CommitteesGA Committees
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COUNCILS
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United Nations Security Council (UNSC)Chairs: Grace Zhou and Ashna Patel Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Topic A: Ethics of Drones in Warfare Drone warfare includes, but is not limited to, the use of drones in wars and conflicts. Thus, while the phrase may suggest otherwise, drone warfare is not strictly limited to drones in war, but it can also include military operations or insurgent group attacks. In the modern age of combat, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) have become a popular choice in counter- terrorism acts, as well as the terrorism movement. While UAVs were initially developed solely for recon missions, non-lethal missions intended to gather information, they have evolved into lethal machines capable of not only destroying terrorist movements, but also innocent civilian lives. A global debate has arisen surrounding the ethics of drone warfare. More specifically, is saving the lives of soldiers by replacing them on the battlefield worth risking civilian lives? Drone strikes have proved to be extremely effective in targeted missions, but with biological warfare not far on the horizon, can also be a useful tool in spreading diseases. Additionally, with the growing use of commercial drones and their ever increasing capabilities, terrorists and other criminals can use them to their advantage. This has been seen already (in 2018 two explosive-armed drones attempted to assassinate Venezuelan President Maduro), and countries have considered using drones to retaliate. Ultimately, drone warfare is the future, but what it entails is unknown. Early regulation can slow, or even halt the progression of combat drones. The world needs to act on drones before one or the use of drones becomes massively hazardous or unethical. Topic B: Mercenaries and PMCs Private military companies (PMCs) are independent corporations that offer military services to national governments, international organizations, and substate actors (3). They are also some of the most important parties when it comes to modern-day fighting. While mercenaries, organizations hired to fight for a foreign country or organization, have been around for as long as war has been around, the large amount of ex-military personnel and leftover equipment from the Cold War (which found itself with little to no use after the conflict) has led to a boom in the industry, as PMCs look to arm, train, and even fight wars for armies across the globe. They have had a part in almost every major conflict since the 1990s, and are used for a multitude of other crime-stopping and military initiatives (3). However, the paralegal nature of PMCs allow for governments to use them to get away with many crimes and be involved in conflicts that a normal military could not. As such, it is up to delegates to find a way to regulate and possibly ban PMCs in a way to reduce the harm on civilians across the globe, as well as make sure these regulations are ratified and followed by all major militaries. |