Hastrain 2019

HASTRAIN 2019

DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE

PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA

Under Secretary General:AyşenKöse

Academic Assistant: Ümit Altar Binici

1 LETTER FROM SECRETARY GENERAL

Honourable Delegates, Participants and Advisors,

It is with great pleasure and honour to welcome you all to the 5th edition of

HASTRAIN which will be held on 26th and 27th of October at Kadir Has University Haliç

Campus which is located at the Golden Horn of Istanbul.

This year in HASTRAIN we will simulate five committees with agenda items ranging from peace and security to economic development goals. With diverse topics and problems to solve, the committees will provide a platform for the youth to channel their ambition towards these crises’ that are currently negatively affecting the World.

The first committee simulation will be the GA:1 DISEC where the delegates will try to bring peace and security to Africa by using diplomacy through the General Assembly of

United Nations. The continent faced years of civil wars, droughts, epidemic diseases and much more. Due to it’s unfortunate history, the continent faced many challenges even well after its independence.

Throughout this journey my colleague and friend Oğuz Öğrenci will accompany me as the Deputy Secretery General of this conference along with the rest of the academic team including our USG’s and Academic Assistants with their exceptionary academic vision and knowledge.

With that, i Look forward seeing all of our participants whether being a delegate, board member or an advisor on 26th of November at HASTRAIN 19. Welcome home.

LETTER FROM UNDER SECRETARY GENERAL

Most esteemed participants,

It is my utmost pleasure to welcome you to Kadir Has University Model United

Nations Training Conference 2019. My name is Ayşen Köse and I am studying in Istanbul

Kültür University Faculty of Law.

Delegates of the United Nations General Assembly First Committee: Disarmament and International Security (GA-1: DISEC) are going to challenge a fundamental issue for global serenity “Peace and Security in Africa”. Economic or political instabilities, violent conflicts, humanitarian crises and many other events distracted African nations from the long desired and deserved peaceful and secured world for decades. Throughout the conference, we are going to confer the roots of the issues at hand and the current situation in the region, as well as possible solutions considering the well-being of the people of Africa.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank firstly to honourable Secretary General

Mr. ÖĞRENCİ and esteemed Deputy Secretary General Mr. YEŞİL for giving us a chance to create this committee. And of course, I would like to thank to my colleague, Academic

Assistant of DISEC Mr. BİNİCİ for his commitment to the Committee and his work.

3 Before ending my letter, I would like to mention that this study guide is a mere guide to introduce the committee and the topic at hand. So, we highly encourage you to do your own research as well beforehand.

Dear friends, once again, welcome home.

Kind Regards,

Ayşen KÖSE - Under Secretary General of DISEC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from Secretary General...... 2

Letter from Under Secretary General...... 3

Table of Content...... 4

Introduction to the Committee...... 5

Introduction to the Agenda Item...... 5

History of the Topic...... 7

Current Situation...... 10

Conclusion / Summary...... 13

QARMAs...... 14

Further Reading (optional)...... 15

References...... 16

INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMITTEE

The Committee for Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) was set up in

1993. The committee is the first and one of the main committees of the United Nations

General Assembly. DISEC's role has been regulated in Chapter IV of Article 11 of the Charter of the United Nations which states that "the General Assembly shall take into account general principles of cooperation with regard to international peace and security, including the principles of disarmament and arms regulation and make recommendations to members or to the Security Council on such principles”. According to the abovementioned Article of the UN

Charter, mandate of the DISEC can be summarised as "to support the creation and maintenance of global peace and safety without any exception of arsenals from human and financial resources."

Member States of the United Nations strive for elimination of any kind of distractions from the long desired and deserved peaceful and secured world. Therefore, the Committee works to achieve notably to this and many other related objectives.

INTRODUCTION TO THE AGENDA ITEM

5 The sharp growth of the global refugee and migration flows has resulted to a greater focus on the root causes. One of the most important and immediate triggers for forced migration and displacement has been recognized as a violent conflict. The African continent is especially conflict-prone and in recent years has hosted over a fourth of violent global conflicts. Therefore, it is very important to approach the problem from a worldwide point of view with alternatives.

Due to lack of adequacy in financial resources and instability, boundaries within

African continent have been struggling with insurgencies, civil wars or genocides and so forth. Therefore, to speak about mentioned agenda in an international arena is carrying an uttermost necessity, if not a must.

With these in mind, under the body of United Nations General Assembly, within the committee of Disarmament and International Security, the delegates are awaited to analyse the root causes of the past and current conflicts and of course, to come up with solutions to the security issues and precautions regarding possible problems in the future, which are concerning African states.

Map 1: Africa's Deadliest Armed Conflicts (Kriebel, 2018)

HISTORY OF THE TOPIC

Several different forms of conflicts affected peace and security in African countries over decades, leading to the displacement, injury and death of millions of people. (Meres,

2017.) Not only in the past, but also currently, there are cases of political or economic instabilities, violent conflicts, insurgencies, and other crises across the continent.

Since the 20th century, series of civil wars had taken place in Africa such as in Sudan

(1995-1990), Chad (1965-85), Liberia (1980- 2003), Nigeria (1967-70), Somalia (1999-93),

Burundi, Rwanda and Sierra Leone (1991-2001) and Angola since 1974. (Aremu, 2010)

However, apart from civil wars, Africa has also witnessed notable border and inter- state conflicts. Some examples can be listed as the following:

7 - Nigeria- Cameroon dispute since the 1970’s over the Bakassi peninsular;

- Algeria- Morocco conflict in 1963over the Atlas Mountains;

- Eritrea- Ethiopia crisis between 1962 and 1979;

- Somalia-Ethiopia dispute from 1964 to 1978 over the Ugandan desert area;

- Chad- Libya crisis between 1980- 1982;

- Kenya- Somalia border war between 1963 - 1967 which Somalia aimed at recovering

its lost territories including the Northern frontier district of Kenya;

- Tanzania- Uganda crisis between 1978- 1979. (Barkindo et al, 1994: 279-32l, Cook

and Killingray, 1983: 183-84; Europa, 1987: 187).

Broadly, two categories of conflicts have been identified by the scholars, namely internal conflicts and international conflicts. However, Africa has witnessed a third type of conflict: internationalized internal armed conflict. (Aremu, 2010)

The internal conflicts (or intra-states conflicts) are the ones which the governmental authorities of a state are opposed by groups within that state. The groups are seeking to overthrow those governmental authorities with force. In addition, internal conflicts may be defined as the armed violence which occurs primarily within the borders of a single state.

(Aremu, 2010) On the other hand, international conflicts (or inter-state conflicts) take place between two or more states which involve armed forces of more than one state. (Aremu,

2010)

It is clear that African States have experienced two types of conflicts over the decades.

Also, they have experienced a third type of conflicts: internationalized internal armed conflicts. This type of conflicts, which are mainly civil wars, contains different degrees of external involvement. Examples of the mentioned type include the conflicts in the Democratic

Republic of Congo, Angola and Sierra Leone. (Aremu, 2010)

8 Many studies and reports have been prepared by various individuals or constitutions through the years, to ensure peace and security in Africa. Unfortunately, most of the proposed solutions by these documents could not achieve their objectives completely. In order to provide more successful solutions to the issue, the importance of the further examination of foundational causes of the continuing violence and unrest should not be overlooked.

Reasons of the unrest in Africa can be listed for pages; there are a lot of reasons with various aspects. But some of the main reasons can be listed as follows:

- arbitrary borders created by the colonial powers in 20th century,

- heterogeneous ethnic and cultural composition of the states,

- insufficient political leadership,

- corruption,

- external debt burden,

- high unemployment,

- lack of equal opportunities,

- poverty and

- inequality. (Aremu, 2010; du Plessis and Kaspersen, 2016)

Socio-economic development cannot be stable or sustainable in an environment riddled with violence, instability and insecurity. The never-ending political tensions, conflicts, insurgencies and wars in the region resulted in continuing negative impact on the socio- economic and political development of African states. (Conteh, 1998:20)

A child soldier in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2008.

(Finbarr O’Reilly – Reuters/Landov)

As abovementioned, many studies and reports have been prepared by various individuals or constitutions through the years. And the United Nations issued its first major report on the "causes of conflict" in Africa in 1998. According to the report, there were 14 countries in the middle of war at that time. In 2010, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon submitted a second major report to the UN General Assembly. The results and recommendations on the report were based on extensive consultations with African and other

UN member states, as well as with the African Union (AU), other African regional institutions, academic groups, and civil society. This second report was a comprehensive review of developments since the first one and it touches on the new challenges the region faces. Pursuant to the second report, the number of the countries in the midst of war has been decreased to 4 after 12 years from the first report. (Harsch, 2010)

10 From the second report until today, some circumstances changed or new developments came into view which should be examined under a new section.

CURRENT SITUATION

"Only Africa can provide solutions to Africa's problems."

– Ban Ki-Moon

In Africa, as in the rest of the world, armed conflicts are declining in general. Also, the total number of conflict-related deaths has decreased. The decrease is even more significant when we compare it with the growth of the population in the past two decades. However,

African states continue to bear the burden of a large portion of global conflicts and fatalities.

In fact, most conflict-related deaths since the beginning of 21st century have been concentrated to some of the countries, namely Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of

Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Libya. (Kakoma and

Boström, 2019)

Contrary to the unprecedented economic growth and efforts towards constituting peace in Africa – the devastating social and economic impact caused by past and current unrest serves as a catalyst for chronic instability in years to come. (du Plessis and Kaspersen, 2016)

34 armed conflicts were recorded around the world during 2018 and 33 of them were still active by the end of the year. Most of these conflicts were in Africa with the total number of

14. (ReliefWeb, 2019) As can be seen, there is a long list of ongoing conflicts and crises in

Africa.

11 Among civil wars, border and inter-state conflicts, most known and drastic ones can be listed as:

- Somalia Civil War,

- Communal conflicts in Nigeria,

- Boko Haram,

- South Sudanese Civil War (Ethnic Violence),

- Northern Mali Conflict,

- Libyan Civil War,

- Sinai Insurgency in Egypt,

- Islamist Insurgency in Mozambique,

- Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda.

Somalia Civil War

The Somalian Civil War is a continuing civil war happening in Somalia. It was born out of the resistance of Siad Barre's military junta in the 1980s.

Communal Conflicts in Nigeria

The Nigerian communal conflicts can be divided into two wide categories:

- Ethno-religious conflicts which are attributed primarily to actors divided by cultural,

ethnic, religious communities and identities, such as the occurrences of Christian and

Muslim religious violence...

- Herder-farmer conflicts, usually involving disputes between farmers and herders over

land and/or cattle...

Boko Haram

12 The Islamic State in West Africa or the Islamic State's West Africa Province is a terrorist jihadist organization, based in northern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, and

Northern Cameroon, formerly known as Jamā'atAhl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wahwa'l-Jihād and commonly referred to as Boko Haram until March 2015.

South Sudanese Civil War (Ethnic Violence)

The South Sudanese Civil War is a continuing war between state forces and rebel groups in South Sudan. President Kiir held his former president Riek Machar and 10 others accountable for the attempt to a coup d'état in December 2013. Machar denied his role in the attempted coup and fled the SPLM–in opposition.

Northern Mali Conflict

The Northern Mali Conflict, (Mali War / Mali Civil War) that began from January

2012, is the name of the armed conflicts between the northern Mali and southern Mali in

Africa.

Libyan Civil War

The Second Libyan Civil War is a continuing conflict between rival groups seeking to control Libya's land and oil.

Sinai Insurgency in Egypt

The Sinai insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Islamist activists and Egyptian security forces in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, involving attacks against civilians.

Islamist Insurgency in Mozambique

13 The Islamist insurgency in Mozambique is an ongoing conflict between Islamist militants seeking the establishment of the Islamic State in the area and Mozambique's safety forces, which is currently being confronted in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. The primary target of Islamist activists' attacks were civilians.

Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda

A revolutionary party and heterodox Christian group, The Lord's Resistance Army, also regarded as Lord's Resistance Movement or The Lord's Resistance Group, is operating in

African countries such as the Central African Republic, North Uganda, the Democratic

Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.

CONCLUSION / SUMMARY

Since their independence in the late 20th century, African countries have been struggling with the unrest which aroused as civil wars, border or inter-state conflicts. The unrest causes injuries and deaths of millions of people; devastating political and socio- economic damages; and lasting instability in the region. As we emphasised above, without understanding the political, social, economic and many other factors of the contemporary

African conflicts, one could not schedule an effective program in order to provide a peaceful continent.

Topic of eliminating adverse impacts of the conflicts and securing the African continent falls under the mandate of the United Nations Disarmament and International

Security Committee. Not only the African but also all member states’ collective work is required to assist the conflicted states and to aid the people of Africa.

QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER

Questions listed below are not the limits but the examples about what a resolution must answer.

1. How to improve the cooperation among African States, regional and global

organizations?

2. Considering the historical, political and social background, which measures could be

taken to end the conflicts in the region?

3. How to apply Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) in the region?

4. How to ensure the security and well-being of civilians that are located in conflict-

infested areas in African continent?

5. What kind of precautions can be implemented to stop the spreading of wars and

conflicts to other areas?

6. What can be done to halt children from arming themselves and joining the conflict as

soldiers?

7. How to barricade the arms smuggling in the region? What can be done to identify the

internal and external factors of this issue?

8. How to preserve peace and security within the continent after the conflicts are

resolved?