AMERICAN SCHOOL OF DUBAI MODEL UNITED NATIONS
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    • ASDMUN 2020 >
      • Arab Council
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      • Special Conference
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    • ASDMUN 2019 >
      • General Assembly
      • General Assembly II
      • Human Rights Commission
      • Economic and Social Council
      • Environment Commission
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      • Security Council
      • Historical Security Council
      • ICJ
    • ASDMUN 2018 >
      • Forums >
        • General Assembly >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Establishing peaceful measures to address the South China Sea territorial dispute
          • Tackling the growth of E-Waste throughout West Africa
          • Ensuring developing countries' sovereignty over their natural resources
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Establishing a united response to current and future terrorist threats in the Arab region
          • Tackling foreign intervention and the initiation of proxy wars in the MENA region
          • The question of increasing women's representation in the Middle East, particularly in politics
        • Human Rights Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the human rights violation surrounding the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar
          • Developing a detailed framework for the regulation of genetic manipulation within the human genome
          • Developing an established framework for the right to practice religious freedom in Western European nations
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Aiding Economic Stability to the Caribbean Islands Affected by Natural Disasters
          • Diminishing the Consequences of the Flight of Human Capital from Developing Nations to North America and Western Europe
          • Eradicating Political and NGO Corruptions When International Aid is Given
        • International Court of Justice >
          • ICJ Guide
          • Meet the Executive Team
        • Environmental Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Adressing the safety and security of Nuclear Power Plants and Waste, specifically with dealing with the dangers of increased natural disasters.
          • Mitigating the detrimental effects of factory farming on climate change
          • Promoting the transition from fossil fuel dependancy to the use of renewable energy
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the question of cyber warfare between state and non-state actors
          • Combating increasing nuclear proliferation in the Korean Peninsula
          • Expanding Council Membership
      • Conference Details
      • Leadership Team >
        • Director's Note
    • ASDMUN 2017 >
      • Home
      • Leadership Team
      • Director's Note
      • Forums >
        • General Assembly >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Combatting the radicalisation of youth engineered through the Internet
          • Establishing peaceful measures to address the situation in Kashmir
          • Developing a legal and ethical framework for the regulation of modifications to the human genome
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing recent nuclear escalation in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea
          • Measures to stop the growth of terrorist networks in Africa, namely Boko Haram and Al Shabaab
          • Preventing the spread of terrorism through lone wolf informants and sleeper cells, with special regard to the Islamic State
        • Human Rights Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Creating a framework for the protection of international whistleblowers
          • Creating a unified response,in accordance with the Responsibility to Protect, to the persecution and killing of suspected drug traffickers in Southeast Asia.
          • Examining corporations’ obligations to preserve human rights in regards to child labour
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the basic needs of Syrian Refugees in Lebanese Refugee Camps
          • Taking preventative measures to undermine the economic network of the Islamic State and the distribution of arms to the Islamic State
          • Negotiating a peaceful solution to the conflict between Saudi Arabia and a post nuclear deal Iran.
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • The issue involving the prevention of the Zika virus within South America
          • Developing measures to combat the growth of Global Heroin Trade and its effects on the global economy
          • The question of Micro-Financing in LEDC's
        • Environment Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Finding feasible fresh-water alternatives to desalination in the Middle East in order to restore peace to marine ecosystems
          • Strengthening efforts pertaining to the preservation of the Amazonian rainforest to protect indigenous wildlife
          • General Assembly >
            • Meet the Executive Team
            • Disarmament in Egypt (The Sinai insurgency)
            • Reducing the recruitment of Latin American youth by multinational drug cartels
            • Improving access to transport and basic necessities for refugees
          • Tackling the effects of ocean acidification as a result of increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere
    • ASDMUN 2016 >
      • Home
      • Leadership Team
      • Director's Note
      • Conference Details
      • Forums >
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Conflict between the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL) and global parties
          • The lack of refuge available internationally for whistleblowers
          • The issue of Eastern Ukraine
        • Human Rights Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Methods of reintegration and rehabilitation of African child-soldiers into post-war communities
          • Human rights violations that have resulted from the natural disasters in Nepal
          • Reduction of Modern Day Slavery in South Asia
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Examining the obligation of Arab nations to accept and aid Syrian refugees
          • Combatting the growth of the Islamic State
          • Economic incentives to preserve forests in third-world nations
          • The issue of instability in Yemen
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Increasing availability of clean water and sanitation in Eastern Africa
          • Improving the social status of Syrian refugees in Europe
        • Environmental Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Environment-related living concerns in industrial megalopolises
          • Preservation of natural ecosystems in the Arctic
          • Environmentally consciously supporting refugees in the MENA region
      • Media >
        • Photos
        • The Daily Caucus

Expanding Council Membership

     As the prime mediator and sole executive organ of the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council was founded “in order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations...for the maintenance of international peace and security.” In this capacity, the Security Council takes legally enforceable executive action on pressing global security issues. This responsibility is managed by the 15 members of the Council, who are subdivided into two groups, one of five nations with permanent membership on the Council, and another composed of 10 nations who are elected staggeredly to either one, or two-year terms. The five permanent member states (France, China, Russia, UK and USA) henceforth referred to as the P5, all possess a “veto power” that enables them to singlehandedly prevent the passing of any motion, action, or piece of legislation that comes through the Council. These permanent five members of the Council are often considered the most important and influential, mainly due to their possession of the veto power.

     A frequent subject of debate regarding the Council has been the reform of the Council itself, with advocates for change contending that it has an archaic structure that fails to represent today’s realities (the P5 is composed solely of World War II victors). Daniel Trachsler of the Zurich Center for Security Studies opines that the Security Council (most notably the P5) “is a reflection of the constellation of powers at the end of World War II, which diminishes its legitimacy.” In the same piece, Mr. Trachsler goes on to assert that there is a “proven need for reform,” claiming that non-western states are notoriously underrepresented in the council. Mr. Trachsler is not the only one, however, who argues that the Council is need of significant reform. Kofi Annan also insisted that the Security Council was in dire need of reform in his campaign and tenure as the Secretary General of the United Nations, making Security Council reform a key priority of his administration. Mr. Annan authored a widely cited work entitled “In a Larger Freedom,” that detailed his plan and vision for UNSC reform, where he argued that an expansion of the P5 was necessary for it to reflect new power structures and stay true to the UN’s mission of inclusivity and equality.

     Both Mr. Trachsler’s and Secretary-General Annan’s writings aptly sum up much of the international perspective on P5 reform. The general consensus is that the P5 is outdated and does not represent today’s realities, both from an economic perspective and from the perspective of global security. Most importantly, the unifying theme here is that Security Council and P5 reform is crucial. The debate in how this reform should be achieved seems to have found a dominating theory in that the current P5 should be expanded beyond the current scope of World War II victors. With that being said, certain members of the P5 hold strong counter-positions against the expansion of the council. Citing national/domestic concerns and unsavoury partnerships, these P5 states vehemently oppose measures to expand the Council.
Regardless of the opposition to such expansion, there are select group of states, most notably the G4 group, who are particularly well-known for their bids for UNSC permanent membership. Their mutual support for each others’ bids makes them prime candidates for ascension to permanence. Member states should keep in mind these bids when debating potential UNSC expansion. Delegates should keep in mind the concreteness of their state positions on expansion, as well as potential alliances/backed bids that are publically known.

     Clauses on this topic should focus on the implementation and regulations surrounding expansion, and should recommend specific nations (especially those who currently hold temporary membership in the Council) for permanent membership. The unique nature of this topic mandates full P5 approval when voting on a proposal that is to become law. Delegates should come prepared with solid foundational research and comprehensive knowledge of potential bids for membership.

The ASDMUN Security Council anticipates eager and fruitful debate on this topic.
​
Guiding Questions
  1. What are the different perspectives surrounding expansion of the Council?
  2. What current plans have been discussed in the Council regarding expansion?
  3. What international bids are currently in progress for permanent membership?
  4. How could a potential expansion of the Council affect global geopolitics?
  5. How could the credibility and reach of the Council change if permanent membership were to be expanded?
  6. Which countries’ bids have gained the most traction amongst P5 members for expansion of the Council?
  7. What is the exact mechanism/process through which the Council can be expanded, and how can expansion of Council be set in motion?
  8. How can the Council be expanded address changing global power centres?
  9. Should expansion of permanent membership on the Council occur?
  10. What are the benefits/drawbacks of Council expansion?
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  • Home
  • Leadership Team
  • Forums
    • AC
    • COP 28
    • ECOSOC
    • EC
    • GA 3
    • HSC
    • HRC
    • SC
  • Conference Information
    • Registration
    • Delegate Expectations and Dress Code
    • Conference Cost
  • Contact Us
  • Media
  • About Dubai
  • Previous Conferences
    • ASDMUN 2022 >
      • AC
      • ECOSOC
      • EC
      • GA2
      • GA4
      • HSC
      • SC
      • HRC1
      • HRC2
      • WTO
      • SPC
    • ASDMUN 2021 >
      • Arab Council
      • Economic and Social Council
      • Environmental Commission
      • General Assembly 2
      • General Assembly 3
      • General Assembly 4
      • Historical Security Council
      • Human Rights Council 1
      • Human Rights Council 2
      • Security Council
      • World Trade Organization
      • Special Conference 1
    • ASDMUN 2020 >
      • Arab Council
      • Economic and Social Council
      • Environmental Commission
      • General Assembly
      • Historical Security Council
      • Human Rights Commission
      • Security Council
      • Special Conference
      • World Trade Organization
    • ASDMUN 2019 >
      • General Assembly
      • General Assembly II
      • Human Rights Commission
      • Economic and Social Council
      • Environment Commission
      • Arab Council
      • Security Council
      • Historical Security Council
      • ICJ
    • ASDMUN 2018 >
      • Forums >
        • General Assembly >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Establishing peaceful measures to address the South China Sea territorial dispute
          • Tackling the growth of E-Waste throughout West Africa
          • Ensuring developing countries' sovereignty over their natural resources
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Establishing a united response to current and future terrorist threats in the Arab region
          • Tackling foreign intervention and the initiation of proxy wars in the MENA region
          • The question of increasing women's representation in the Middle East, particularly in politics
        • Human Rights Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the human rights violation surrounding the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar
          • Developing a detailed framework for the regulation of genetic manipulation within the human genome
          • Developing an established framework for the right to practice religious freedom in Western European nations
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Aiding Economic Stability to the Caribbean Islands Affected by Natural Disasters
          • Diminishing the Consequences of the Flight of Human Capital from Developing Nations to North America and Western Europe
          • Eradicating Political and NGO Corruptions When International Aid is Given
        • International Court of Justice >
          • ICJ Guide
          • Meet the Executive Team
        • Environmental Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Adressing the safety and security of Nuclear Power Plants and Waste, specifically with dealing with the dangers of increased natural disasters.
          • Mitigating the detrimental effects of factory farming on climate change
          • Promoting the transition from fossil fuel dependancy to the use of renewable energy
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the question of cyber warfare between state and non-state actors
          • Combating increasing nuclear proliferation in the Korean Peninsula
          • Expanding Council Membership
      • Conference Details
      • Leadership Team >
        • Director's Note
    • ASDMUN 2017 >
      • Home
      • Leadership Team
      • Director's Note
      • Forums >
        • General Assembly >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Combatting the radicalisation of youth engineered through the Internet
          • Establishing peaceful measures to address the situation in Kashmir
          • Developing a legal and ethical framework for the regulation of modifications to the human genome
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing recent nuclear escalation in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea
          • Measures to stop the growth of terrorist networks in Africa, namely Boko Haram and Al Shabaab
          • Preventing the spread of terrorism through lone wolf informants and sleeper cells, with special regard to the Islamic State
        • Human Rights Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Creating a framework for the protection of international whistleblowers
          • Creating a unified response,in accordance with the Responsibility to Protect, to the persecution and killing of suspected drug traffickers in Southeast Asia.
          • Examining corporations’ obligations to preserve human rights in regards to child labour
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Addressing the basic needs of Syrian Refugees in Lebanese Refugee Camps
          • Taking preventative measures to undermine the economic network of the Islamic State and the distribution of arms to the Islamic State
          • Negotiating a peaceful solution to the conflict between Saudi Arabia and a post nuclear deal Iran.
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • The issue involving the prevention of the Zika virus within South America
          • Developing measures to combat the growth of Global Heroin Trade and its effects on the global economy
          • The question of Micro-Financing in LEDC's
        • Environment Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Finding feasible fresh-water alternatives to desalination in the Middle East in order to restore peace to marine ecosystems
          • Strengthening efforts pertaining to the preservation of the Amazonian rainforest to protect indigenous wildlife
          • General Assembly >
            • Meet the Executive Team
            • Disarmament in Egypt (The Sinai insurgency)
            • Reducing the recruitment of Latin American youth by multinational drug cartels
            • Improving access to transport and basic necessities for refugees
          • Tackling the effects of ocean acidification as a result of increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere
    • ASDMUN 2016 >
      • Home
      • Leadership Team
      • Director's Note
      • Conference Details
      • Forums >
        • Security Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Conflict between the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL) and global parties
          • The lack of refuge available internationally for whistleblowers
          • The issue of Eastern Ukraine
        • Human Rights Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Methods of reintegration and rehabilitation of African child-soldiers into post-war communities
          • Human rights violations that have resulted from the natural disasters in Nepal
          • Reduction of Modern Day Slavery in South Asia
        • Arab Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Examining the obligation of Arab nations to accept and aid Syrian refugees
          • Combatting the growth of the Islamic State
          • Economic incentives to preserve forests in third-world nations
          • The issue of instability in Yemen
        • Economic and Social Council >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Increasing availability of clean water and sanitation in Eastern Africa
          • Improving the social status of Syrian refugees in Europe
        • Environmental Commission >
          • Meet the Executive Team
          • Environment-related living concerns in industrial megalopolises
          • Preservation of natural ecosystems in the Arctic
          • Environmentally consciously supporting refugees in the MENA region
      • Media >
        • Photos
        • The Daily Caucus