Louis Liu 1. Introduction

Transcription

1 U2NESCO 2019 Committee: Human Rights Committee Agenda: On measures to promote lasting peace and prosperity in the Sahel region of Africa Officer: Liu ZhuoYi (Louis) Introduction Louis Liu 1 The Sahel is the climatic and biogeographic location in Africa transitioning between the Sahara to the North and the Sudan Savanna to the South. It has a semi-arid climate. In the Sahel region, there are many challenges to lasting peace and prosperity, such as extreme poverty, lack of stability, economic fragility and low climate change resilience. This is exaggerated by climate change in a region where more than 80% of the population relies primarily on agriculture and pastoral activities (subsistence style). In Savannah, the resilience to change is low naturally, overstocking and overfarming intensified the desertification danger. Irregular migration and related crimes such as human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, corruption, illicit trafficking, and transnational organized crime are thriving, particularly in those where lack of governmental authority and public administration. These security challenges have been increasingly linked to terrorist groups and illicit trafficking of all kinds. The region also faces growing challenges related to demographic pressure (high fertility rate), institutional weaknesses and governance, weak social and economic infrastructures, environmental stress and insufficient resilience to food and nutrition crises. (Europe Aid) In the Human Rights Committee, the chair would like delegates to focus on human rights issue under the U2NESCO frame instead of taking over UN Security Council s job to solve to conflict. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to live your life. In many regions of the world, there are different interpretation of Human Rights. It is delegates job to negotiate out the common ground between each parties based on the agreement on Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2 Louis Liu 2 In Sahel region specifically, environmental rights is an often neglected issue but also the possible key to overcome many existing hardship in this region. People experience the negative effects of environmental degradation ecosystems decline, including water shortage, fisheries depletion, natural disasters due to deforestation and unsafe management and disposal of toxic and dangerous wastes and products. Indigenous peoples suffer directly from the degradation of the ecosystems that they rely upon for their livelihoods. Climate change is exacerbating many of these negative effects of environmental degradation on human health and wellbeing and is also causing new ones, including an increase in extreme weather events and an increase in spread of malaria and other vector born diseases. These facts clearly show the close linkages between the environment and the enjoyment of human rights, and justify an integrated approach to environment and human rights. This chairing staff is very familiar with environmental aspects of this issue, delegates are welcomed to reach out to him to seek for further discussion on environmental topics. However, if you have any other questions, please also don t be hesitated to ask him for help. Definition of Key Terms Sahara Desert:The Sahara is the largest hot desert and the third largest desert in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. It is at the north to the Sahel region. (Encyclopædia Britannica) African Savannah: A Savanna or Savannah is a mixed woodland grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Desertification: Desertification is the process by which natural or human causes reduce the biological productivity of drylands (arid and semiarid lands). Declines in productivity may be the result of climate change, deforestation, overgrazing, poverty, political instability, unsustainable

3 Louis Liu 3 irrigation practices, or combinations of these factors. The concept does not refer to the physical expansion of existing deserts but rather to the various processes that threaten all dryland ecosystems, including deserts as well as grasslands and scrublands. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Subsistence Farming: Subsistence agriculture is a self-sufficiency farming system in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their entire families. The output is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus trade. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Small Arms: Portable firearms, especially rifles, pistols, and light machine guns. The illegal trade of small arms is a problem in Sahel region Neocolonialism: The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former dependencies. History The history of the Sahel region s peace and prosperity issue begins at the colonial period when westerners first encountered Africans. The triangle trade opened the whole continent to be colonized by the western imperial power. In the 20th century, each country on the continent began to declare independence. For almost every country in this region, there was a lack of governance and fight for power. These internal conflicts within countries and external conflicts with other countries have shaken the regional stability and created a nest for crimes. Over the past 25 years, the Sahel has attracted international research and policy attention, on account of the environmental challenges it faces, which are often linked to factors such as drought, famine, and desertification. Secondly, the effects of environmental change have impoverished the region. Thirdly, the scale and scope of security issues and the challenges linked to ethno-nationalist irredentism is increasing, as is the spread of small arms and light weapons, organized crime and criminal network activities and radical armed groups. The security and development realities of the Sahel are underscored by conflict and underdevelopment, which are constant features of the Sahelian areas. All frontline countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Nigeria have experienced varying degrees of armed conflict in the past decade, with the attendant consequences for development and security ramifications. All of them have experienced the classic peace-building dilemma of conflict relapse, a recurrence of violent conflict, mostly within 10 years of a conflict ending. While the same conflict has recurred or mutated in some cases, new conflicts have emerged in others, albeit with varying degrees of intensity. This not only raises questions about the approach to sustaining peace but also about how to maintain the dividends of peace, of which development is a key component. Major Parties Involved Sahel Region includes following countries: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan World Food Programme (WFP): World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP s efforts focus on emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid and special operations. (World Food Programme) Their main role in this your resolution should be the ones carrying out food aid to Sahel region.

4 Louis Liu 4 UN Environmental Programme: The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. (UNEP) Their main role in your resolution is environmental protection and strengthening local resilience to Sahel region. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. (OCHA) This office should play a major role when your resolution is mentioning any humanitarian aid. Find them on: World Bank: The World Bank Group is one of the world s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. (World Bank) They previously have provided much aid to Sahel region, you may find them in the below section) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations. (UNDP) Their role is similar to UNEP; however, they focus more broadly on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) guidelines. Past Action & Possible Solutions The food crisis Throughout this year s lean season the period between harvests from May to September the World Food Programme (WFP) gave food to between 5 and 6 million people each month through its nutrition and food security programme. In 2012 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) helped more than 5.2 million people through support to off-season food and crop production, soil and water conservation and rehabilitation projects, and desert locust control and monitoring. With its partners, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is also mobilizing resources and assisting communities in need. (UN) The environmental crisis UN officials have urged regional cooperation to defuse tensions between countries of the region, and thereby reduce the risk of increased conflict and environmentally induced migration. Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP, has pointed to the urgent need for scaled-up investments in adaptation, moving forward on the Green Fund, and supportive measures such as reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation as well as realizing the climate finance of $100 billion a year by (UN) This would be a relatively easier point to reach agreement on and it will reflect many local citizen s urgent needs. It is encouraged delegates can solve environmental rights issue by addressing desertification, desert expansion, slush and burn farming, and poach issue.

5 Louis Liu 5 Insecurity and political instability UNODC recently helped broker an agreement among Mali, Morocco, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Algeria to address the problems caused by drug trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism. In July the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping mission to assist Mali on its way back to stability. (UN) Fragile economies The World Bank believes irrigation could allow the Sahel s agriculture to overcome the challenges posed by a hostile environment and produce more food for its people. Although desert and aridity define the Sahel, said World Bank Vice President for Africa Makhtar Diop in a recent op-ed piece, its vast water resources remain untapped. In a region where farming is the predominant economic activity, sadly, only 20% of the Sahel s irrigation potential has been developed. Worse still, onequarter of the area equipped with irrigation lies in a state of disrepair. (UN) Resources Section About Wars and conflicts in Sahel Region: 1. Wars and Conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel by OLIVIER J. WALTHER, Sahel Research Group, University of Florida en.pdf?expires= &id=id&accname=guest&checksum=d0ae520f0d21414e54c619f0 D4138AF9 2. Conflicts in the Sahel Region and the developmental costs and consequences by UN Economic Commission for Africa An intro of different kinds of crisis in Sahel Region (Along with UN s action): 3. The Sahel: One region, many crises

6 Louis Liu 6 Bibliography Admin_DEVCO. Sahel Region and Lake Chad Area - Overview. Together Against Trafficking in Human Beings, 22 May 2017, ec.europa.eu/europeaid/regions/sahel-region-and-lake-chadarea-overview_en. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. Sahel. Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 Oct. 2018, Causes and Effects of Desertification. Causes and Effects of Desertification, desertificationb.tripod.com/id3.html. Department of Public Information, United Nations. The Sahel: One Region, Many Crises Africa Renewal Online. United Nations, United Nations, Foy, Henry. Millions Face Starvation in West Africa, Warn Aid Agencies. The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 June 2010, WALTHER, OLIVIER J. West African Papers. OECD Instance, OECD, Contact Information Louis Liu ZhuoYi 刘卓一 from Nansha College Preparatory Academy (NCPA) 19loliu@ncpachina.org WeChat: louis_liu1102 Jessica Kang Secretary General unesco@utahloy.org/bosun104339@gmail.com Wechat: Jessicakang0308 Gregory Peebles Director of U2NESCO gpeebles@uiszc.org