Delegate Preparation Guide

Table of Contents
Chapter 1. The United Nations page 1-6 - Origins, purpose page 3 - Representation .. page 3 - Structure . page 4 - Bloc politics page 5 Chapter 2. Research and preparation Areas of research .. Resources .. Role playing .. page 7-13 page 7 page 9 page 11
Chapter 3. Resolution and position paper writing page 14-18 Resolutions overview page 14 Reports overview .. page 14 Life of a resolution page 15 Structure page 16 Chaper 4. Rules of procedure in the Security Council, GA Committees, ECOSOC page 19-29 Administrative rules .. page 19 General rules .. page 21 Rules that relate to the rules page 22 Draft resolutions, amendments and statements . page 23 Voting page 24 Points of procedure in order of priority . page 26 Motions in order of priority page 26 Annexes. Order of Precedence of Rules: GA / ECOSOC Short Form .. page 30 Order of Precedence of Rules: Security Council Short Form page 31 Sample Resolution ... page 32 Amendment form page 33
CHAPTER 1: THE UNITED NATIONS

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide page 1
ORIGINS OF THE UNITED NATIONS The United Nations came into existence on 24 October 1945. On that day, the United Nations Charter became operative, having been signed by the fifty-one original members. The concept of all nations uniting together in one organization designed to settle disputes peacefully was born of the desire of civilized nations to avoid the horrors produced by the First and Second World Wars. The United Nations developed as a successor to the League of Nations, which represented the first attempt by nations to achieve this unity. The League failed in large part because the United States never joined as a member. In 1942, President Roosevelt first coined the term United Nations, when the Declaration of the United Nations was signed by forty-seven nations in support of the Atlantic Charter. In 1944, the United States, United Kingdom, USSR and China met in Washington, DC at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference, where the first blueprint of the United Nations was prepared. In 1945, the final details for the United Nations were worked out at the Yalta Conference. Fifty-one nations gathered from 24 April through 26 June in San Francisco to draft the Charter of the United Nations, which was signed on 26 June 1945.
PURPOSE OF THE UNITED NATIONS

The primary purposes for which the United Nations was founded are detailed in Chapter I, Article 1 of the Charter. These are: 1. To maintain international peace and security; 2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and selfdetermination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; 3. To achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinctions as to race, sex, language and religion; 4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends. HOW THE UNITED NATIONS SEEKS TO ACHIEVE ITS PURPOSE Since 1945, the United Nations has established itself as a forum for the discussion of international disputes. Also, Member States recognize that the United Nations has an established machinery which can be utilized as the means of solving international problems. The United Nations seeks, both through its principal organs and various subsidiary bodies, to settle disputes through peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force. It should be recognized that the United Nations is not a world government, nor does it legislate. Rather, the actions of the United Nations, as evidenced by resolutions passed by its bodies, have a strong moral persuasive effect. The Member States frequently in it within their own best interests to follow UN recommendations. REPRESENTATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS The role of the United Nations is to serve as an international forum for addressing a wide range of global concerns. Its work includes intergovernmental negotiations resulting in collective decisions that both guide the work of the United Nations and shape new international, regional and national policies and actions. Aside from governments, a wide variety of stakeholders, including NGOs, attend and in some
cases contribute to UN decision-making processes. They do this through formal and informal, direct and indirect advocacy efforts. Only governments can negotiate, vote and affirm or reject official UN agreements. Nearly every nation in the world belongs to the United Nations, with membership totaling 191 countries by the end of 2002. States that become Members remain sovereign countries, but they also agree to uphold the UN Charter, the international treaty that established the UN after World War II. Forty-two other entities, such as the non-Member States of Palestine and the Holy See, as well as intergovernmental organizations, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, have a standing invitation to participate as observers in the General Assembly. Most recently, in November 2002, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), granting the IPU observer status at the GA and the exceptional right to circulate its official documents. Most Member States maintain permanent missions to the United Nations in New York (and in some cases to the United Nations in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna as well). These missions are staffed year round with diplomats who attend to routine and ongoing processes and debates. Since the UN is viewed by most governments as the key international arena to express their foreign policy goals, diplomats often come from the Foreign Ministry. For special conferences or other events, diplomats and government officials may come in from capitals. These delegations usually comprise one or two top government officials, up to the Head of State or Government; senior ministry representatives; technical experts; representatives from the mission or embassy where the meeting is being held; and sometimes NGOs and members of the private sector, although this is not obligatory. High-level officials and political figures, such as Heads of State, generally do not participate directly in negotiations. They are more likely to be found in closed bilateral or small high-level meetings or delivering plenary speeches that outline their governments position on an issue.
STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations has six primary bodies: - The General Assembly (GA): The GA is the central organ of the United Nations. The GA has been described as the nearest thing to a parliament of mankind, as all Member States are members of the GA, and each member has one vote. The GA makes recommendations on international issues, oversees all other UN bodies which must report to the GA annually, approves the UN budget and apportions UN expenses. On the recommendation of the Security Council, the GA elects the Secretary-General and holds the authority to admit and expel Member States. Voting in the GA is ordinarily by simple majority, although on important questions a two-thirds majority is required. - The Security Council (SC): The Security Council is charged with the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. It has the power to employ United Nations forces and direct action against threats to the peace. Fifteen members sit on the Security Council, including the five Permanent Members (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States)
and ten at-large Members who are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. A majority in the Security Council consists of nine members voting yes. However, a no vote by any of the Permanent Members has the effect of vetoing or blocking motions. - Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): ECOSOC is the primary body dealing with the economic, social, humanitarian and cultural work of the United Nations system. ECOSOC oversees five regional economic commissions and nine functional, or subject-matter, commissions, along with a sizeable system of committees and expert bodies. ECOSOC is composed of fifty-four Member States, elected by the GA for three-year terms. - Trusteeship Council (TC): In 1945 there were eleven Trust Territories, which were regions without their own governments. These eleven regions were placed under the TC, which helped them prepare for and achieve independence. With the admittance of Palau as a UN Member State in 1994, the TC has now completed its original mandate. The TC today is inactive, but is formally composed of the permanent Security Council members. - The International Court of Justice (ICJ): The International Court of Justice, or World Court, is the primary judicial organ of the UN and decides international legal disputes. All UN members are automatically able to bring matters before the ICJ; however, States must agree to accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ before it can decide a dispute involving that State. Fifteen judges serving nine-year terms sit on the Court. - Secretariat: The Secretariat is composed of the Secretary-General and the United Nations Staff. Approximately 16,000 people are employed as the staff of the UN, one-third of whom work at the UN headquarters in New York City. The other two-thirds work for various subsidiary bodies of the United Nations. The Secretary-General serves a five-year renewable term. - In addition to the six main bodies, the United Nations includes a large family of specialized agencies and programs which the UN administers. Examples include the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF). BLOC POLITICS The system of bloc politics in the UN is one in which nations have organized themselves into groups based on areas of mutual interest. These blocs tend to be made up of nations with similar political, historical or cultural backgrounds. They are often formed on a geographic basis, but this is not exclusively the case. By organizing themselves with other nations that hold similar interests, bloc members hope to increase their influence above the level that they would have as a single nation in the General Assembly. Bloc politics in the UN today is a misunderstood and rapidly changing phenomenon. The necessity of blocs in the UN was formally established in 1957, when the General Assembly endorsed four regional groups: the Latin American group, the Asian and African group, the Western European and Others group, and the Eastern European group. Since that time, the bloc system has grown to encompass many of the political, economic and military organizations of the world. Examples of the major blocs include the NonAligned Movement, the Group of 77, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the African
Union (AU), the Organization of American States (OAS), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the European Union (EU). Major changes in the utilization of blocs at the UN have occurred since the end of the Cold War, as explained below. Please note, however, that these groups do not have official standing as caucus groups at the UN, but are rather groups that meet, depending on the circumstances, in an attempt to reach a consensus on various issues. Blocs are often thought of as Voting Blocs, but this is a definite misnomer. They can be more realistically seen as Caucusing Blocs: groups which discuss issues together based on areas of mutual interest, but that often do not reach full agreement on all issues. A key consideration is that every country in a bloc will have different priorities based on its own national interests. Countries will often discount bloc considerations and vote in their own best interest in these priority areas. Blocs usually attempt to form a consensus among their members allowing them to act as a cohesive group. The effectiveness of any given bloc in exerting its positions in the General Assembly often depends upon its ability to form a consensus among its own members. These acts of compromise form the basis of UN politics, and often must occur within the various caucusing groups before they can begin to apply to the UN as a whole. Bloc politics have changed considerably over time. Their viability as a political tool is diminishing; blocs are falling out of use. The most historically cohesive bloc, the Warsaw Pact, has ceased to exist as a military and political unit. Several other blocs, including the Western, are undergoing structural changes that will have a profound effect on the future of UN politics. The more organized blocs at present are the African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity), the Organization of American States, and the European Union. One often misinterpreted area of bloc politics is that of the Third World, or developing bloc. A Third World Bloc has never existed. In actuality, several blocs of developing countries have existed. The Group of 77 (now consisting of 125+ nations) is the largest and is still sometimes thought of as the Third World Bloc. There are, however, developing nations which are not members of this organization, and many members also belong to several other organizations, particularly the Non-Aligned Movement. Representatives should be aware that the Member State they represent may no longer actively participate in bloc politics, or may vote outside of its traditional bloc based on circumstances. For example, at the June 1992 Environmental Summit in Rio de Janeiro, several Group of 77 countries including India, a previous leader of the bloc, ignored bloc positions on environmental issues and followed their own national interests when participating at the Summit. The most accurate thing which can be said about bloc politics today is that they are in a state of lux. Many States are increasingly neutral on issues on which they once held strong views and that were shared with other members of their respective bloc. Other States are becoming increasingly independent on issues, or are concerned only with regional issues. One example of a more recently formed bloc is the Alliance Against Biopiracy formally known as the Group of Allied Mega-Biodiverse Nations, which was formed to work together on sustainable development and similar issues. This group is comprised of 12 of the most biodiverse countries on the planet (China, Brazil and India, among others), with a combined total of over 70% of the worlds biodiversity within their collective borders. For the purposes of the AMUN Conference, blocs will not be treated as official bodies. Representatives are encouraged to caucus their bloc groups only when appropriate. Please remember there are many issues which cross bloc lines and many opportunities to invite an interested party to another bloc caucus in an effort to achieve a consensus.
CHAPTER 2: RESearch and preparation
Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide
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As a general rule, Representatives should become familiar with several items in their preparations for the Conference, from the UN system as a whole to the specifics of their countrys position on the topics of discussion for their respective committees. Research and preparation can be broken into 8 areas: 1. The UN System as a Whole: It is vitally important for each Representative to understand the basics of the organization which they are simulating, the United Nations. A wellprepared student should not only know the basics of the UNs structure, but should have a good understanding of how the Committee they will be working on it into the organization. In building this base of knowledge, Representatives will better understand what their Committee/Council can or cannot do within the UN system, what they can make recommendations on, what they can reasonably demand, and what issues are beyond the purview of the body they are simulating. The Issues at AMUN handbook includes a brief description under each Committee of what is within the purview for that body. This is provided to assist students in understanding the place of their work in the UN system, and it should be supplemented with additional research. 2. Current statistical information and a general background of the represented nations history and policies: This is the first key to understanding what actions a nation may prefer on the specific issues. Research should include, but certainly not be limited to, such areas as population, government type, natural resources, and trade data for the nation being represented. Traditional allies and adversaries should also be noted. Additionally, a countrys history can be crucial to its contemporary actions, including the question of whether that country was previously colonized or was a colonial power, when the country gained statehood, and what means were used in gaining independence (civil war, violent struggle, peaceful movement, etc.). 3. Specific background of the nations viewpoints on the issues to be discussed at the Conference: This is the center point of most Model UN preparation, focused research on the issues being discussed in each committee and on your governments position on those issues. Research can come from a variety of sources, beginning with UN documents (often found on the Internet or in paper form in a library or documents depository) and moving to articles, periodical sources, books, and Internet resources beyond the UN web site. UN resolutions and reports on the issues under discussion are especially helpful because they provide a quick reference to what has already been accomplished by the UN, and to what still needs to be done in the future. These documents also frequently provide voting information, which allows Representatives to quickly determine their countrys past positions on issues. A number of relevant sources are provided in the bibliography section of each topic brief in the Issues at AMUN handbook. Contacting the represented countrys Permanent Mission to the UN can also be helpful, but the level of assistance provided varies with each countrys policies and the resources they have available to help others. For some countries it will be very easy to find specific information to determine a position on most or all topics, and for others this information will be difficult to come by or simply not available. When clear cut information is not available, it is incumbent on the students preparing to make the best possible interpolations of what the countrys policy would be, given the facts available. This might include knowing the countrys background, their traditional allies, the stance of a regional group with whom they tend to agree, or a variety of other factors. Regardless of the facts available, knowing exactly what a country would do in a given situation is typically not possible. Representatives should
strive in their research to know as much as they can about the country and its stance on each topic, and to educate themselves enough to make reasonable policy assumptions on issues which are not totally clear. 4. The current world situation as it applies to the nation: This is a subset of the previous two areas of research, but is important enough to be mentioned in its own right. There is a significant difference between the policies of the only remaining superpower and a nation with very little military might. Even more significant at the UN is the difference between the policies of the relatively rich, industrialized nations and the relatively poor, developing (and especially least developed) nations on many issues. Additionally, a nation which is currently involved in a civil war, or a nation which is under UN sanctions, may have unique responses on some issues which are very different from those of the remainder of the international community. Knowing where the nation you represent its in the current world geo-political context, as a complement to your country specific research, can answer many questions which will come up during the simulation. 5. A specific background of the perspectives of nations with differing viewpoints on the issues: This is one of the more difficult areas in preparation. While it is reasonable to expect that a Representative will know who their general allies and adversaries on a given issue should be (regional partners, long-standing allies, etc.), it is very difficult to have detailed information on what the policies of each country in the simulation will be on a given issue. Limitations in preparation time by definition require that students focus primarily on the policies of their own country, often learning about others through references in their own research. This is an area where complete knowledge will serve participants well, but it is much more likely that each Representative will be learning the formal policies of the other countries in the committee when they give speeches from the floor and confer behind the scenes in caucus sessions. 6. The rules of procedure (provided in this Guide): While substantive discussions of the issues form the basis of any good simulation of the UN, the rules of procedure are used to facilitate the substantive debate which occurs. In general, these rules are intended to provide an even playing field, allowing each country to accomplish its individual goals in advocating their policies, while also maximizing opportunities for the group to reach agreement, or even consensus, on the issues. Several levels of preparation are possible on the rules. For new Model UN participants, it is recommended that each person has a working knowledge of the principal motions which can be made during the simulation, as encapsulated on the Rules Short Forms of this Guide. The chairperson of each committee will assist Representatives in using these rules on the first day of the Conference, and assist in bringing everyone onto an even playing field. For experienced Representatives, especially those who have not attended AMUN in the past, we suggest reading AMUNs rules in depth, both as a refresher on these rules of procedure and to note differences from other conferences a school might attend. Most Model UN conferences use at least slightly different rules of procedure, and in some cases the contrasts are signiicant. In order to best facilitate everyones experience, it is incumbent upon every participant to learn and use the rules as laid out for this Conference. 7. Practicing Public Speaking. You should practice public speaking and presentation of policy statements prior to your arrival at the conference. Your school should organize several practice simulations to improve speaking ability and to practice the rules of procedure. Please consult the final
section of this manual for a simulation script which has been designed to provide an introduction to the rules of procedure and the rhetoric of committee proceedings. 8. Practicing Diplomacy. Delegates to the United Nations and other international bodies treat one another with the utmost of objectivity and respect. While two States may have political difficulties with one another at any given time, the meeting of your MUN committee is not a time to carry these out unless that conflict is specifically relevant to the topic at hand. Even then, delegates are expected to act with the utmost of decorum and in a professional manner befitting their status as a diplomat. You may not wish to work with delegations with whom you have conflicts while in committee, but you must maintain the proper level respect for your fellow diplomats. Be sure that you understand this distinction prior to arriving at the Conference.
RESOURCES
General Sources of Information
American Model UN recommends the following general sources of information to use when researching your country and the issues of the Conference. Note that many of these sources are available on the Internet, either publicly, or through subscriptions that are often held by your school library. Basic Facts about the United Nations (UN Department of Public Information) The World Almanac and/or The Universal Almanac Permanent Missions to the United Nations (Write for information on your nation and the specific issues under consideration) UN Department of Public Information (Write for a publications list) United Nations Handbook (Published annually by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Various periodicals, including: the UN Chronicle, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist (weekly), Keesings Record of World Events (monthly) Utilizing the Internet
- American Model UN Web Site: When using the Internet, a great starting point is AMUN Internationals home page, which includes links to these and many other UN-related sites. This home page is updated with UN links as they become available and includes a great deal of background information to assist in your preparations for a conference. American Model UNs Home Page can be reached at www.amun.org. - News Sources: Most major newspapers and news organizations now publish directly to the web. A few sites of particular interest include: The New York Times at www.nyt.com, The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com, CNN at www.cnn.com BBC s at http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Asian News database juxtaposed by country at http://www.kidon.com/media-link/asia.php News sources by region at http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.php
Note that the Washington Post site also includes all Associated Press stories filed during the week. All of these pages (and many others) provide both daily news, as well as searchable archives of previous news stories. Google News at www.news.google.com is also an excellent source for country and topic information, allowing you to input specific key words, and then providing a daily synopsis of worldwide news using those words. - UN Links: Many United Nations resolutions, documents, speeches and other resources can be accessed through the Internet. Most UN agencies are represented, along with databases containing information on various regions around the world. In particular, the main United Nations Home Page at www.un.org provides up-to-date information on UN Documents passed in the General Assembly, Security Council, and ECOSOC, as well as historical information from these bodies, reports of the Secretary-General on various issues, and other very useful documents, along with excellent search capabilities. Additionally, many UN members now have home pages for their permanent missions in New York and Geneva. When a home page is available, it often includes details on the countrys policy and may have actual speeches given by Representatives of that country at the United Nations. These addresses can be found at www.un.org/members The UN also provides public access to its Optical Disk System (ODS), which includes nearly all of the documents published by the UN, including many that are not available on the UNs main web site. The ODS system is available at documents.un.org Please note that the search engine available on ODS is not always easy to use, but it is very easy to find files if you know the UN document number. You may want to utilize the UNBISNET search engine to find your document name/number, and then move to ODS to find the actual document. UNBISNET also provides access to voting records and country speeches. It is located at www.unbisnet.un.org. One of the best sources of up-to-date, timely and broad ranging news is the UN Foundations UN Wire daily newsletter. This publication, which is provided for free by the UN Foundation, provides 20+ daily stories on UN related issues and topics. These usually involve a brief The UN Information Centre (UNIC) also provides a weekly update on UN activities. You can request this free e-mail service at www.unicwash.org
See also: - United Nations Documentation Research Guide online at www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide - Independent information and analysis on proposals to strengthen the UN at Center of UN Reform Education at http://www.centerforunreform.org/ Access to UN links at United Nations Information Centres at http://unic.un.org/aroundworld/unics/en/usefulLinks/index.asp - UNs inter-governmental body for protecting human rights around the world at UN Human Rights Council at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/ - A documentation centre which includes all info about UNs peacekeeping principles and Operations at http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/ - Breaking news from UN news sources and officials at UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/News/ - More information about the member states of UN by country at http://www.un.org/en/members/ - United Nations Development Programme and Millennium Goals at UNDP at http://www.undp.org/
- UNs organ which is responsible for health at http://www.who.int/en/ - The world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide at World Food Programme at http://www.wfp.org/ - The Charter of the United Nations at http://www.hrweb.org/legal/unchartr.html - Alphabetic Index of Websites of the United Nations System of Organizations at http://www.unsystem.org/ - Official UN databases http://www.un.org/en/databases/ - Official UN Documents Quick Links at http://www.un.org/en/documents/index.shtml - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml - UN Statistics Division at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm - UNAUSA at http://www.unausa.org/Page.aspx?pid=220 - Daily news from the UN foundation at http://www.smartbrief.com/un_wire/index.jsp - See the effect of UN worldwide at UN Works at http://www.un.org/works/ - For your country research: - CIA World Fact Book - the best source to check all info about your own country, at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ Country Watch country-specific intelligence and data, at http://www.countrywatch.com/cw_default.aspx - Global Policy Forum works particularly on the UN Security Council, the food and hunger crisis, and the global economy, at http://www.globalpolicy.org/index.php - France at the UN Thematic Files - permanent mission of France to the UN, at http://www.franceonu.org/spip.php?rubrique111 - Multilaterals Project - Multilateral Conventions Organized by Subject and other Links, at http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multilaterals/ - Crisis Watch - the worlds leading independent, non-partisan, source of analysis and advice to governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations, on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict, at http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm? - Nation by Nation History Centre - Alphabetical Country List to get Basic Facts, at http://www.historycentral.com/nationbynation/
ROLE PLAYING
The Representative Delegates are fundamental to any Model UN conference. A delegates job is to research the positions of a UN Member State, both on the specific topics that will be discussed at the Conference and as a general overview of that nations policies. Delegates should then be ready to discuss the issues with their counterparts and to prepare draft resolutions, or other documents based on the specifics of each simulation, which codify solutions to problems. These draft resolutions and documents may be submitted for debate at the Conference. Finally, delegates attend the Conference to represent their nation in discussing the various issues presented. When delegates reach the floor of the Model UN conference, they assume the role of the Distinguished Representative from their country, with all the rights and responsibilities which that entails. At the Conference, Representatives, in the role of their countrys spokesperson, will debate the issues on the agenda to seek solutions to the problems facing the world community. They will also create and discuss draft resolutions, caucus with Representatives who are role playing other countries, and work to
solve the problems facing the world. In the UN today, nations will usually debate an item in an attempt to reach a consensus that can be agreed to by all, or at least by most, nations. The draft resolutions under discussion at Model UN can be accepted by consensus, adopted, amended, combined or even debate to the point that no final document can be produced on a given issue. Special effort should be made to achieve consensus on issues, rather than requiring a formal vote, thus showing solidarity and strong support for UN decisions. Over seventy-five percent of the General Assemblys resolutions are now adopted by consensus. While not always achievable on every issue, passage of resolutions by consensus illustrates the importance of an issue to the international community. By striving for universal agreement on their resolutions, MUN committee and council simulations strive to emulate this aspect of international diplomacy. Model UN is a simulation of the UN. By its very nature, the quality and tone of debate will be dramatically different than in the real UN. At the UN, Representatives and their consular staffs spend months in preparation, behind doors caucusing, and interacting with other nations before an issue is brought to a vote. A UN Representative, or Head of State, will almost always make a prepared speech that will not be news to the other Representatives present. At Model UN, Representatives will only have 2-4 days to assume the role of their nations Representative and simulate the actions of the UN. This consolidation of time leads to many different circumstances with which each delegation will have to contend. Among the considerations is the fact that Representatives will rarely have the opportunity to make a pre-written speech on a topic. Instead, they will often be forced to verbally react to circumstances as they arise, and they may be in a position where it is reasonable to reinterpret their nations position in light of new facts. Representatives should not simply read from their countrys established record on the issues presented; they should be prepared to compromise with the other nations represented, and adapt their policies where needed to meet the current circumstances of the world as simulated at the Conference. Note that this in no way gives delegations license to act out of character. Representatives should research and generally follow the policies of their country, modifying these as new circumstances dictate. Successful role playing involves walking a careful line on policy; avoid the extremes of either reading verbatim a countrys past statements, or creating an ad hoc policy with no previous basis. Delegations That Are Out of Character Since students attending the Conference are not career diplomats representing their country, and since most students will not have lived or been raised in the country they are representing, questions do sometimes arise at a conference as to whether the actions of an individual are out of character in relation to their delegations policy in the real world. MUN has several specific suggestions to address this issue. First, and most importantly, being in character is the responsibility of each delegation, and ultimately falls to the Permanent Representative and/or the Faculty Advisor. There is no possible substitute for extensive preparation on your country and the issues to be discussed BEFORE attending the Conference. Model UN Staff expects that the members of each delegation will enter the Conference prepared and knowing more about their individual country and their countrys stance on the issues than any other Representative present. If you, or your delegation, feel that a Representative has not done sufficient research and is misinformed or acting out of character on a particular issue, MUN recommends several steps which can be taken: First, please revisit the actions taken by the Representative in question. Is the Representative out of character given the particular resolution and situation on the floor? Have circumstances (either in the
real world or at Conference) changed such that the Representative could realistically modify their countrys stance on a particular issue? Are you certain that you know the actual stance of the country in question on the issue? Many cases of a Representative appearing out of character are actually just misinterpretations of what was said or of a countrys previously stated policies. If you still feel that the Representative is out of character, MUN asks that you talk to the Representative about the issue before bringing the problem to the Secretariat. This can be easily done in a non-confrontational manner by stating something like: I hadnt realized that was your countrys position on the issue, where did you see that? or I thought I read something in (state your source) about your countrys having a different opinion on this issue; have you seen that information? Directly confronting a Representative to say Youre wrong on this will likely not succeed and could damage your diplomatic relations in the future. The Representative will likely respond in one of three ways to your question, either with information to justify their statements, with a statement like I did the research and this is my countrys view on the issue, or with interest in the new information you have provided. If this response answers your question, the problem is resolved. If a Representative is interested in more information, please send that person to the Home Government office, which has many files and resources to help with questions. If the Representative is non-responsive or chooses not to answer your question, you can bring the issue to the attention of the Dais Staff, who will request that the Home Government Secretariat look into the situation. Please note that Model UN Chairs and Rapporteurs are specifically instructed to NOT provide advice to Representatives on the issues being discussed. MUN staff members have different roles. Chairs are specifically trained on the Rules of Procedure. Rapporteurs provide some basic content assistance to Representatives in the room, especially focusing on the drafting of resolutions and reports. The Home Government Secretariat is trained on assisting Representatives with content questions. Chairs and/or Rapporteurs may arbitrate disagreements but will never render an opinion regarding an out of character disagreement. If a delegation or individual is found to be acting out of character, MUNs goal is to provide them with the information needed to correctly represent their country on a given issue. The delegations Permanent Representative will always be sought out by the Secretariat if someone from their delegation may be out of character to inform them of the situation. Since all participants at MUN are learning about the United Nations as they participate, these situations may occur. MUN expects that all delegations will take the time necessary to prepare and correctly portray their country on each issue under consideration. MUN also asks that Representatives not jump to conclusions on other delegations role playing without having detailed background on the other countrys position on the issue. Finally, MUN asks that Representatives on all sides handle potential out of character situations with the utmost of diplomatic courtesy for all parties involved. The MUN Secretariat will be the final arbiter of any out of character disputes that arise at the Conference.
CHAPTER 3: Resolution and position paper writing

The substantive work of committees at the MUN Conference generally takes the form of either resolutions or reports. Please refer to the chart below which designates whether delegates will be writing resolutions or reports in the committee: Resolution Writing Committees GA Plenary, GA 1st, GA 2nd, GA 3rd ECOSOC Plenary Report (or variation thereof) Writing Committees UNICEF, WFP, AU, ASEAN IAEA, CSW, ECLAC, OIC
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Security Council UNHCR
CDP, CSD CAAC, ICJ
Although delegates are encouraged to develop resolution and report writing skills, both in workshop scenarios and at home, the MUN will not accept any pre-written resolutions or reports, and which have not been developed by a plurality of the committee. This determination is at the sole discretion of the Secretariat. Due to the goal of creating an environment where the skill of compromise and conflict resolution skills can be learned, delegates may be asked to merge working documents with other individuals working on the same issue in a committee. In addition, any delegates found to be submitting plagiarized material within resolutions will be subject to dismissal from further participation within the Conference. Although UN documents are within the public domain, the verbatim exploitation of these documents will not be permitted at the Conference. RESOLUTIONS OVERVIEW A resolution is the most appropriate means of applying political pressure on Member States, expressing an opinion on an important issue, or recommending action to be taken by the United Nations or some other agency. Most UN resolutions are not binding law; the only body which may produce resolutions that are binding upon the Member States of the United Nations is the Security Council. Under UN rules of procedure, unlike other more generalized rules of procedure, the topic on the floor is debated in its entirety. This means that during debate, delegates should discuss the whole issue and all of the resolutions regarding that issue. When debate is exhausted, or is ended, the body then votes on each resolution and amendment and the issue are considered closed. The goal of formal debate and caucusing is to persuade enough countries in the committee to support a particular solution to the topic under discussion. Resolutions formally state the agreed-upon solution by outlining the relevant precedents and describing the proposed actions. The committee is not limited to one resolution per topic; often the committee will pass multiple resolutions dealing with different aspects of a topic. REPORTS OVERVIEW Some committees at the Conference will draft reports during the course of negotiations, instead of resolutions. These reports represent the full work of the committee in question. These reports should no be confused with the summary reports of a committees work which are presented at Plenary Sessions of either the General Assembly or ECOSOC. Directors of report writing committees will elaborate on the process used in reporting writing committees on opening night. Reports are similar in nature to resolutions, with only a few key differences. Reports represent the formal recommendation and/or decision of the committee on the agenda topics at hand, in the same manner as resolutions, but in the form of one document. Committees that write resolutions typically produce a number of draft resolutions for each topic, and each one is subject to a substantive vote by the body. In a similar manner, committees that write reports produce several draft report segments and then vote on each one. The final report of these committees will combine the adopted draft reports into one comprehensive report at the end of the simulation. Another key difference is the format of reports. While resolutions consist of one long sentence, reports are a series of complete sentences. Thus, where the clauses of a resolution each contain one whole
concept, a report is composed of paragraphs, each constituted by a sentence or a few sentences which contain one whole concept. LIFE OF A RESOLUTION As a given agenda topic is debated in both formal and informal debate, blocs of delegations will begin to work together on writing resolutions. During the initial writing and revision stages, these documents are referred to as working papers. Working papers are drafted and are then discussed with a larger number of delegations and revised or merged as needed according to their input. In order to be formally introduced to the floor, a working papers must garner a certain number of signatures and then be approved by the director for printing and distribution as draft resolutions. There are two types of supporting a working paper to be brought to the floor. The sponsors of a working paper are often the ones who created the content of it and who will be most responsible for seeing it through until it is voted on as a resolution. Sponsors of a working paper have the right to allow friendly amendments or to force a committee vote on an amendment. Sponsorship has no other advantages at the MUN and is not one of the awards criteria. Member States acting as sponsors of a working paper should be prepared to be available to defend the paper and answer questions regarding it during session hours . Signatories are Member States, observers or NGOs who are interested in bringing the working paper forward for consideration by the committee. They often support the content of the paper, but were not necessarily instrumental in creating it, and may ultimately disagree with its content. The required number of signatures usually for a paper to be submitted totals 20% of the membership, depending on committee size. The Director will provide the required number during the second committee meeting. When the sponsors feel that the working paper is complete, in the correct format, and ready to be distributed to the entire body, they must submit it to the committee director. The Director will examine the working paper and may require changes before it can be distributed to the committee at large. The committee director is the final authority on all resolutions. A working paper or draft resolution may not be sent for printing, or be distributed to the committee without the approval of the Director. The Director may require revisions to a working paper, including changes in format and/or content. The Director may also, at his or her discretion, require two or more groups to combine or merge similar working papers before approval. After approval, the working paper is assigned a number, upgraded to a draft resolution, and sent to Conference Services for printing. At this time, the names of all sponsors and signatories are removed from the document. The draft resolution cannot be introduced on the floor of the committee until copies have returned from Conference Services, and the committee must be in formal session in order to distribute copies. Once a resolution has been introduced, it is formally debated as part of the topic area, and amendments may be proposed. A draft resolution only becomes a resolution if it is approved by the committee in voting procedure. Delegates should be aware during the process, that the committee should not pass contradicting resolutions but speak with a coherent voice. For more information, see the section of this Guide that discusses voting procedure.
Drafting Working Papers during Committee

When drafting and sponsoring a working paper, keep in mind the wording will greatly influence its appeal, or lack thereof. The working paper should be clear, concise, and specific. The substance should be wellresearched and reflect the character and interests of the sponsoring States and drafting NGOs or observers. Sponsors and other supporters should expect to discuss and defend the document throughout the session.
STRUCTURE
UN resolutions follow a common format. Each resolution has three parts: the heading, the preambular clauses, and the operative clauses. The entire resolution consists of one long sentence, with commas and semi-colons throughout, and only one period at the very end. Working papers should be single-spaced, with each line numbered in the left-hand margin. The first word in each clause should be italicized. The Conference Services department will provide a template for working paper format. Preambular Clauses The purpose of the preambular clause is to supply historical background for the issue as well as justify the action. Preambular clauses usually begin with a participle and cite appropriate sections of the UN Charter, past UN resolutions and precedents of international law relevant to the topic. The preamble should also specifically refer to factual situations or incidents. Finally, the preamble may include altruistic appeals to the common sense or humanitarian instincts of Members with references to the Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, etc. The importance of the preamble depends on the question under consideration. In some cases, the preamble is merely a formality; it is the operative clauses that are difficult to agree on. However, the preamble is still critical because it provides the framework through which the problem is viewed. Remember that preambular clauses begin with participles, are in italics, and are always followed by a comma. Some common preambular clause beginnings are: Affirming Deeply disturbed Guided by Alarmed by Deeply regretting Having adopted Having considered Observing Having considered further Aware of Emphasizing Having devoted attention Believing Expecting
Realizing Bearing in mind Having examined Recalling Confident Having studied Recognizing Contemplating Fulfilling Having heard Convinced Fully aware Having received Declaring Fully alarmed Keeping in mind
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Deeply concerned Fully believing Noting with regret Deeply conscious Further deploring Noting with satisfaction Deeply convinced Further recalling
Noting with deep concern Taking note Welcoming Desiring Noting further Seeking Referring
Operative Clauses The solution in a resolution is presented through a logical progression of sequentially numbered operative clauses. These clauses may recommend, urge, condemn, encourage, request certain actions, or state an opinion regarding an existing situation. Each operative clause calls for a specific action. The action may be as vague as denunciation of a certain situation or a call for negotiations, or as specific as a call for a cease-fire or a monetary commitment for a particular project. It is important to bear in mind that only Security Council resolutions are binding upon the international community. The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council can only make recommendations. The power and authority of a committee determine what may be included in the operative clause. Resolutions are seldom complete solutions to a problem; they are usually only one step in the process of developing a solution. Prior research should have revealed alternatives that failed. Operative clauses begin with an active, present tense verb and are followed by a semi-colon, with a period placed after the final clause. Some common operative clause beginnings are: Accepts Designate Affirms Draws attention Approves Emphasizes Authorizes Encourages Calls Endorses Calls upon Expresses its hope Condemns Further invites Confirms Further proclaims Considers Further recommends Declares accordingly Further reminds Deplores Further request Introducing International Instruments UN resolutions are not adopted in a vacuum, but in the context established by prior international instruments, such as the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and various international treaties or other agreements. These instruments establish the political and legal foundations upon which deliberations can begin. As such, delegates are fully expected to integrate the relevant documents in position papers and in draft resolutions and reports. Reports
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Reports follow a drafting process similar to resolutions: working paper; draft report; final report. At the end of the week, each report segment the committee has adopted is combined into one comprehensive report. As the final report is to combine all the draft segments into one coherent document, it is vitally important for delegates to work with this goal in mind. Though different resolutions passed by a body should not contradict each other either, the need for coherence is emphasizes in a report. Delegates need to be conscious from the first night of committee sessions that their segments will need to be combined with those of other groups. Delegates will be able to articulate diverging viewpoints in a report on matters where there is disagreement; however, this needs to be made explicit in the respective segment of the report dealing with a certain issue. Even if such disagreement exists, it may not lead to contradicting recommendations. Directors and Assistant Directors are aware of the difficulties facing delegates in drafting a coherent report, and their acceptance of draft segments will take into consideration the status of working papers still circulating.
CHAPTER 4: rules of procedure in the security council, ga committees, ecosoc

1. ADMINISTRATIVE 1.1. Quorum/ Majority. In the Security Council a quorum is made up of all member delegations; to begin a Council session all members must be present, In GA Committees/ECOSOC a quorum will be one-fourth of the member delegations in attendance for each Committee/Council The Secretariat reserves the right to adjust the quorum as it deems necessary.
A majority is required for a substantive question to be put to a vote, It is the responsibility of the Chair/ Co-chairs to ensure that a quorum is present at all times. 1.2. Council/Committee Officers. The Secretariat shall appoint the President and Vice President of the Security Council/ GA Committees/ ECOSOC, and shall select any other positions necessary to help conduct the sessions of the Council/Committee. 1.3. General Authority of the President. The President shall be the chairperson at all Council/Committee sessions. In addition to exercising such authority conferred upon the President elsewhere in these rules, the President shall have the authority to: Declare the opening and closing of each session, Ensure the observance of the rules, Direct the discussions of the Council/ Committee, and accord the right to speak, Advise the Council/Committee on methods of procedure that will enable the body to accomplish its goals, Rule on points and motions, and subject to these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings of the Council/ Committee and the maintenance of order at its meetings, During the course of the session the President may propose: Limits on Debate, Closure of Debate, Enter Consultative Session and Suspension and Adjournment of the Meeting, 1.4. Attendance at Sessions. Each member delegation assumes the responsibility to have present a minimum of one accredited Representative at each session. * 1.5. Emergency Security Council Sessions. Emergency Security Council Sessions may be called by the Secretariat at any time international conflicts require immediate Council attention, as established in the Charter of the United Nations. 1.6. Provisional Agenda. The Secretariat shall distribute a provisional agenda to all delegations prior to the start of the Conference, This agenda provides the delegates with topics that are the basis for its deliberations, but in no way limits the Council/Committees topics. 1.7. Daily Order of Consideration of Agenda Topics. The Council/Committee will establish the daily order of consideration of agenda topics at the start of each daily session. Once established, this will become the working agenda for the duration of that day, Agenda topics will be discussed in the order in which they appear on the working, A delegation wishing to change this order may move to change the order of consideration of the working agenda. * 1.8. Participation by Non-Council Member States and International Organizations. When an issue before the Security Council involves a non-Council UN Member State or Observer, the Council may request that the delegation be represented during Council sessions in which the issue is being discussed, To do this a Council member delegation must move that the nation is Party to the Dispute, A nonCouncil UN member or observer that has been requested to attend Council sessions will usually be
given debating privileges; this would allow the delegation to be recognized by the President during debate, A non-Council UN Member State or observer may submit draft resolutions of amendments, but may not move these to the floor or vote at any time, A non-Council member requested to attend a Council session, but not given debating privileges, will be subject to a question and answer period. If the Security Council, when discussing any issue, finds it necessary to have present a Representative of a non-UN Member State, an international organization, or any other persons it considers competent for the purpose, it may request one by means of Party to the Dispute. A Representative will be made available to the Council in a timely fashion, These Representatives may not be given debating privileges, but will be subject to a question and answer period, The Secretariat will assume full responsibility to certify Representative credentials prior to their appearance before the Council, If it is determined that many nations outside of the Security Council have an interest in a specific issue, the Council may declare an open meeting on any issue being discussed, In order to allow all delegations time to prepare their comments, an open meeting in the Council should be announced at least two hours in advance of the open debate session, Any UN Member State or observer may participate in an open meeting. * 1.9. Security Council Priority Relating to Issues Concerning the Maintenance of International Peace and Security. The Security Council, as established in the United Nations Charter, shall have priority over the General Assembly on issues that pertain to the maintenance of international peace and security, Issues of this type, while under discussion in the Security Council, shall be seized from General Assembly action, Accordingly, any General Assembly draft resolution pertaining to a seized issue cannot be put to a final vote until the Security Council has completed its deliberations on the subject, General Assembly draft resolutions that deal with a seized issue may be discussed and amended, but no final vote on the draft resolution may be taken, If no resolution has been adopted, the Security Council will be considered to have completed its deliberations on a seized issue once that agenda topic is no longer under discussion. The Council may declare itself actively seized on a topic by stating this in a resolution; this seizure will prevent the General Assembly from taking action until a two-hour time period has elapsed. Throughout the General Assembly, Representatives will be kept informed by the Secretary-General of any seized issues.
2. GENERAL RULES
2.1. Statements by the Secretariat. The Secretary-General, or any member of the Secretariat, may make verbal or written statements to the Security Council at any time. 2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy. Representatives must accord diplomatic Courtesy to all other Representatives and Secretariat members at all times,
Any Representative or visitor who, after being advised by the President, persists in an obvious attempt to divert the meeting from its intended purpose, or who otherwise attempts to disrupt the proceeding, shall be subject to disciplinary action and expulsion from the Committee by the President, The Secretariat reserves the right to expel any Representative/delegation from the Conference, Decisions of the President on diplomatic Courtesy are not appealable. 2.3. Speeches. No Representative may address the Committee/ Council without previously obtaining the permission of the President, The President shall call upon delegations in the order in which they signify their desire to speak, Delegations, not Representatives, are recognized to speak; more than one Representative from the same delegation may speak when the delegation is recognized, Speakers must keep their remarks germane to the subject under discussion, A time limit may be established for speeches, Representatives, at the conclusion of a substantive speech, will be allowed to answer questions concerning their speech, if they are willing, to answer questions concerning their speech, A delegation that desires to ask a question should signify by raising a Point of Inquiry All questions and replies are made through the President, A speaker who desires to make a motion may do so after their speech and questioning, but prior to yielding the floor, By making a motion the speaker yields the floor, Motions may not be made from: Points of Order, Information or Inquiry. 2.4. Recognition of Speakers. Delegations wishing to speak on an item before the body will signify by raising their placards, The exception to this rule occurs on any Point of Order, Information , or Inquiry, at which time a Representative should raise their placard and call out Point of ___________ to the President, Points will be recognized in the order of their priority, Speakers will be recognized in a fair and orderly manner, Speakers lists will not be used, except during an open meeting for the Security Council 2.5. Right of Reply. The President may accord a right of reply to any Representative if a speech by another Representative contains unusual or extraordinary language clearly insulting to personal or national dignity, Requests for a Right of Reply shall be made in writing to the Chair, Requests shall contain the specific language which was found to be insulting to personal or national dignity, The Chairs decision is not subject to appeal, There shall be no reply to a reply, The Chair may limit the time for reply. 2.6. Withdrawal of Motions. A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has begun, Seconds to a motion may also be withdrawn, if a withdrawn sponsorship or second brings the proposal below the required number the motion is withdrawn, A withdrawn motion or second may be reintroduced by any other delegation.
2.7. Dilatory Motions. The President may rule out of order any motion repeating or closely approximating a recent previous motion on which the Committee/ Council has already rendered an opinion, This ruling is not subject to appeal.
* 2.8. Consultative Session in the Security Council. The Council may choose to suspend its rules and enter an informal, consultative session moderated by the Council President if the members determine that this process will better facilitate the discussion of a particular issue, The Council will move immediately into a formal session at the conclusion of discussions on the consultative topic. 3. RULES THAT RELATE TO THE RULES 3.1. Rule Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this Guide are the official rules of procedure of American Model United Nations and will be used for all Council sessions. These rules take precedence over any other set of rules. 3.2. Precedence of Rules. Proceedings in the Committees/Councils and GA Assembly sessions shall be conducted under the following precedence of rules: 1. Rules of Procedure in the Delegate Guide, 2. Security Council Precedence Short Form, 3. Rulings by the Rules Committee, 4. Historical Usage of the Rules of Procedure, 5. The Charter of the United Nations. 3.3. The Order of Precedence of Motions. The order of precedence of motions is listed in order of priority in both the GA/ ECOSOC/ Security Council Precedence Short Form and in these rules under Section 7, Procedural Motions in Order of Priority. These motions, in the order given, have precedence over all other proposals or motions before the Committee/Council or the GA. 4. DRAFT RESOLUTIONS, AMENDMENTS & STATEMENTS 4.1. Definition of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution is a written proposal consisting of at least one preambular and one operative clause. 4.2 Draft Resolutions. Draft resolutions may be submitted to the Committee Chair/Co-chairs for approval at any time during the Conference, For a draft resolution to be considered it must be organized in content and low, be legible, have a proper format, have a minimum of 25% of the delegations in attendance listed as sponsors, and the signature of the Committee/Council Rapporteur, The final required number of sponsors will be determined by the Committee at conference registration and announced at the opening of each committee session, After acceptance by the Rapporteur, draft resolutions shall be processed in the order in which they are received and distributed to all delegations as soon as feasible,
A draft resolution that has been distributed may be proposed when the Council considers the agenda topic that is the subject of the draft resolution, Once a draft resolution is on the floor for discussion, additional sponsors may only be added to that draft resolution with the consent of the original sponsor(s), Only one draft resolution may be considered on the floor at any time-during formal debate, Once a vote has been taken on a contested amendment to the draft resolution, no additional sponsors may be added, Friendly amendments do not limit the addition of sponsors as above, 4.3 Definition of Amendments. An amendment to a draft resolution is a written proposal that adds to, deletes from, or revises any part of the draft resolution. 4.4 Amendments. All amendments must be submitted on an official amendment form to the Dias for approval , Amendments to draft resolutions must be signed by 15% of the delegations in attendance Amendments will be approved if they are legible, organized in content and low, and in proper format, Approved Amendments will be assigned an identification letter by the Rapporteur, Typographical errors will be corrected by the Dais Staff and announced to the body, One or more amendments may be considered on the floor at any given time, An amendment will be considered friendly if all sponsors of the draft resolution are also sponsors to the amendment, A friendly amendment becomes part of a draft resolution upon the Chairs announcement that it is accepted, No vote is required to add a friendly amendment to a draft resolution, The Chair shall announce the acceptance of a friendly amendment on the first opportunity at which no speaker has the floor, Friendly amendments cannot be accepted after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment, 4.5. Withdrawal of Sponsorship. Sponsorship of a resolution or amendment may be withdrawn at any time before voting on it has begun, Sponsorship of a resolution may not be withdrawn after a vote has been taken on a contested amendment, If a draft resolution or amendment falls below the number of sponsors required for consideration, additional sponsors may be added to that draft resolution or amendment with the consent of the original sponsors, If a draft resolution or amendment has all sponsorship withdrawn, any delegation may take up sponsorship of that draft resolution or amendment by informing the Chair/ Co-chairs, If all sponsors withdraw from a draft resolution or amendment, it is automatically removed from consideration. * 4.6. Definition of Presidential Statements. The Security Council may choose to issue a Presidential Statement on issues which do not warrant a resolution. This statement is formally from the President of the Council, but is drafted by the body, or its designate(s)
* 4.7. Presidential Statements. Presidential Statements are discussed, drafted and accepted in informal debate or outside of a formal Council session, This statement must be accepted by a consensus of the Council, As this type of statement does not represent a formal decision of the Council, a formal vote is not recorded on a Presidential Statement, Unlike resolutions, Presidential Statements are not binding on Member States.
5.
VOTING
5.1 Voting Rights. Each member state delegation shall have one vote in each Committee/Council on which it is represented, No Representative/delegation may cast a vote on behalf of another country. 5.2. Votes Required for Passage. Unless otherwise specified in these rules, decisions in the Council require nine affirmative votes for passage. Historical Security Councils occurring prior to 1963, consisting of eleven members, require seven affirmative votes for passage of decisions. 5.3. Adoption by Consensus. The adoption of amendments and draft resolutions by consensus is desirable when it contributes to the effective and lasting settlement of differences, thus strengthening the authority of the United Nations, Any Representative may request the adoption of an amendment or draft resolution by consensus at any time after Closure of Debate has passed, The President shall ask whether there is any objection to a consensus, If there is no objection, the proposal is approved by consensus, If any Representative objects to consensus, voting shall occur as otherwise stated in these rules. 5.4. Method of Voting. The Council shall normally vote on motions by a show of raised placards, The votes of Council members on all substantive matter shall be officially recorded, and all substantive matters are subject to the Consent of the Permanent Members, regardless of the means by which they are voted upon, Any nation may request a roll call vote on substantive matters, unless adopted by consensus; this request shall then automatically be granted by the President, When applicable, roll shall be called in English alphabetical order beginning with a nation selected at random by the Vice President, Representatives shall reply yes, no, abstain or abstain from the order of voting, A nation may abstain from the order of voting once during a roll call; a second abstention from the order of voting will be recorded as an abstention. 5.5. Conduct During Voting. Immediately prior to a vote the President shall describe to the Council the proposal to be voted on, and shall explain the consequences of a yes or a no vote. Voting shall begin upon the Presidents declaration we are in voting procedure, and end when the results of the vote are announced, Once in voting procedure, no Representative shall interrupt the voting except on a Point of Order or Information concerning the actual conduct of the vote,
Following Closure of Debate, and prior to entering voting procedure, the President shall pause briefly to allow delegations the opportunity to make any relevant motions, Relevant motions prior to a vote include: Suspension of the Meeting , Adjournment of the Meeting, Enter Consultative Session, Division of the Question or Adoption by Consensus. 5.6 Changes of Votes. At the end of roll-call, but before rights of explanation and the subsequent announcement of the vote, the Vice President will ask for any vote changes. Any delegation that desires to change its recorded vote may do so at that time. 5.7. Rights of Explanation. Rights of explanation are permitted on all substantive votes after voting. Rights of explanation may be limited in time by the President. 5.8. Consent of the Five Permanent Members. As established in the Charter of the United Nations, each of the five Permanent Members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, shall have the right to veto any substantive matter which comes to a vote before the Security Council, A no vote by any Permanent Member, along with nine affirmative votes by other Council members, shall constitute a veto and cause the motion to fail.
6.
POINTS OF PROCEDURE IN ORDER OF PRIORITY
6.1. Point of Order. During the discussion of any matter, a Representative may rise to a Point of Order if he/she believes that the Council is proceeding in a manner contrary to these rules, The Representative will be immediately recognized by the President and the point ruled on, A Representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak substantively on any matter, If a Representatives ability to participate in the Councils deliberations is impaired for any reason related to the Councils physical environment, the Representative may rise to a Point of Order, A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker. 6.2. Point of Information. A Point of Information is raised to the President if a Representative wishes to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matters before the Council, Representatives may not interrupt a speaker on a Point of Information. 6.3. Point of Inquiry. During substantive debate, a Representative may question a speaker by rising to a Point of Inquiry, Questions must be directed through the President and may be made only after the speaker has concluded his/her remarks, but before he/she has yielded the floor, Representatives may not interrupt a speaker on a Point of Inquiry, See also rule 2.3, Speeches. 7. MOTIONS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY
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7.1. Suspension of the Meeting. During the discussion of any matter, a Representative may move to suspend the meeting. Suspending a meeting recesses it for the time specified in the motion, The motion is not debatable, The President may request that the delegation making the motion modify the time of suspension, If the motion passes, the Council, when it reconvenes, will continue its business from the point at which suspension was moved, unless otherwise stated in these rules. 7.2. Adjournment of the Meeting. The motion of adjournment means that all business of the Council has been completed, and that the Council will not reconvene until the next annual session, A motion to adjourn is not debatable, The President may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the Council still has business before it, This decision is not appealable. 7.3. Adjournment of Debate. During the discussion of any amendment, draft resolution or agenda topic before the Council, a Representative may move for adjournment of debate, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall be put to a vote, Adjournment of debate on a draft resolution or amendment would end debate on that draft resolution or amendment, An adjourned draft resolution can be resubmitted to the floor by any delegation, at the discretion of the President as to the dilatory nature of such a motion, Adjourning debate on an agenda topic has the effect of postponing debate on the topic and allowing the Council to move on to consideration of other topics or issues, The Council may return to discussion of an agenda topic by either placing the topic on the working agenda, or by changing the order of consideration of the working agenda. 7.4. Closure of Debate on an Agenda Topic. A motion to close debate on an agenda topic is in order at any time during discussion of that topic. The effect of this motion, if passed, is to put a draft resolution that is on the floor to a vote, If no draft resolution is on the floor, the effect of this motion is to end debate on this topic and move on to the next topic on the working agenda, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote. 7.5. Closure of Debate. A motion for Closure of Debate is in order at any time during the discussion of an amendment or draft resolution. The effect of this motion is to bring the issue under discussion to an immediate vote, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, Representatives should specify whether the motion for closure applies to an amendment or a draft resolution, If closure passes on the draft resolution or agenda topic, all amendments on the floor will be voted upon in the reverse order from which they were moved to the floor,
After voting on all amendments is completed, the draft resolution shall be voted upon in accordance with these rules, At the conclusion of voting procedure, the draft resolution or amendment being voted on is removed from consideration for future discussions, regardless of whether it passes or fails. Debate then continues on the current topic under discussion. 7.6. Appealing a Decision of the President. Rulings of the President are appealable unless otherwise specified in these rules, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, An appeal must be made immediately following the ruling in question, This motion may be made by a delegation that has been recognized through a Point of Order, The President shall put the question as follows: Shall the decision of the President be sustained? A yes vote supports the Presidents decision; a no vote signifies objection, The decision of the President shall be sustained by a tie, Rulings by the President on the following rules or motions are not appealable: Diplomatic Courtesy, Right of Reply, Dilatory Motions, granting of a roll call vote, Adjournment of the Meeting, and any time a ruling by the President is a direct quotation from these Rules of Procedure. 7.7. Enter Consultative Session. A motion to enter consultative session is in order at any time. This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, The motion should specify a length of time for the consultative session, This can be set to a specific time, or based on the discussion of a specific amendment, draft resolution or agenda topic. 7.8. Add an Agenda Topic. A motion to add an agenda topic to the Working Agenda is in order during any Council session, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, Once an issue is added as an agenda topic, it is placed as the last topic on the working agenda. 7.9. Change the Order of Consideration of the Working Agenda. A motion to change the order of consideration of topics on the working agenda is in order during any Council session. The effect of this motion is to change the order in which agenda topics are to be discussed by the Council, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, The delegation making this motion must state, in the motion, the new order in which the agenda topics are to be considered. 7.10. Set Working Agenda. At the start of each daily session the Security Council shall establish a Working Agenda (see rule .). A delegation may move to set the working agenda, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
The motion must include the order in which agenda topics are to be considered, A working agenda does not have to contain all agenda topics. 7.11. Limits on Debate. A motion to limit or extend the time allotted to each delegation, or limit the number of times each delegation can speak on a substantive matter, is in order at any time, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, The time allotted for speakers on amendments, draft resolutions and agenda topics shall be no less than three minutes, This motion may limit the number of points of inquiry a speaker may accept to a minimum of one, A motion to limit the time of debate on an agenda topic, draft resolution, or amendment is also in order. 7.12. Division of the Question. A motion to divide the question, proposing that clauses of an amendment or draft resolution be voted on separately, is in order at any time prior to entering voting procedure on the amendment or draft resolution, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote, No debate or vote is necessary if the sponsor(s) of the draft resolution does not object to the division, If a vote has previously been taken on a contested amendment to the draft resolution, any Council member may object to division and require a vote, After a majority vote is received on a motion for Division of the Question, no other motion for Division of the Question is in order on that amendment or Draft Resolution, Those clauses of the amendment or draft resolution which are approved shall then be put to a vote as a whole, If division causes a draft resolution to no longer be in proper format, the proposal as a whole is rejected. 7.13. Consideration of Draft Resolutions. A draft resolution may be moved to the floor by any delegation that receives recognition by the President, This motion is not subject to debate, Only one draft resolution may be on the floor at any time, The sponsoring delegation will be allowed to speak first on the draft resolution, if desired. 7.14. Consideration of Amendments. An amendment, once approved and assigned an identifying letter, may be moved to the floor by any delegation that receives recognition by the President, This motion is not subject to debate, The sponsoring delegation will be allowed to speak first on the amendment, if desired. 7.15. Party to the Dispute. When the Security Council discusses a topic/issue that involves a nation or international organization not represented on the Council, it may request a Representative by moving Party to the Dispute, This motion is subject to open debate. Upon closure of the open debate period, the motion shall then be put to a vote,
The motion must state the UN Member State(s) or organization(s) whose Representative is desired and, if a nation, whether debating privileges are to be granted, If debating privileges are not granted, a formal question and answer period shall be instituted by the President, for the purposes of questioning the Representative on the issue(s) at hand, If it is determined that many nations outside of the Security Council have an interest in a specific issue, the Council may declare an open meeting on any issue being discussed,
Order of Precedence of Rules: General Assembly / ECOSOC Short Form

Rule Point of order Point of information Point of inquiry Suspension of the meeting Adjournment of the meeting Adjournment of debate Closure of debate Decision of no action Appealing the decision of the Chair Consultative Session Decision of competence Consideration of Agenda topics Limits on debate Division of the question Second? No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Debatable? No No No No No 2 Pro 2 Con 2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con No 2 Pro 2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con Vote required None None None Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Simple majority Description Used to point out a misuse of rules Ask any question of the Chair, or gain a clarification Ask a question of a speaker at the end of their speech Recess the meeting for a specific period of time often for caucusing End the meeting for the year Has the effect of removing from consideration any issue open to debate without a vote on the content of that issue Ends debate on any issue open to debate and brings it to an immediate vote Only in GA Plenary sessions; Signifies no action wil be taken on the matter Challenge a ruling made by the Chair Only in ECOSOC; move to an informal debate session Question whether the UN body is competent to act on a certain issue within the Charter and international law Change the order in which agenda items are discussed Impose (or repeal) a limit on the lenght of any form of debate Divide a draft resolution or an amendment into two or more clauses, wach to be voted on separately after Closure of Debate page 28
Reconsideration of proposals Important question
Yes Yes
2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con
2/3 Majority Simple majority
Reconsider an item on which debate has been adjourned or upon which a vote has been taken Only in GA Plenary sessions; signifies that a draft resolution shall require a 2/3 majotiyy vote for passage
Consideration of draft resolution Consideration of amendments Setting the order of consideration of Draft Resolutions for the GA Plenary
Yes No Yes
No No No
Simple majority None Simple majority
Bring a draft resolution that has the requisite number of signatures to the floor for discussion Bring an amendment to the floor for discussion Establish a priority order for draft resolutions which passed in GA Committees to be considered by the combined GA Plenary
Order of Precedence of Rules: Security Council Short Form

Rule Point of order Point of information Point of inquiry Suspension of the meeting Adjournment of the meeting Adjournment of debate Closure of debate on an Agenda topic Closure of debate Appealing the decision of the President Enter a Consultative Session Add an agenda topic Change the order of consideration of the Working Agenda Set Working Agenda Limits on debate Division of the question Debatable? No No No No No Yes Vote required None None None Majority Majority Majority Description Used to point out a misuse of rules Ask any question of the President, or gain a clarification Ask a question of a speaker at the end of their speech, prior to the speakers yielding the floor Recess the meeting for a specific period of time End the meeting for the year
Removes from consideration any substantive issue open to debate without a vote on the content of that issue
Ends debate on an agenda topic, bringing all draft resolutions and/or amendments on the floor to an immediate vote End debate on any issue open to debate and brings it to an immediate vote Challenge a ruling made by the President Suspend rules and move to an informal debate session Add an agenda topic to the Working Agenda Change the order in which agenda items are set on the agenda Set the daily order for the Working Agenda Impose (or repeal) a limit on the lenght of debate Divide a draft resolution or an amendment into two or more clauses, each to be voted on separately after Closure of Debate page 29
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority
Consideration of draft resolutions Consideration of amendments Party to the dispute
No No Yes
None None Majority
Bring a draft resolution to the floor for discussion Bring an amendment to the floor for discussion Request that a non-Security Council member be invited to the session
Notes: 1. A majority in the Security Council shall always be 9 votes. 2. Historical Security Council occuring prior to 1963 will require a 7 vote majority for passage. 3. Any motion may be seconded, but no seconds are required in the Security Council.
Sample Resolution Code: GA/1/1 (will be provided by director or conference services) Committee: General Assembly Subject: Financing of Programs and Missions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 23
Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, Reaffirming the commitment of Member States under Article 17 of the Charter of the United Nations to accept expenses of the Organization, The General Assembly, 1. Requests the Secretary-General, in order to reduce the cost of staff for the Organization, continue to find qualified persons at local posts where an Organization Mission is taking place, matching the requirements of the Mission; 2. Takes note of the report of the Special Assistant to the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the Organization for the period from 1 July 200 to 30 June 2002; 3. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session on: a. The status of possible funding arrangements, including a financial package to be provided by the following host countries: i. United States of America; ii. Canada; iii. United Kingdom;
page 30
24 25 26
b. [] 4. Decides to continue the consideration of this question at its fifty-eighth session.
Amendment Form
Resolution Number: ____ Amendment to substitute Delete lines words phrase: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ In their place substitute: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Submitting Country: ___________
Amendment to delete Delete lines words phrase: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
Amendment to add Add lines words- phrase: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
To (position in amended document) ________________________________________

The amended portion of the document should now read _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
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Delegate Preparation Guide

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: THE UNITED NATIONS

PURPOSE OF THE UNITED NATIONS

STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS

CHAPTER 2: RESearch and preparation

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

CHAPTER 3: Resolution and position paper writing

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

Security Council UNHCR

CDP, CSD CAAC, ICJ

Drafting Working Papers during Committee

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

CHAPTER 4: rules of procedure in the security council, ga committees, ecosoc

POINTS OF PROCEDURE IN ORDER OF PRIORITY

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

Order of Precedence of Rules: General Assembly / ECOSOC Short Form

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

Reconsideration of proposals Important question

2 Con 2 Pro 2 Con

2/3 Majority Simple majority

Simple majority None Simple majority

Order of Precedence of Rules: Security Council Short Form

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

Consideration of draft resolutions Consideration of amendments Party to the dispute

None None Majority

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

b. [] 4. Decides to continue the consideration of this question at its fifty-eighth session.

Amendment to delete Delete lines words phrase: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

Amendment to add Add lines words- phrase: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

To (position in amended document) ________________________________________

Model United Nations IRIM 2011 Delegate Guide

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Amendment to delete Delete lines words phrase: _________________________________ _ _________________________________

Amendment to add Add lines words- phrase: _ _