ECOSOC committee

Committee members:

Nicola Dhima (Venezuela)
Lorenzo Heinbuch (Netherlands)

1. Promoting south-south cooperation in a globalized economy. Be sure youknow what south-south means and of any trade agreements among southern hemisphere countries. Latin American is heavily involved in this so Venezuela should be on their toes.

http://tcdc.undp.org/ This is the South-South information page, get to know it!

ilas.cass.cn/manager/jeditor/UploadFile/200775152917519.doc A document on south-south trade in globalized economy.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-G8/south_2658.jsp This is on China and Africa specifically, so you may want to know as we will be in Ghana.

2. Addressing the economic and social causes and effects of mass migration from less developed countries (LDCs) to more developed countries (MDCs). This is an issue for the Netherlands.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7254743.stm BBC story on immigration.

http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10286197 Economist special report.

3. Implementing measures to encourage increased foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa.

http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/poiteiitm15.pdf A thick document but has a lot of relevant information.

http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000883/P994-African_Social_Observatory_PilotProject_FDI.pdf perhaps a bit easier to understand and is a case study.

4. Addressing the causes and effets of the global economic crisis, with a particular emphasis on its effects upon the poor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_crisis_of_2008 The Wikipedia site...as this is such a large question you should probably start here and then focus on some point that benefits your country stance.

Background, Human Rights

Committee members:

Sessie Agbley (Netherlands)
Erica Carvahlo (Jamaica)
Jason Chapman (Venezuela)
Cassio Dimande (Norway)
Oyvind Masst (Ghana)

1. The question of human rights for homosexuals. Make sure you read the UN Declaration of Human Rights!

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_unchr.htm This is an actual UN draft resolution, you should know the arguments in the resolution.

2. Ensuring accountability of Multinational Corportations (MNCs) for human rights violations. Make sure you can define what a human right violation is! For this to apply, "corporations must be directly implicated in violations of fundamental human rights that are clearly defined under international law." So, you had best know international law and what human right was violated.

http://web.abo.fi/instut/imr/norfa/ville.pdf This is a private industry paper but does address the question.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2633/is_/ai_100545309

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/hrj/iss12/gibney.shtml A thick document but answers the questions.

Be sure to know which industries operate in your country and also which big businesses.

3. Protecting enemy combatants from torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. This will see people going after USA with the issues at Abu Grahib. Probably, your countries are ok but make sure that in their histories you have no issues of torture.

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/62175.pdf Official UN statement

http://www.pdcnet.org/pdf/ijap192-Davis.pdf explaining why countries torture

4. Exploring the implementation of a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty. See the above documents as this is considered "cruel and unusual." Also, find out if your country enforces a death penalty.

Background, Environment committee

Committee Members:

Emma Davies (Netherlands)
Joon Kim (Venezuela)
Jahira Martins (Ghana)

In addition to researching your country assignments and understanding the position of your country for each of the four questions, read the following links as a start to research:

1. Determining territorial claims to the Arctic: The issue here will be future oil and fresh water exploitation. It is typically regarded as international, but some countries do claim rights. Russia is one of them and Venezuela would probably support their claim. You need to consider global warming in this as it is allowing for the Arctic to open up.

The UN has ruled on this already, so be sure you are familiar with the ruling!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_the_Arctic

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4354036.stm

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070810.warctic0810/BNStory/National

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/2045924/UN-to-rule-on-Arctic-seabed-ownership.html

2. Implementing mesures to regulate the exploitation of natural resources by Multinational Corporations (MNCs): This, in part, is linked to Venezuela's claim to own more of their own natural resources. MNCs are necessary to extract wealth, but at what level of involvment? There is also a role of exploitation of minerals with warfare and child soldiers, particularly in Africa.

http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/exploitation.html

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/docsindex.htm

3. Addressing the global food crisis by balancing the need for both biofuel and food production. Again, Venezuela is caught in this as they are major oil producers and food importers.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/758/global-food-crisis-2008

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7432583.stm

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361634_biodiesel03.html

4. International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. This will probably not be a huge discussion, but still be familiar with it.

http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/index.html The UN actually has an office of outer space affairs!