
Delegates are to understand that each of their works, be it their position paper or the draft
resolution, is to be completely original. Any limits on plagiarism for documents will be
determined by the respective Executive Boards and the Secretary-General. Delegates must
also bear in mind the fact that the Executive Board of their respective committees will also
determine whether the instance where it is found that a delegate has provided a plagiarized
work, actually qualifies as plagiarism in accordance with the scrupulous and stringent
plagiarism policy at JacoMUN. The Secretary General’s decision on a matter relating to a
matter of plagiarism will be final and binding, resulting in serious ramifications. Plagiarism
will not be tolerated at JacoMUN in any form.

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