ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 African Union London International Model United Nations 19th Session | 2018 Table of Content 1 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Table of Contents Introduction Letters ………………………………………………………… 3 Introduction to the Committee ...….………………………………………... 5 Topic A: Developing a Long-Term Security Strategy in East Africa ……. 6 Introduction ……………………………………………………………. 6 History of the Problem ………………………………………………… 7 Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………… 9 Current Situation ……………………………………………………... 11 Bloc Positions ………………………………………………………... 13 Questions the Resolution Should Answer ……………………………. 14 Topic B: The Future of the Continental Free Trade Area ……………… 17 Introduction …………………………………………………………... 17 History of the Problem ……………………………………………….. 19 Statement of the Problem …………………………………………….. 21 Current Situation ……………………………………………………... 23 Bloc Positions ………………………………………………………... 24 Questions the Resolution Should Answer ……………………………. 26 Conference Information ………………………………………………..…. 28 Agenda & Rules of Procedure …………………………………………….. 28 2 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Introduction Letters Amit Arkhipov-Goyal I'm a Russian/Indian economics student at Erasmus University Rotterdam, currently doing a minor in international relations at Leiden University in The Hague. I have been involved in Model UN since 2013 and have participated as a delegate and a chair at conferences in Qatar, the UK, the Netherlands and the US. This will be my second time at LIMUN, and I'm looking forward to us all making it a great one! My personal interests lie at the intersection of economic development and international security. Aside from that, I'm into exploring new places and embracing the cliché Dutch stereotype - cycling. 3 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Jan-Paul Sandmann I am a second-year Undergraduate reading BSc Government and Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE). I only started MUN last year, and being pushed to go to a conference in Ireland, I was finally convinced that MUN is what I love doing. Last year, I was able to go to LIMUN, WorldMUN, as well as OxIMUN and have truly fallen in love with the art of diplomacy. This year, I am serving as LSE’s MUN Director; beyond all the administrative tasks involved in the job, I thoroughly enjoy preparing our delegates for conferences in the UK and abroad. Beyond MUN, I have formally been a parliamentary intern to the German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy. I am an enthusiastic jazz musician and love to play in various bands here in London or my home town Dortmund. Should you have any questions or concerns about your preparation or the committee proceedings, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. 4 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Introduction to the Committee The African Union is a Pan-African organisation consisting of 55 member states. The AU is the successor of the Organisation of African Unity and was officially established in 2002. The institution is focused on ridding the continent of its colonial remnants, promoting unity amongst member states, coordinating development cooperation, safeguarding the sovereignty of member states and promoting international cooperation. This is achieved through addressing social, economic, political and security challenges facing the continent. The organisation is comprised of several bodies, often similar to those of the European Union and the UN. Notable committees are the Assembly, the Peace and Security Council and the Pan-African Parliament. The Assembly is the supreme organ of the AU, comprised of the heads of state and government of the member states. The Peace and Security Council is tasked with addressing a common defense policy along with the authorisation of peace-making decisions such as peacekeeping missions, sanctions and coordination of counter terrorism missions. The Pan-African Parliament aims to improve the participation of the African people in governance, development and economic affairs, however the protocol relating to its functions and powers is still in the process of being administered. The Union works closely with a number of countries and regional organisations such as the EU, China, India, Korea and the US via official partnerships. 5 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Topic A: Developing a Long Term Security Strategy in East Africa Introduction The East African region continues to remain highly volatile, with ongoing conflicts in South Sudan, Somalia and others on its peripheries, such as in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Yemen, exacerbating the challenges that the region faces itself. More stable countries like Kenya and Burundi still endure political struggles that have often turned violent in recent years. Countries in the region are confronted with challenges including political crises, socio-economic weakness, armed conflict and terrorism - all requiring urgent action. Alongside visible security threats, countries in the East African region and the rest of the continent are experiencing food security issues, mass migration and high youth unemployment. Considering issues that may undermine the social construct of the 6 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 countries is crucial in understanding what threats a long term security strategy will need to address. On a cross-country level, taking into account the impact of climate change and natural resource extraction, as well as external influence such as foreign arms supplies is important in recognising the instability in parts of the region. The rest of the topic section explores the historical contexts of the regional problems, followed by current problems and the respective responses by member states and regional organisations. The Guide is concluded with an outline of block positions and a number of questions that the committee resolution should aim to answer. History of the Problem The historical background of the region is undoubtedly crucial in understanding the current issues it faces. The influences often lie far back in history, including the damaging colonial periods and the consequent attempts to achieve postcolonial state sovereignty. However, a number of underlying causes can be observed in more recent history, with the last two decades witnessing a major shift to regionalism across various parts of the world. In Africa, this has since lead to the development of multiple regional free trade agreements and several regional security and development organisations discussed later. For decades, Eastern Africa has experienced a number of conflict complexes, having major regional implications. These include non-state conflicts, intrastate, interstate and one-sided violence against local civilian populations (FOI, 2016). The mass atrocities of the 1990’s in Rwanda and Darfur, along with the unsuccessful involvements of the US and the UN in Somalia demonstrated the need for an increased capacity to respond to such crises. 7 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 The foreign intervention in Libya under UNSCR 1973 in 2011 was regarded by a number of African states as an attempt at regime change. While on the Security Council rotation, the South African president proclaimed the need of “African solutions to African problems” and extended his support for the African Union (Patrick, 2012). It is therefore worth considering what other driving forces exist behind such sentiment and what would be necessary to achieve independence in this respect. A 2013 annual report on African development by UNCTAD highlighted the importance of intra-Africa trade development. Although addressed at the economic aspect, the report highlights the necessity for cooperation amongst African states on features central to their sustainable development (UNCTAD, 2013). Interdependence is not necessarily a guarantee of security, but delegates may consider the historical implications of the stances of their respective countries on domestic and regional security matters. Role of the African Union The UN Security Council Resolution 1809 passed in 2008 highlighted UN’s appreciation of African Union’s active efforts in conflict mitigation and its development of peace initiatives across the continent (UNSCR, 1809). Along with the restructuring of the African Union in 2002 from the Organisation of African Union and its subsequent increased engagement in peacekeeping operations, the AU has a wider acting capacity in the field of security and peace enforcement (African Union, 2000). However, the AU is a relatively young organisation, so it is worth considering the limitations of its acting capacity and potential ways of addressing them within the framework of regional security. 8 ZZ LONDON INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2018 Statement of the Problem The African Union has the right of intervention in a member state to stop genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity under Article 4 of the AU Constitutive Act, meaning the AU has active capacity to act should it be deemed necessary (African Union, 2000). However, negotiating the balance between the responsibility of individual states and the African community in case of conflict is key, particularly considering the resource constraints faced by the organisation and due to the conflicts already raging across the continent. Although the international community can not stand by such violence as has often occurred in the 1990’s, the joint UN-AU mission in Darfur has demonstrated