4th Committee of the General Assembly

Special Political and Decolonization Committee

The United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) acts to oversee many political affairs delegated by the General Assembly, and has a particular focus on issues relating to decolonization. This committee draws on its large and diverse membership to develop policy recommendations that have profound effects on the global political landscape. The 4th Committee has in the past focused on political issues ranging from Palestinian refugees and the peaceful use of outer space to recommendations on global peacekeeping.

The democratization process that many former colonies have undergone presents a unique opportunity for the 4th Committee to engage in detailed debate about the positive and negative aspects of this particular political regime. With representatives from democratic and non-democratic countries, this committee has the opportunity to explore the spread of democracy across the globe and assess its impact on different populations.

Additional Resources:

Official SPECPOL website: www.un.org/ga/fourth/index.shtml

Topics:

Topic 1 - The situation of Palestinian refugees in the Middle East

Any comprehensive moves towards democracy in the Middle East require that the situation of the Palestinian refugees be addressed.  These people lack a homeland and are deprived of basic human rights.  The United Nations has had an agency devoted to this very issue for almost 60 years, yet progress is sporadic at best.

Delegates will have to explore an issue that goes to the very heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and attempt to find solutions to a problem that has persisted for more than half a century.

Topic 2 - The supervision of the spread of democracy in the Middle East

Ideologically driven, some nations have been using the excuse of ending oppression and the unjust way through which certain nation rule. This has resulted in military journeys and use force aiming to spread and establish the ethos of a democratic and free society. Noteworthy is the US' involvement in the Middle East. With this topic, delegates have an opportunity to venture to the broad idea of democracy and assess its purposes in the Middle East. After careful investigation and with the use of creativity, the delegates will (hopefully) come up with a solution to either limit or endorse the spread of democracy through international efforts.

Chairs:

• Vitaly Zvyagin, Ukraine - Jacobs University Bremen
• Anthony Moore, United Kingdom - UCL Alumni

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