GA-4 SPECPOL

Letter from the Chairperson

Dear Delegates,
I am Samyak Shrimal, and I will be serving as the Chairperson of the fourth committee of the United Nations General Assembly. It is my distinct honor to welcome you to the fourth iteration of the Shishukunj MUN.

I am an 11th grader and wish to pursue my career in international business and foreign trade. I also have a special interest in Economics. I have been participating in Model UN conferences for the past 3 years, which has broadened my perception of the global world. Besides the salient skills of diplomacy, communication and consensus-building, there is a lot to take away from such conferences.

I could not be more excited to chair SPECPOL this year. I expect the delegates to really delve into the many sub-issues pertaining to the topic at hand; some of the subtopics will compel you to shrewdly negotiate and navigate contentious issues and reach upon consensus. As the committee chairperson, I am deeply invested in every single experience of yours, and I would love for this committee to be a truly engaging and fun learning experience for novice and veteran delegates alike.

I check my email compulsively and am super-passionate about any issues you may have, so unhesitatingly reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or points of confusion, at specpol@shishukunjmun.com, as you prepare for the committee and the conference. I cannot put into words how excited I am for the Shishukunj Model UN 2018 conference and look forward to meeting you all in October.
Cheers!
Samyak Shrimal
Chairperson
GA-4 SPECPOL
specpol@shishukunjmun.com

Organ Description

The Special Political and Decolonization committee (SPECPOL) is the fourth committee of the General Assembly. It was created in 1993, in accordance with the General Assembly Resolution ⁴⁷⁄₂₃₃, and, thus, is the newest organ of the General Assembly. The objective of inclusion of SPECPOL in the UNGA was to address political matters such as decolonization and some concerns pertaining to international security that the First Committee (DISEC) was not able to discuss. Seeing the success of SPECPOL in the topics relating to the Palestine issue, it was given other subjects such as Decolonization, Palestinian refugees and their human rights, peacekeeping and mine action, outer space, public information, atomic radiation, and University for Peace. SPECPOL is currently viewed as an aide to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), not only because of the broader approach it has in terms of international security, but also because it allows all United Nations member states to be heard before the matter reaches the other UN organs. Therefore, although they are not binding, the committee’s resolutions are very appealing. This is because they reflect the opinion of the majority countries regarding substantive matters. It is important to note that SPECPOL may not take any military action as it functions as a forum in which members engage in conversations, present ideas, and prepare policies.

Agenda: Discussing and Determining the Status of Private Military Companies in the Contemporary World

Private Military Companies (PMCs) are private companies which provide commercial armed combat or security services to individuals or organizations. These services include, inter alia, security monitoring, logistics, training, and intelligence gathering. In recent years, the use of Private Military Companies has increased exponentially. Some companies carry out active combat operations in various countries. However, PMCs have been used by organizations for personal benefit and have caused grave violations of human rights, which has led to civil unrest.
Efforts made by the UN on this topic, till now, have been ineffective, mainly due to the differing opinions regarding PMCs by different nations. While some countries have shown full support for PMCs, some others have shown staunch disapproval. Discussion on this agenda is of paramount importance. The United Nations has been closely following PMCs for a long time and is increasing its reliance on them. The UN has on one side shown support for PMCs but on the other has criticized its negative impacts. Legitimate concerns have been raised on the increasing use of PMCs and their effect on armed conflict.
The aim of the committee is to deliberate and discuss in detail the various aspects of PMCs. The committee must decide the limits on the usage of these private military services and formulate regulatory measures. Consensus is imperative to ensure proper solution to this dispute.