CommitteesGA Committees
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COUNCILS
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African Union (AU)Chairs: Tony Wang & Suzu Hirai Email: tonwan25@bergen.org & suzhir26@bergen.org Topic A: Migrant Smuggling Every year, countless Africans are smuggled across borders from poorer countries to wealthier countries, exploited for labor, sex, organs, and other atrocious crimes. Oftentimes, the push factor of a country is too devastating for them to stay, including poverty, hunger, natural disasters, political instability and more. On the other hand, smugglers find this to be a profitable business, offering risky and partisan deals to those desperately in need. Thus, it must be understood that the issue does not lie entirely within the migrants, but also within exploitative dealers, the state of the country, education/employment accessibility, and such. Statistics continue to show an overall increase in migrant smuggling, most notable in unstable countries, typically presenting ‘weaker’ borders that are easier to cross in comparison to nearby countries. As a result, concentrated exploitations within Africa occur, such as in the Sahel. Delegates will be expected to view this situation holistically, approaching the topic through a lens that aligns with their assigned country’s policy, ensuring long term solutions, such as stabilizing countries, and short term solutions to reduce migrant smuggling. Topic B: Rise of Authoritarianism Though proponents of authoritarianism often reference strong collective action and greater efficiency, the rise of authoritarian governments is correlated with poor economic growth, faulty infrastructure, and increasing political unrest. Despite such negative outcomes, only one out of 54 countries in Africa is currently classified as a full democracy and roughly half are classified as authoritarian. Promoting democracy is essential for economic stimulation, social progress, and political stability– all necessary factors to increasing the standard of living in Africa. On the contrary, authoritarianism often escalates corruption, as unrestrained leaders typically divert much-needed resources for personal use rather than to their citizens, harming the state of the nation. The African Union Commission established the African Governance Architecture in 2011 as an advocate for democracy throughout Africa, yet authoritarianism has only risen since its advent. Delegates will be expected to weigh the effects of an authoritarian government and create a plan for expanding civil and political rights, establishing freedom of the press, and encouraging untampered elections, while ensuring their stance aligns with their given country’s policies. |
