Model United Nations Past Paper PDF

fPart One: Committee Simulation Introduction to the Committee Overview of the General Assembly The General Assembly (GA) is the main policy-making body of the UN. Established in 1945, the General Assembly comprises 193 Member States and focuses on discussing topics of international relevance...

fPart One: Committee Simulation Introduction to the Committee Overview of the General Assembly The General Assembly (GA) is the main policy-making body of the UN. Established in 1945, the General Assembly comprises 193 Member States and focuses on discussing topics of international relevance while proposing recommendations that pertain to the maintenance of peace and security. Its headquarters in New York oversees and organizes UN conferences and operations. The GA possesses six sub-committees, each of them focusing on specific topics. These sub-committees include: GA1 - DISEC: The first committee of the General Assembly is the Disarmament and International Security Committee. As the name implies, DISEC addresses issues relating to disarmament measures, prevention of arms races, and general principles regarding the use of weapons. GA2 - ECOFIN: The second committee of the General Assembly is the Economic and Financial Committee. This committee deals with all that is related to global issues, development, and sustainable development of economic and financial matters. This can include trade, development, and in this case, sanctions. GA3 - SOCHUM: The third committee of the General Assembly is the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee. This committee’s responsibilities encompass a range of social, humanitarian, and human rights issues, including, but not limited to, gender equality. GA4 - SPECPOL: The Special Political and Decolonization Committee deals with a variety of political issues related to decolonization. It tackles issues related to peacekeeping or those in non-self-governing territories. GA5 - ACABQ: The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions deals with the administrative, budgetary, and financial Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved.  matters of the United Nations. GA6- LEGAL: The Legal Committee handles legal matters within the UN. This includes dealing with the promotion of international law, the consideration of draft conventions, and the development of legal principles. Although each of the six main committees of the GA tackles a different subject, all of them possess the same structure and operate under the scope of the GA. While the General Assembly and its six committees play significant roles in the discussion of international issues, it is important to note that their resolutions are non-binding. This means that there are no legal repercussions for Member States ignoring or failing to meet them. The Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee) Established in 1945 under Article 17 of the UN Charter, GA5 concerns itself with administrating and managing the budget of the UN and its bodies. It also makes sure that all Member States abide by their financial obligations. Currently, the membership of the Administrative and Budgetary Committee comprises all 193 Member States of the General Assembly. The 5th Committee possesses a bureau consisting of a Chairman, three Vice Chairmen, and a Rapporteur who are replaced yearly. Members of the bureau represent the following regional groups: Group of African states, Group of Asian states, Group of Eastern European states, Group of Latin American states, and Group of Western European states and other states. The Chairman: the Chairman is appointed by the General Assembly and represents one of the five regional groups. The Chairman’s main role is to direct discussions and ensure that all Member States abide by the rules of procedure of the GA. Vice Chairmen: the three Vice Chairmen are representatives of three different regional groups. They assist the Chairman and fill their place in case of absence. Rapporteur: The rapporteur reviews the Committee’s draft resolution by the end of the session. Once the annual term is over, the rapporteur takes on the same regional group as the ex-chairman. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. As highlighted in the UN Charter, the Administrative and Budgetary Committee possesses specific roles and responsibilities. 1) Reviewing the regular or program budget of the UN and its organizations: the regular budget of the UN is usually prepared and presented by the Secretary-General. The Fifth Committee and its advisory committee review the budget submitted by the SG and propose recommendations that should be taken into consideration. 2) Setting expenditure and revenue budgets: The expenditure and revenue of the UN are volatile and are subject to alteration over the years. The Fifth Committee keeps expenses in check and ensures that they are within revenue through the allocation of assessed contributions which will be discussed at a later stage. 3) Reviewing resolutions drafted by the General Assembly: almost 50% of resolutions proposed during the General Assembly sessions possess budgetary implications. The Fifth Committee reviews these resolutions and assesses their budget. 4) Determining the assessed contributions of each member state: all 193 Member States have financial obligations and specific quotas they need to fulfill to maintain voting rights in the General Assembly. The Fifth Committee concerns itself with allocating these assessed contributions. 5) Managing the peacekeeping budget: other than the regular or program budget, the Fifth Committee also manages the expanses of peacekeeping operations. The 5th Committee operates on a ‘consensus’ basis before the voting procedure. In other words, the committee should broadly agree on the resolution before voting on it in the General Assembly. This is highlighted in resolution 41/213: “The Fifth Committee…. should continue to make all possible efforts to establish the broadest possible agreement on the outline of the program budget before submitting its recommendations to the General Assembly". Although its resolutions are non-legally binding, the GA5 possesses the right to retrieve voting rights in the General Assembly. This rule is specified under Article 19 of the UN Charter: “A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years.” The Administrative and Budgetary Committee meets three times yearly. The first meeting occurs during the General Assembly session which is usually held between September and December. The Fifth committee reconvenes in March to resume the work of the first session. A third session is usually held in May for the finalization of the Peacekeeping budget. Rules of Procedure The Fifth Committee of the General Assembly (GA5) will operate on the basis of the regular rules of procedure with no adjustments. A summary of the regular rules is found below: The rules of procedure are of three types: Motions (Verbal and Non-Verbal), Points, and Yields. Verbal Motions 1. Motion to Set the Agenda: “Country X motions to set the agenda in favor of topic X.” Note that, since there will be one topic per committee this year, the agenda will already be set in favor of each committee’s topic. This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 2. Motion to Set the Speakers List: “Country X motions to set the Speakers List to Y seconds.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 3. Motion to Suspend the Debate: The debate can be suspended to a moderated or unmoderated caucus, soliciting of third parties, or consultation of the whole. a. Moderated Caucus: “Country X motions to suspend the debate for a moderated caucus to discuss Y for a total time of Z minutes and speakers time V seconds.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. b. Unmoderated Caucus: “Country X motions to suspend the debate for an unmoderated caucus for the purpose of Y for a total time of Z minutes”. This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved.  c. Solicit Third Parties: “Country X motions to suspend the debate to solicit Y, knowing that this third party has a substantive history concerning this topic, for a speaker's time of Z seconds.” This Motion Requires the Chair’s Approval. d. Consultation of the Whole: “Country X motions to suspend the debate for a consultation of the whole, to discuss Y for a total time of Z minutes.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 4. Motion to Introduce Draft Resolutions: “Country X motions to introduce Draft Resolutions.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 5. Motion to Begin Debating on Amendments: “Country X motions to begin debating on amendments.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 6. Motion to Adjourn the Meeting: “Country X motions to adjourn the meeting for the purpose of lunch.” This Motion Requires an Absolute Majority. 7. Motion to Close the Debate: “Country X motions to close the debate and move into voting procedures...” This Motion Requires a Two-Thirds Majority. Written Motions 1. Right of Reply: This is requested when a delegate feels that another delegate has made a derogatory comment to the country they are representing. There is no Right of Reply to a Right of Reply. 2. Appeal to the Chair’s Decision: This is used when a delegate feels that the chair committed a mistake or acted unfairly. Points 1. Point of Order: This is used when a delegate feels that the chair or a fellow delegate has made an error in the running of the committee. This Point is Interruptive. 2. Point of Parliamentary Procedure: Also known as a point of inquiry, this is used when a delegate has a question regarding the rules of procedure or flow of debate. This Point is Non-Interruptive. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved.  3. Point of Personal Privilege: This is used when a delegate has a certain personal discomfort. This Point is Interruptive. 4. Point of Information: This is used when a delegate does not understand or needs more clarification on a certain speech or notion that a delegate gave. This Point is Non-Interruptive. 5. Point to Instigate a Debate: This is used when a delegate finds a need to open a one-on-one debate with the speaker. This point can only be issued during moderated caucuses, consultations of the whole, and introductions of draft resolutions. This Point is Interruptive. Yields Yields are only used when a delegate does not use their whole speaking time during the formal debate. They are of three types: 1. Yield to the Chair 2. Yield to Another Delegate 3. Yield to Questions Note: A delegate cannot yield yielded time. Amendments There are two types of amendments: 1. Friendly Amendments: A change to a draft resolution that all sponsors of the latter agree with. 2. Unfriendly Amendments: A change to a draft resolution that not all sponsors agree with. This Amendment requires an Absolute Majority vote to pass. Passage of Resolutions If a draft resolution acquires an absolute majority, it passes and is adopted as the official resolution of the committee. In case no draft resolution achieves an absolute majority, the draft with a simple majority passes. Each Chairperson will point out at the beginning of the session the ‘required number to pass’ vote that will be applied in each committee. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Part Two: Topic Briefing Introduction to the Topic What is the UN Budget? To ensure effective and efficient contributions to the international community, the UN poses an annual budget to keep revenue and expenses in balance. UN spending covers numerous programs, funds, missions, and salaries of personnel. The wages of UN professional staff are considered the highest among civil service salaries worldwide. Each year, the Secretary-General drafts a budget proposal and submits it to the Administrative and Budgetary Committee for assessment and modification. The budget is then discussed by the General Assembly and passed through the consent of Member States. Until 2020, a new budget proposal was submitted after two fiscal years. Recently, the biennial cycle was amended to an annual cycle. In other words, a new budget proposal should be drafted yearly. The UN budget is divided into a regular and a peacekeeping budget, the former tackles regular UN activities while the latter is tailored specifically for peacekeeping missions. Furthermore, it should be noted that the UN is mostly financed by Member States, with their contributions being either assessed or voluntary. Regular vs Peacekeeping Budget The regular or program budget of the UN is allocated towards core organizations and operations (outside of peacekeeping missions). For the fiscal year of 2023-2024, a $3.4 billion budget was approved by the Administrative and Budgetary Committee. Examples of activities covered by this budget: The payment of salaries and the coverage of allowances for over 40,000 UN employees Special political missions in conflict and post-conflict areas. These missions include mediation and investigation of human rights breaches. Implementation of sanctions and ensuring compliance of sanctioned states Funding of UN bodies that work on preserving human rights such as the OHCHR Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. On the other hand, the peacekeeping budget tackles peacekeeping missions conducted by the UN. For the fiscal year of 2023-2024, a $6.1 billion budget was approved by the Fifth Committee, covering nine active peacekeeping missions. Though the main focus of this committee will be the regular budget, understanding both budgets and the differences between them is essential to the suggestion of credible reforms. Assessed vs Voluntary Contributions As highlighted in Article 17 of the Charter, “The expenses of the Organization shall be borne by the Members as apportioned by the General Assembly”. All 193 Member States of the GA bear financial obligations to the UN. To determine the adequate sum of money that should be submitted by each member state, the Administrative and Budgetary Committee operates according to the Scale of Assessments. The Scale of Assessment is revised every three years to ensure that the assessed contributions are fair but still contribute effectively to the regular budgets and the peacekeeping budgets. For the regular budget, quotas are determined by analyzing the countries’ capacity to pay, which is indicated by the member state’s Gross National Income (GNI). Other factors such as public debt and population are also taken into consideration. A minimum and a maximum of assessed contributions are highlighted as well. The UN also permits Member States to submit voluntary contributions as long as they align with the Charter’s values and regulations. This is highlighted in resolution 55/236 which states that: “at any time during the scale period, a Member State may make a voluntary commitment to contribute at a higher rate than its current rate by informing the General Assembly through the Secretary-General, and the Assembly may take note of that decision.” The Administrative and Budgetary Committee classifies voluntary contributions as extrabudgetary resources. In fact, a large number of UN organizations rely on Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. these voluntary contributions, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Food Program (WFP). The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) The ACABQ was established in 1946 as a subsidiary entity to the Administrative and Budgetary Committee. Its functions and scope of work are indicated in rules 155 to 157 of the GA’s rules of procedure. Once the Secretary-General drafts a new budget proposal, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) is in charge of revising it and suggesting any relevant amendments before referring it to the Fifth Committee. It should be noted that the ACABQ takes decisions by consensus, meaning that any of its members may stop the budget from being approved before reaching the GA. The ACABQ consists of 16 members who are generally the main and biggest contributors to the regular budget and come from different geographical regions. It is important to note that the USA possesses permanent membership in the ACABQ as it contributes 22% of the regular budget and 27% of the peacekeeping budget. This permanent seat grants the US unparalleled influence when it comes to setting the UN budget. Why Does the UN Budget Need Reform? The budgetary system of the UN has been largely criticized due to numerous imbalances in assessed and voluntary contributions. The main criticism posits that the budget is too reliant on main contributors and more specifically on the US. The large share of the US in the regular budget entails a power imbalance in the organization. In numerous cases, the US government would refuse to fulfill its due payments which takes a heavy toll on the overall budget and leads to financial crises. Another concern is related to voluntary contributions and the full reliance of certain organizations on them. Encouraging Member States to participate and fund new missions and programs remains a challenge. Therefore, an ambiance of unpredictability and insecurity is associated with voluntary contributions. Moreover, one major issue is the power dynamics reflected in the ACABQ. As mentioned previously, the US and main contributors are usually appointed at the head of the Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. advisory, which may hinder reforms and updates in the budget since every state acts upon its national interests. Obstacles to Reform Although a large number of Member States have expressed their desire for reform, no changes have been made due to numerous obstacles in both the UN’s structure and power division. First of all, the General Assembly is often considered the weakest body of the UN. This idea stems from the fact that the GA and its subsidiary entities simply postulate recommendations. In other words, no concrete action and legal guarantee accompanies the resolutions passed during the sessions. Another concern is related to the politicization and bias of the UN towards countries on which the budget depends. History and Development of the Topic The UN Charter: Foundational Document of the Regular Budget The UN charter is the foundational document of the UN. It lays out the objective of the organization, allocates the roles of each organ and its organizations, and highlights Member States’ requirements. The Charter was signed in June of 1945 and came into force in October 1945. It specifies details regarding the budget, mainly through Articles 17 and 19. Article 17 of the Charter allocates administrative power and budgetary authority to the Administrative and Budgetary Committee. The Charter also highlights the repercussions that Member States would face in case they fail to submit the required amount of assessed contributions. More specifically, Member States who breach the budgetary requirements of the Charter lose their voting rights in the General Assembly. This is highlighted in Article 19: “A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member.” Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Division of the UN Budget The division of the UN budget between a ‘regular budget’ and a ‘peacekeeping budget’ occurred in 1962 as a result of the crisis in Congo. The GA requested a consultation from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) following the refusal of France and the Soviet Union (USSR) to fulfill their due payments. The GA had noticed that it would not be suitable for states to allocate part of their assessed contributions for peacekeeping missions that do not serve their interests. Therefore, intending to limit breaches in the Charter, the ICJ suggested that regular spending and peacekeeping expenses should be separate. As a result, the GA divided the overall budget into what we call today the ‘program’ or ‘regular budget’ and ‘peacekeeping’ budget. The UN Budget through the Years Ever since the establishment of the UN in 1945, the US has been a major player and contributor to the regular budget. As a matter of fact, the UN Participation Act of December 1945 appointed US representatives to UN organizations and bodies. Between 1945 and 1962, the overall UN budget increased from $25 million to $480 million. This increase shows the rise of UN activity immediately after its establishment. The First Financial Crisis: 1960s The first financial crisis of the UN occurred during the 1960s. At that point, major contributors such as China, France, the Soviet Union, and some Arab states did not fully pay their assessed contributions. More specifically, it was the refusal to contribute to the First United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF 1) and the Congo peacekeeping mission that put the financial stance of the UN at risk. The GA had to adopt a $200 million bond issue to be able to overcome its deficit. The bond was able to cover almost $170 million of the debt through voluntary contributions by 1965. 1960s-1980s Another disruptive event that had negative effects on the Budget was the Kassebum-Solomon Amendment which reduced the US assessed contributions to 20%. Following the amendment, the US still would not fulfill its full required amount which put the UN budget at the brink. The decrease in the UN’s financial soundness after the amendment showcased the influence that the US holds over UN revenue and the extent of control that main contributors hold on the fate of the organization. In 1985, the Secretary-General announced cuts in Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. UN employment by 15% intending to bounce back from the deficit. The Reagan administration at that time had cut contributions to UNESCO and other organizations which caused a cash flow crisis in the UN. 1990s By the 1990s, Member States owed around $700 million to the UN, the US being the largest debtor. Moreover, The US only paid its full required amount for the budget of 1989 in August 1990 when President Bush was elected. Under the Bush administration, the US was more cooperative with the UN and pledged to commit itself to the fulfillment of required payments. Consequently, US debts were reduced by 48%. In 1993, the US Congress officially capped the US contributions to the regular budget at 22% and the peacekeeping budget at 25%. UN Reform Act 2005 In 2005, the US Congress initiated the UN Reform Act, a set of conditions that the US should apply when it comes to the UN budget. Through this act, Congress attempted to link US funding to specific UN reforms and activities. More specifically, the act contains the following premise: “It shall be U.S. policy to use its influence at the United Nations to pursue an efficient and accountable U.N. regular assessed budget, and shift funding mechanisms for the following U.N. programs from the regular assessed budget to voluntarily funded programs”. This shift from assessed contributions to voluntary contributions applies to economic and development programs in all regions other than the United States and the protection of refugees. The Act also attempted to amend the voting rights of Member States within the GA: “It shall be U.S. policy to pursue weighted voting with respect to all budgetary and financial matters in the Administrative and Budgetary Committee and in the General Assembly in accordance with the level of a member's financial contribution to the U.N. regular assessed budget”. In other words, the US’s vote would possess significant power since it is the biggest contributor to the UN program budget. The Great Recession of 2008 The Great Economic Recession of 2008 took a toll on economic systems worldwide. Too concerned with overcoming the global crisis, Member States were not able to fulfill assessed contributions, and most importantly, voluntary Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. grants were not regarded as a priority. Subsequently, organizations that depended on voluntary contributions were not able to function properly and to fulfill their missions and goals. The UN Budget during the COVID-19 Pandemic Hit by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Member States of the UN were in dire need of assistance. However, the UN Budget was also facing challenges that would take a high commitment from Member States to overcome. After submitting the budget proposal for 2021, current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the deficit of the UN: “We are being forced to operate not based on strategic direction, but rather on the availability of cash, which undermines mandate implementation.” At that time, the Trump administration had cut once again funding in various areas of the UN. For instance, voluntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the United Nations Popular Fund (UNFPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) were cut despite the global health crisis. Therefore, the lack of proper resources to face the pandemic and the reduction in cash flow were a direct result of the US’s actions. The UN Budget Today: Are the Main Contributors the Same? As of today, the US remains the most significant contributor to the UN’s budget alongside the European Union (EU). The combined contributions of EU Member States account for over 25% of the regular budget of the UN, almost the same share as the US. Consequently, the regular budget has been heavily criticized for its high reliance on the West. This implies that other regional groups are disregarded in important budgetary matters and that the UN, although an inter-state organization, is a West-oriented institution. The budget adopted for the 2023-2024 fiscal year amounts to $3.3 billion and will be allocated towards sustainable funding of activities mainly concerned with humanitarian causes. However, the UN still suffers from a cash deficit, and ways to alleviate bias and politicization in the budget system are yet to be introduced. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Case Studies Loss of Voting Rights for Venezuela Ever since the discovery of oil reserves in its land in the 1920s, Venezuela has been labeled a petrostate: a country whose economic system is heavily reliant on oil and petrol trade. Possessing the largest oil reserves in the American continent, Venezuela was considered the richest country in Latin America during the 1970s. After the election of President Hugo Chavez in 1998, an initial plan of attributing oil trade revenues to the Venezuelans turned into a nationalization of all state institutions. In other words, there was no private sector. As a result of the annulment of private businesses, the country’s economic sector relied heavily on imports which destroyed the production capacity of the country. Between 2004 and 2014, as the global oil prices went up, Venezuela spent all of its oil revenues. By 2012, 95% of Venezuela’s exports were reliant on oil. Following the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013, Nicolas Maduro was elected as president. At that time, oil prices started dropping and the country found itself in severe debt. Poverty rates increased and a food crisis emerged. While Venezuelans were in deep economic distress, Maduro failed to address the crisis and was considered the most corrupt president in Venezuelan history. As of 2023, oil reserves finance two-thirds of Venezuela’s government budget while debt reaches 160% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and hyperinflation peaks at 360%. Consequently, Venezuela consistently fails to fulfill its assessed contributions to the UN budget. It entered the list of defaulters in 2016 and has lost voting rights in six General Assembly sessions. To be removed from the list, Venezuela would have to pay over $76 million, an amount that is unlikely to be fulfilled anytime soon. Venezuela partly blames its shortcomings in assessed contributions and the constant increase of its public debt on US sanctions. As a matter of fact, US sanctions against Venezuela have been persistent since 2005. The scope of the sanctions was expanded under the Trump administration to include financial sanctions. The US mainly demands that President Nicolás Maduro resign, claiming that his regime is a threat to democracy and the reason for Venezuela’s deep-rooted corruption. In 2014, Congress even implemented the Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act to ensure the commitment of US presidents to sanctioning all acts of human rights violations and anti-democratic activities in Venezuela. It is important to note that loss of voting rights in the GA is very common. The case of Venezuela is just an example of a Member State failing to pay UN dues. A large number of Member States such as Lebanon, Sudan, and Iran constantly struggle to fulfill their financial obligations as a result of massive public debt or even heavy sanctions. This raises questions on the fairness of assessed contributions and the effectiveness of sanctions. US Withdrawal from UNESCO Although one of the main founders and supporters of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the US has not been satisfied with the latter and has withdrawn from it multiple times. In 1984, under the Reagan administration, Congress cut its funding to UNESCO following the proposal of a resolution that entails the licensing of the press. The US reintegrated into the organization again in 2002. In 2011, UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member. For context, the US enacted two laws in the 1990s that prohibit all funding to Palestine-related missions and activities and to organizations that consider Palestine a Member State in general. Consequently, the US refused to contribute its assessed budget to UNESCO, which resulted in the accumulation of $550 million in US debt to the UN regular budget by 2012. In 2013, the US lost its voting rights in UNESCO for the first time in its history. Nevertheless, the US remained a Member State and was still committed to the organization. In 2017, the US notified UNESCO of its withdrawal by 2018. This decision came under the claim that UNESCO activities do not align with the principles of American foreign policy. In a statement, the Department of State emphasized: “This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO.” The US remained an observer state and oversaw UNESCO operations while proposing recommendations. Opinions are divided on whether the decision to withdraw from UNESCO is beneficial to the US. Historically, the US played a substantial role in the organization and had considerable influence on all decisions related to UNESCO’s scope of work. Although it kept its role as an observer state, the US’ Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. membership retraction took a heavy toll on the UN’s regular budget especially when it comes to matters related to education, culture, and sciences which are all pioneered by UNESCO. Prominent Aspects Fairness of Assessed Contributions One major concern regarding the UN budget is the fairness of assessed contributions. The Administrative and Budgetary Committee indeed established a scale of assessment that would ensure fair distribution of dues in Member States. However, states that are already in deep public debt such as Venezuela, are often struggling to keep up with main contributors. This not only puts extreme pressure on such countries but also puts their integrity in the international community at risk: while the US and the EU each contribute a quarter of the regular budget and possess a major influence on GA resolutions, other developing and developed states struggle to decentralize power. On another note, even the US has expressed concerns about the fairness of financial distribution amongst Member States. In fact, Congress has attempted numerous times to reduce its required dues from 22% claiming that since the US pays the highest rate of assessed contributions, further benefits and advantages should be implicated during voting procedures in the GA. The Politicization of the UN Budget A major shortcoming of the UN is that it was not able to keep bias out of budgetary and administrative matters. There is a general claim that the UN's regular budget and UN organizations as a whole have become politicized. This claim emerges from the fact that major Member States and more specifically permanent members of the Security Council (USA, United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia) have been able to keep matters that do not serve their interests off the UN agenda especially when it comes to funding certain programs and solving conflicts. When it comes to budgeting, economic, political, and social matters are all intertwined. As we have seen in the case of the Congo peacekeeping mission and the case of UNESCO, the scope of work of the UN has always been limited by the leverage of main contributors. States that do not agree with a certain GA resolution that passed can simply refrain from fulfilling their assessed contributions. Another major means of influence for main contributors is voluntary funds. As mentioned previously, a large portion of UN organizations function depending on voluntary contributions. This gives the USA and the European Union the upper hand since withholding Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. funding from these organizations would lead ultimately to their dissolvement and/or bankruptcy. This is relevant in the case of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which is based in Gaza. Another major concern is the membership of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). The US possesses a permanent seat on the ACABQ which gives it an advantage when drafting budget proposals. The US can veto any budget proposal before it even reaches GA5. This is a clear manifestation of power dynamics in the UN and affirms the need for reform in the distribution of assessed and voluntary contributions. UN Budget Shortcomings in Human Rights Protection Ever since its establishment, the UN has always been a pioneer of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is one of the first and most fundamental GA declarations that is integral to the UN’s scope of work. Indeed, ten legally binding human rights treaties have been conducted by the UN and its organizations. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has been the main entity concerned with humanitarian issues. In 2019, the OHCHR was informed that review sessions for six out of the ten human rights treaties would be canceled due to a deficit in the UN's regular budget. At that point, most Member States were late on payments of assessed contributions and voluntary contributions were extremely minimal. Between 2018 and 2020, the OHCHR was only allocated 3% of the regular budget which hindered its activities and resulted in the incapacity of personnel to carry out their mandate in monitoring and alleviating humanitarian crises. In that sense, the UN regular budget has not always been able to cover the protection of human rights, firstly due to the overall budget deficit in the organization, and secondly due to the heavy reliance of human rights organizations on voluntary contributions. Late Payments of Assessed Contributions Late payments of assessed contributions by Member States have always been a major drawback for the UN’s administrative and budgetary scope of work. Late submission of dues has caused liquidity problems for UN organs and has resulted in cuts of funding in various areas including humanitarian aid. Although some states delay payments simply because their economy is unstable, other states, and especially the main contributors such as the US and European states, have used late payments as a tool to exert pressure on the UN. In the latter case, late payments are a manifestation of UN Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. politicization. For instance, since the late 1980s, the US has enacted a policy that entails paying UN regular budget contributions at least nine months late. This policy permits the US to assess the expenses of the UN before fulfilling its dues which gives it an upper hand in deciding whether the assessed contributions serve the interest of the nation or contradict its foreign policy. Although the loss of voting rights underlined in Article 19 of the Charter represents an attempt to ‘punish’ or counterbalance late payments of assessed contributions, it does not hold a considerable effect on Member States as all General Assembly decisions including the Fifth Committee’s are non-binding. Even after the loss of voting rights, Member States can still attend sessions and influence decisions through allies and states that share similar interests. International Actions The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) The Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) was established by the UNDP in 2004 to assist Member States and UN subsidiary organizations in financing programs that align with the UN’s vision and goals. The MPTF’s scope of work mainly encompasses pooled funding. Pooled funds are a joint mechanism in which multiple entities accumulate investments for a defined programmatic purpose. It is considered “a flexible and predictable” way of funding UN projects and organizations related to development. In the UN, pooled funding is divided into three main categories: Design and Administration which is the role of the MPTF, Governance of allocations and cooperations which falls under the scope of the UN Steering Committee and Implementation which is mainly enacted by UN entities and bodies. The MPTF has been a major actor in the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has been a significant attractor of voluntary contributions for entities that rely on them. One of its most considerable funds was the UN Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund which was considered “UN reform in action”. Reform of the Regular Budget Cycle A recent effort in UN budget reform that should be kept in mind is the shift from the regular budget’s biennial cycle to an annual one. In 2020, the UN Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Secretary-General proposed a 3-year trial for a reform program that mainly focuses on the regular budget. The proposal included the following suggestions: Moving from a biennial to an annual process; Shortening the planning and budgetary cycle from five to three years; Presenting program planning and performance information in the annual regular budget instead of separate reports; Refining elements of the results-based-budgeting framework; Strengthening performance reporting by reflecting information on lessons learned, including from evaluation and self-evaluation, in the annual budget; Seeking greater authority for the redeployment of resources during budget implementation; and Increasing the level of the Working Capital Fund. As of 2023, the trial was deemed successful, and the Fifth Committee adopted an annual cycle as an official reform. This would permit the UN to effectively and quickly adapt its regular budget and financing in case of emergencies and crises that might arise due to the current instability in the world. Proposed Regular Budget for 2024 On the 10th of October 2023, the Administrative and Budgetary Committee started its reviewing process of the proposed regular budget. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres suggested a $3.3 billion program budget including an increase in posts to ensure the implementation of additional intergovernmental mandates. Nevertheless, the UN is still facing liquidity problems. Therefore, Guterres urged Member States who did not submit their required amount of assessed contributions to do so as soon as possible to prevent failure in UN missions and programs set for 2024. The European Union and other Member States urged the Secretary-General and the Fifth Committee to focus on “mending the chronic underfunding of Human Rights” and to engage all efforts in assisting the OHCHR financially, especially in the light of current humanitarian crises. In December 2023, the GA approved a $3.59 billion budget for 2024 which remarkably includes the establishment of an account to finance the UN peacebuilding fund. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Recommendations Delegates are expected to have extensive knowledge of the scope of work of the Administrative and Budgetary Committee. Delegates are recommended to understand the budget processing and involved entities. Delegates are expected to differentiate between the regular or programme budget and the peacekeeping budget. Delegates should be aware of the difference between assessed and voluntary contributions and their allocations. Delegates are advised to consider recommendations that tackle the politicization of the UN regular budget. Delegates should research and understand the influence of main contributors on the UN’s budget. Delegates are urged to analyze failed attempts at reform in the UN regular budget. Delegates should keep updated on the latest budget-related decisions. Delegates should look for ways to address the lack of support for humanitarian causes. Questions to Consider Did your country attempt in any way to reform the UN's regular budget? Has your country ever lost voting rights due to late or unfulfilled payments? Has your country been part of international initiatives that tackled UN financial problems? How can the Administrative and Budgetary Committee ensure fairness of assessments? How can the Administrative and Budgetary Committee promote voluntary funding? Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved.  How can Member States reduce the dependence of the UN budget on main contributors? Part Three: Sources for Further Research Gene M. Lyons, David A. Baldwin, and Donald W. McNemar. “The "Politicization" Issue in the UN Specialized Agencies.” Academy of Political Science, vol. Vol. 32, no. No.4, pp. 81-92. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1173993.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default% 3A3436b8f0a7705bdbed40aa53cddd35e5&ab_segments=&origin=&initia tor=&acceptTC=1. Mendez, Ruben P. “Financing the United Nations and the International Public Sector: Problems and Reform.” Global Governance, vol. 3, no. No. 3, 1997, pp. 283-310 (28 pages). JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/27800173?seq=1. Paddleford, Norman J. “Financial Crisis and The Future of the United Nations.” World Politics, vol. Vol 15, no. No.4, pp. 531-568. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2009456?seq=1 United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. “First report on the proposed programme budget for 2021.” General Assembly Official Records, vol. Seventy-fifth Session Supplement No. 7, 2021. UN Habitat, https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/10/acabq_report.pdf. Walter H. C. Laves and Francis O. Wilcox. “The First Meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations.” Cambridge University Press, vol. Vol. 40, no. No.2, 1946, pp. 346-373. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2193195.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default% 3Af2bd5bf904f88f1202a7f49da123ddca&ab_segments=&origin=&initiato r=&acceptTC=1. Part Four: References United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding to the U.N. System, 14 July 2023, https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/IF10354.pdf. “Assessed and voluntary contributions.” United Nations - CEB, https://unsceb.org/assessed-and-voluntary-contributions. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. Charbonneau, Louis. “UN Members Try Defunding Budgets for Human Rights Work.” Human Rights Watch, 16 December 2022, https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/12/16/un-members-try-defunding-bu dgets-human-rights-work. “Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay?” Council on Foreign Relations, 22 August 2023, https://www.cfr.org/article/funding-united-nations-what-impact-do-us- contributions-have-un-agencies-and-programs. “The High Cost of Cutting UN Funding.” Better World Campaign, 18 September 2023, https://betterworldcampaign.org/blog/the-high-cost-of-cutting-un-fundi ng. “Several Delegates Criticize Proposals for More Funding as Fifth Committee Reviews Resource Requirements of Human Rights Council Mandates over Next Two Years | UN Press.” UN Press, 14 December 2022, https://press.un.org/en/2022/gaab4411.doc.htm. “UN briefings: The UN's finances.” UNA-UK, 7 July 2017, https://una.org.uk/news/un-briefings-uns-finances. “The UN Budget.” Better World Campaign, https://betterworldcampaign.org/the-un-budget. “The UN Budget.” Better World Campaign, https://betterworldcampaign.org/resources/briefing-book-2022/united- nations-budget. “UN General Assembly - Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary Questions.” UN General Assembly - Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary Questions, https://www.un.org/en/ga/fifth/faq.shtml#2. The United Nations. “Rules of procedure of the General Assembly.” 2007. OHCHR, https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/gaA.520.Rev.1 5_En.pdf. “United Nations Regular Budget Contributions: Members Compared, 1990-2010.” Congressional Research Center, 2013. Federation of American Scientists, https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL30605.pdf. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. “Urging Fifth Committee to Support 2024 Budget, Secretary-General Says Proposals Demonstrate Commitment to United Nations' Goals, Needs of Governments, Peoples | UN Press.” UN Press, 10 October 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21985.doc.htm. Voß, Silke. “On the Value of Human Rights | Heinrich Böll Stiftung.” Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, 11 September 2020, https://www.boell.de/en/2020/09/11/vom-wert-der-menschenrechte. Voß, Silke. “On the Value of Human Rights | Heinrich Böll Stiftung.” Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, 11 September 2020, https://www.boell.de/en/2020/09/11/vom-wert-der-menschenrechte. “What does the UN Charter say about budgeting and financing in the Organization?” UN-Habitat, https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2021/01/11._budget_and_fina nce_at_the_united_nationsedit.pdf. “Background & History.” Global Policy Forum, https://archive.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/224-general /27260-background-a-history-.html. “A Call for Action on the UN Financial Crisis.” Global Policy Forum, https://archive.globalpolicy.org/finance/action/call.htm. “Chronology of the UN Financial Situation:.” Global Policy Forum, https://archive.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/224-general /27239-chronology-of-the-un-financial-situation.html. “8 Member States lose right to vote at UN due to unpaid dues.” Xinhua, 13 January 2022, https://english.news.cn/20220113/3452751d0758486e94e149f0f673a5 0c/c.html. “The EU and the United Nations | EEAS.” EEAS, https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-and-united-nations_en. “EU Statement – UN General Assembly 5th Committee: Programme plan and budget for 2024 | EEAS.” EEAS, 10 October 2023, https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-new-york/eu-statement-% E2%80%93-un-general-assembly-5th-committee-programme-plan-and-b udget-2024_en?s=63. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. “Fifth Committee Approves $3.4 Billion Programme Budget for 2023, Permanent Shift from Biennial to Annual Cycle, Concluding Main Part of Seventy-Seventh Session | UN Press.” UN Press, 30 December 2022, https://press.un.org/en/2022/gaab4414.doc.htm. “Governments Approve USD 3.4 Billion UN Budget for 2023, Move to Annual Cycle | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD.” SDG Knowledge Hub, 11 January 2023, https://sdg.iisd.org/news/governments-approve-usd-3-4-billion-un-bud get-for-2023-move-to-annual-cycle/. “Governments Approve USD 3.4 Billion UN Budget for 2023, Move to Annual Cycle | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD.” SDG Knowledge Hub, 11 January 2023, https://sdg.iisd.org/news/governments-approve-usd-3-4-billion-un-bud get-for-2023-move-to-annual-cycle/. Hernandez, Joe. “The U.S. says it wants to rejoin UNESCO after exiting during the Trump administration.” NPR, 12 June 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/06/12/1181687608/united-states-unesco-r eturn-membership-funding. “How we are funded.” United Nations Peacekeeping, https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/how-we-are-funded. “IMF Data Mapper ®.” IMF Data Mapper ®, https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/profile/VEN. “The importance of pooled funds | MPTF Office.” | MPTF Office, https://mptfportal.dev.undp.org/basic-page/what-pooled-fund. Labrador, Rocio Cara. “Venezuela: The Rise and Fall of a Petrostate.” Council on Foreign Relations, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/venezuela-crisis. “The UN Budget.” Better World Campaign, https://betterworldcampaign.org/resources/briefing-book-2022/united- nations-budget. “UN budget shortfalls seriously undermine the work of the Human Rights Treaty bodies.” ohchr, 17 May 2019, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2019/05/un-budget-shortfall s-seriously-undermine-work-human-rights-treaty-bodies. Copyright © 2024 by GC LAU MUN. All Rights Reserved. “UN budget turns its back on human rights.” FIAN International, 3 March 2020, https://www.fian.org/en/news/article/un-budget-turns-its-back-on-hu man-rights--2285. “UN FINANCIAL CRISIS AFFECTING OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT DEVELOPMENT PLEDGING CONFERENCE | UN Press.” UN Press, 31 October 1995, https://press.un.org/en/1995/19951031.sgsm5803.html. “UN General Assembly - Countries in Arrears in the Payment of Their Financial Contributions Under the Terms of Article 19 of the UN Charter.” the United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/ga/about/art19.shtml. “UN General Assembly - Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary Questions.” UN General Assembly - Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary Questions, https://www.un.org/en/ga/fifth/budget-rules-readmore.shtml. “UN Strengthening and Reform.” Better World Campaign, https://betterworldcampaign.org/un-strengthening-and-reform. “U.S. Withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).” CRS Reports, 17 October 2017, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN10802/4. “Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions.” CRS Reports, 1 November 2023, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10715. “Welcome to Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) | ACABQ.” the United Nations, https://www.un.org/ga/acabq/. 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