CommitteesGA Committees
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COUNCILS
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Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)Chairs: Anagha Ajesh & Jason Goodman Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Topic A: Mitigating the Sudanese Civil War In April 2023, fighting between rival armed factions broke out in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The conflict is a power struggle between the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The two groups are battling one another for control of the state and its resources. As the conflict deepens, humanitarian conditions are declining. As the civil war enters its second year, Sudan’s two warring factions remain locked in a deadly conflict. Since the fighting began, almost 15,000 people have been killed, and more than 8.2 million have been displaced, giving rise to the worst displacement crisis in the world. Nearly 2 million displaced Sudanese have fled to unstable areas throughout Africa, overrunning refugee camps. Meanwhile, mediation efforts have failed to produce results, as the leaders of the SAF and RSF refuse to halt their violence, and regional and international forces have taken sides in the war. Topic B: Addressing the Gibraltar Dispute Gibraltar, a 2.6 square mile British overseas territory on a peninsula to the south of Spain, known for its diverse natural beauty, vibrant culture, and military significance, is described by the UN as a "Non-Self-Governing Territory awaiting decolonization." Spain does not acknowledge British control over Gibraltar, citing the region’s historic ties and geographic proximity to Spain as reasons for Spanish control in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom, having controlled Gibraltar since 1713, sees Gibraltar as a valuable economic hub as well as an important military outpost and is incredibly invested in maintaining British control over Gibraltar. The Gibraltarian populace has repeatedly voted to stay British, with the most recent internal referendums having 98% of the support for maintaining British sovereignty. However, the people of Gibraltar have also demonstrated that they want to stay in the EU, with 96% of Gibraltarians voting against Brexit. This is largely due to the close relationship Gibraltar has with Spain, with many Gibraltarians commuting to Spain for work daily. With such little consensus on the best path forward, any solution must account for the desires of the British, Spanish, and Gibraltarian people. |
