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          • 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
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      • Home
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          • 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.
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          • 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
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          • 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
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          • The issue of instability in Yemen
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          • Meet the Executive Team
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          • Environment-related living concerns in industrial megalopolises
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Tackling foreign intervention and the initiation of proxy wars in the MENA region

     Proxy wars have taken place in the Middle East since the existence of the topic, starting with the Egyptian-Ottoman War in 1839. A proxy war is when two opposing nations combat via supporting sides of an ongoing war, opposed to engaging in direct combat themselves. Proxy wars usually occur in poorly funded areas, and weak militias are often taken advantage of. This is especially common in the Arab World due to the post-Arab Spring vulnerability and ongoing effects. There are a number of factors that put the region at risk of destabilization, and foreign intervention in regional conflicts is is one of these factors.

Syrian Civil War
    The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 when the people of Deraa protested the torturing of school children who were arrested under the charges for graffiti. These protests continued to spread, and became a symbol of the people of Syria reclaiming power in their nation. However, on 18 March 2011 Bashar Al-Assad’s (current President of Syria) army was ordered to open fire on protesters. In July of 2012, the International Red Cross was declared Syria in a state of Civil War. The rebels against the government, or the “Opposition” is composed of over 1,000 different organizations. When Islamic State began to gain followers and territory in Iraq, they began to fight for control of recently decentralized Syria in 2014. Now, demonstrated are Al-Assad’s forces, the Opposition, and IS fighting for control of Syria. Iran has a strong oil trade with Al-Assad’s government, and has kept these political ties providing him with military advisors, subsidized weapons, and billions of dollars per year. Iran has brought more allies to the table, including Russia for air support and Shia dominated Iraq. Support from Lebanon’s Shia Islamist militia Hezbollah is also enjoyed by the Syrian Government. The opposition is mainly composed of Sunni organizations backed by international support. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United States and the United Kingdom were some notable allies. However, there are several notable “allies” of either side who have a secondary agenda and want to instigate a war with nations external of Syria.

     The Iran-Saudi agenda is often pushed and either side continues to fund their allies to negatively impact the other as much as possible. Both are seeking political dominance in the Middle East and are backing opposing organizations in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The Sunni-Shia conflict is a mainly Saudi-Iran lead conflict that is prominent in many areas in the MENA region. This is further expressed through the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi conflict.

Yemen Conflict
    The Conflict in Yemen between the recognized government of Yemen under President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi Rebels stems back to November 2011 and is a spillover of the Arab Spring. Preceding the Arab Spring The Middle East’s poorest nation is now in an official state of civil war, and the Hadi government only holds a remaining 60% of territory in Yemen, the other held by Houthi rebel militias. In 2015 the Houthis reinforced their takeover of Sana’a, the capital city, a major turning point in the evolution of their movement. President Hadi escaped the city a month later and is now in an undisclosed location. Yemen’s population is 26.92 million, 36% Shia and 35% Sunni Citizens and an  extension of the ongoing religious conflict in the Middle East. Yemen’s government functions under Sunni protocol and practice, and the Houthi rebels stand for a Shia dominated nation. Due to support of Sunni traditions, practice, and government, Hadi’s forces have gained support from Saudi Arabia and a coalition in Yemen has been formed overseen by Saudi including Somalia, Turkey, Italy, Eritrea, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. However, the Houthis are not without international support. Iran, Iraq, China, North Korea, Russia, and Syria are open supporters of the militia and economically support the group, in addition to providing weaponry. Yemen has become a proxy war between Saudi and Iran, both fighting for religious and political dominance in the region. However, as a result a major humanitarian crisis has occurred.  With UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reporting 2 million internally displaced people, 17 million without a sustainable food source, and 14.4 million without access to clean drinking water, this is an issue of relevance to all UN Member States, especially those of the Arab Council.
​

Guiding Questions
  1. How is this issue relevant to your country? Directly or indirectly?
  2. Why does decentralization of power allow for foreign intervention?
  3. How does religion play a role in political power and dominance in the Middle East?
  4. What motivates Iran and Saudi to remain opposed to one another?
  5. How is international intervention worsened the situation?
  6. Why is international intervention a common trend in the Middle East? Past and Present?
  7. How can the UN assist in decreasing the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen? Syria?
  8. How is the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting who holds political power?
  9. What role does religious conflict play in the vulnerability of a nation?
  10. What steps can be taken to remove foreign intervention in the Middle East?
  11. What steps can be taken to prevent foreign intervention without cutting off access and humanitarian aid to the Middle East?

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  • Home
  • Leadership Team
  • Forums
    • AC
    • COP 28
    • ECOSOC
    • EC
    • GA 3
    • HSC
    • HRC
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  • 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