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New Mexico State University

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Assignments

NMUN•NY Assignments

Each year, the NMSU Model United Nations Team attends the National Model United Nations in New York City, where they attend committees, give speeches, write resolutions and negotiate with delegates from other universities around the world. Each school represents a certain Member State of the United Nations, and each team member is assigned to a specific committee of the UN where they advocate their country’s positions on the issues that committee addresses.

New Mexico State University will be representing the State of Israel at NMUN•NY 2018.
General Assembly

The General Assembly is one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations, serving as the primary representative, deliberative policymaking body of the organization. All 193 Member States have a seat on each of its committees, and each Member State – regardless of population or power – is given one equal vote on the draft resolutions that come before it.

General Assembly First Committee

  • Marcus Sanchez and Seth Wright
  • The GA First Committee focuses on all matters of disarmament and international security, with the goal of achieving a world safe from the threat of nuclear weapons and war. The mandate of the committee is to establish multi-lateral conventions and agreements which target the ability of terrorists to acquire weapons of mass destruction and initiate negotiations on arms control among Member States. The committee acts on general threats and the bigger picture of peace, as opposed to the Security Council, which acts on specific conflicts and regimes. This year, the committee will discuss: Cyber Security and Protecting against Cyber Warfare; Measures to Strengthen International Counter Terrorism Efforts; and Combating the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.

General Assembly Second Committee

  • DeLorean Forbes and Connor Schultz
  • The GA Second Committee deliberates global economic and financial issues, with the goal of fostering economic growth, sustainable development and the reduction of poverty. The committee’s mandate is to provide a set of international standards regarding trade, debt sustainability and development. The committee may also provide recommendations on macroeconomic issues in special cases such as in the most impoverished nations and in occupied and contested regions. This year, they will address: Implementing the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action; The Role of Urbanization in Sustainable Development; and Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Eradication.

General Assembly Third Committee

  • Wilderness Castillo-Dobson and Iliana Viscarra
  • The GA Third Committee has a wide scope, considering issues on social, humanitarian and cultural affairs with the goal of enhancing and protecting human rights worldwide. The mandate for the committee includes initiating studies on the current states of human rights and making recommendations to Member States regarding those rights. The committee also reviews topics closely connected to human rights, such as criminal justice, drug trafficking and gender equality. This year the committee will consider: The Right of Peoples to Self-Determination; The Elimination of All Forms of Religious Intolerance; and Ensuring Equitable Access to Education.

General Assembly Fifth Committee

  • Joli McSherry
  • The GA Fifth Committee is referred to as the UN’s administrative and budgetary committee. It’s mandate is concerned with the internal structure of the UN’s principal organs, with the goal of ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the work the UN does. The committee may review internal affairs related to accountability and proposed structural reforms. This year, the topic before the committee are: Improving Mechanisms for Accountability and Transparency within the UN System; Strengthening Compliance and Accountability in Field Missions with Special Regard to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Cases; and Consideration of the Secretary-General’s Reform Proposals.
Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council, commonly referred to as ECOSOC, is another of the 6 principle organs of the United Nations. As the name implies, ECOSOC focuses on coordinating the work of the UN on economic and social issues. ECOSOC is comprised of 54 Member States, elected to three year terms, manages 70% of the UN’s budget and oversees the work of 27 specialized agencies and commissions.

Commission on Narcotic Drugs

  • Haley Stewart and Mariana Marañón-Laguna
  • The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is the main advisory commission to ECOSOC regarding global drug policy. The mandate of the commission is to monitor issues related to drugs, including drug control and combating addiction. The commission makes recommendations to ECOSOC regarding effective solutions to reducing demand for narcotics and ensuring Member States uphold treaties related to drug control. This year the commission will review: Implementing the Recommendations of UNGASS 2016; Preventing the Illicit Cultivation of Drug Crops through Alternative Development; and Strengthening Global Drug Policies to Address the Production and Trafficking of Counterfeit Goods.

Commission on the Status of Women

  • Linda Cisneros
  • The Commission on the Status of Women is the primary advisory commission on achieving gender equality and empowering women. The mandate of the commission is to report to ECOSOC on the status of women’s rights, and make recommendations to the council on issues related to women. The commission submits resolutions outlining such recommendations which incorporate women’s role in political, economic and social issues. This year the commission will consider: Promoting the Involvement of Women and Youth in Government; Combating Violence against Women Migrant Workers; and Empowering Women and Girls in Rural Contexts.

Commission for Social Development

  • William Bradford and Amy Yurwit
  • The Commission for Social Development is a functional commission of ECOSOC which focuses on enhancing the rights and quality of life of all people through sustainable development. The commission’s mandate is to report to ECOSOC on the status of existing policy and proposed framework regarding social development. The commission frequently reviews issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to address wide ranging topics such as unemployment, poverty, and social inequalities. This year the commission will discuss: Promoting the Political, Socioeconomic, and Cultural Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Promoting South-South and Triangular Cooperation to Achieve the 2030 Agenda; and Climate Change and Inequality.
Department of Development

The Department of Development is a focus group of agencies, funds and programs established through special conventions and agreements which typically fall under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Entities that fall in the purview of the Department of Development can be either plenary – comprised of all Member States – or smaller bodies dedicated to specific issues.

United Nations Environment Assembly

  • Micaela de la Rosa and Anna Wall
  • The United Nations Environment Assembly is the plenary body of the UN devoted to environmental health and stewardship. The mandate of the assembly is establish environmental policy and facilitate regional and global cooperation between Member States to ensure the longevity of our ecosystem. The assembly reports to ECOSOC on issues related to environmental health and promotes awareness and framework to respond to environmental threats such as climate change. This year the assembly will discuss: Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems in Urban Areas; Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development; and The Impact of Pollution on Marine Life.
Department of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

The Department of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs is a group of agencies, programs and independent organizations which are affiliated with the United Nations and typically fall within the jurisdiction of either the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council. Entities of this department are either plenary – comprised of all Member States – or smaller bodies with the primary goal of promoting and protecting human health and rights.

International Organization for Migration

  • Cody McCarty and Emma Tobe
  • The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization that cooperates with the United Nation on issues related to global migration. Comprised of 165 Member States, the  organization’s mandate is to assist Member States in managing migration movements, understanding migration issues and upholding the human rights of migrants. The organization provides services, aid and a forum for Member States to discuss these topics and make recommendations to governments and the UN. This year the organization will consider: Addressing Climate Migration and Cross-Border Disaster Displacement; Addressing the Issue of Migration in Libya; Strengthening Cooperation between IOM and Civil Society.