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NOTTINGHAM INTERNATIONAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2011

STUDY GUIDE

FUTURE SECURITY COUNCIL

(FSC)



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CONTENTS

Committee Personnel & Contact 02

Agenda 1: Crisis between Sudan and South Sudan 03

Introduction 03

Background 03

Key Issues

(a)Economic Issues

(b)Humanitarian Issues

05

05

05

Agenda 2: The unrest caused by heavy Chinese investment in certain mineral-rich

parts of Africa

06

Introduction 06

Background 06

Key Issues 08

Bibliography 10

Committee Contacts

Committee President: Mei Ching Liu

Head Chair: Hamish Jolly

Assistant Chairs: Gabrielle Couchman and Stephen Wan

Contact Address: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]





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AGENDA 1

Crisis between Sudan and South Sudan

Introduction

In January 2005, North and South Sudan signed on North/South Comprehensive Agreement

(CPA) that ended the longest civil war. In this agreement, both parties agreed on permanentceasefire, autonomy for the south, a power-sharing government involving rebel in Khartoum

and a south Sudanese referendum on independence in six years’ time.

“An overwhelming majority of South Sudanese voted in a January 2011 referendum to secede

and become Africa’s first new country since Eritrea split from Ethiopia in 1993.”1

South Sudan

gained its independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011.

Background

Between 1899 and 1955, South Sudan was part of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, under joint British-

Egyptian rule. In 1956, Sudan gained independence from joint British-Egyptian rule. However,

the First Civil War erupted between North and South Sudan as southern leaders accused the

1http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14069082

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14069082





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new authorities in Khartoum of backing promises to create a federal system and trying to

impose an Islamic and Arabic identity. This civil war was led by the southern separatist Anya

Nya. In 1972, a peace agreement was signed in Addis Ababa to end the conflict and give a

measure of autonomy for southern Sudan. However, oil was discovered in southern Sudan in

1978.

The outbreak of Second Civil War was under the leadership of John Garang’s Sudanese People’s

Liberation Movement (SPLM) as Sudanese President Jaafar Numeiri abolished South Sudan’s

autonomy. “At least 1.5 million people are thought to have lost their lives and more than four

million were displaced in the ensuing 22 years of guerrilla warfare. Large numbers of South

Sudanese fled the fighting, either to the north or to neighboring countries, where many

remain.”2

Conflict finally ended with CPA 2005 which granted regional autonomy along with guaranteed

representation in a national power-sharing government. 99% of southern Sudanese voted to

split from Sudan. South Sudan gained its independence on 9 July 2011. President Omar al-

Bashir said that Sudan would be the first country to recognize its new neighbor after the result

of the referendum was announced. However, since then there has been lots of fighting in

border regions such as Abyei and Couth Kordofan. Abyei is located within Sudan but is

contested by South Sudan. Dozens of people have been subsequently killed this year as a result

of clashes in Abyei and surrounding areas. More than 100,000 people have had to flee their

homes.

On 10 September 2011, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed an agreement between

Sudan and South Sudan to withdraw all forces from the disputed area around Abyei. Mr. Ban







5

also welcomed the efforts of the AU panel in helping the parties to adopt modalities. The

Security Council authorized the establishment of United Nations Interim Security Force for

Abyei (UNISFA). This new peacekeeping mission is to try to reduce the violence and insecurity.

The operation will monitor the flashpoint border between north and south, and is authorized to

use force in protecting civilians and humanitarian workers in Abyei.3

Key Issues

1. Economic issues

(a) How to divide Sudan’s oil wealth?

(b) If Sudan goes ahead with its threat to block the pipelines/ war break outs again, what

measures should be taken considering South Sudan is highly oil-dependent?

Oil has fuelled conflicts between Sudan and South Sudan. Since 2005 peace deal, Sudan and

South Sudan split oil revenues equally and almost three-quarters of the daily 500,000 barrels

output comes from the south. Sudan exports billions of dollars per year. South Sudan produces

more than 80% of it, but only received 50% of the revenue. From the photo, it can be seen that

the pipelines run north, to the only port, Port Sudan. However, both parties have still not

agreed on how to share the oil wealth. It is feared that both governments would plunge back

into war unless both parties can settle disputes over Abyei region and how to share oil revenue.

“In the ongoing negotiations, resources are a key topic, and it seems likely the south will agree

to pay a hefty fee to use the north's pipeline”4. South Sudan’s economy is now highly oil-

dependent. Therefore, in the short to medium term, the oil is the southern economy’s only

chance. However, in the long term, the south will need to diversify its economy from the oil.

According to Dirk-Jan Omtzigt, economic adviser at the Joint Donor Team, without additionaldiscovery of oil fields, it is estimated that the output will peak in 2011-12 year and then

gradually decline and is likely to run out in 20 to 30 years.

2. Humanitarian Issues

(a) What rights southerners will have in the north and vice versa?

(b) Fear of ethnic cleansing

The Sudanese National Assembly has agreed on a draft law to remove Sudanese nationalityfrom anyone the authorities considered to be South Sudanese. Furthermore, Sudanese officials

also made it clear that dual nationality will not be an option. It is estimated there are 800,000

to one million South Sudanese in Sudan. "When our government acknowledged the secession,

that means all southerners living in the north will not have a right to enjoy northern

3http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unisfa/


http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unisfa/








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nationality," explained RabieAbdelati, a senior official at the ministry of information.5 In a

country where many people do not have the correct papers, this would definitely be tricky.

Moreover, there’s issue of those truly caught between two countries. Abyei's inhabitants were

granted a referendum on joining the south, while the people of South Kordofan and Blue Nile

were offered an ill-defined process of "popular consultation" on their future status.6

The fighting in border regions like Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile continues. According to

UN News Centre, the fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people who cannot be reached

by relief agencies due to movement restrictions imposed by the Government. Movement

restriction imposed by the Sudanese Government on UN staff remains in place in both Sennar

and Blue Nile states. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in

an update that little is known about the situation in Blue Nile, particularly in the SPLM-N

controlled areas, due to lack of access.7 There’s a fear of ethnic cleansing by both governments.

Before the independence of South Sudan, UN expressed its concern when Sudanese Armed

Forces (SAF) invaded Abyei. In UN report, it is estimated that between 15% and 20% of the

homes in Abyei were burned in what it called “deliberate destruction” and a violation of

international humanitarian law. Ethnic cleansing, the report said, is a purposeful policy

designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the

civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.8

AGENDA 2

The unrest caused by heavy Chinese investment in certain mineral-rich parts of Africa

Introduction

Africa, which is a continent rich with natural resources, interests China. The natural resources

could promise to keep China’s booming, fuel-hungry economy on the road. There is copper to

mine in Zambia, iron ore to extract in Gabon and oil to refine in Angola. In other countries less

blessed by natural resources, Chinese companies have spied trading and investment

opportunities.9

Background

After the end of World War II in 1945, nearly every country in Africa was subject to colonial ruleor administration. With massive decolonization effort within the UN, Africa now is independent.


6http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/12/fighting-sudan-border-unravel-peace-process

7http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39538&Cr=sudan&Cr1=

8http://mg.co.za/article/2011-06-04-un-warns-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-sudan

9http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7086777.stm#map

http://ochaonline.un.org/



http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/12/fighting-sudan-border-unravel-peace-process


http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39538&Cr=sudan&Cr1=


http://mg.co.za/article/2011-06-04-un-warns-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-sudan






http://ochaonline.un.org/



7

Today, the African Union boasts 53 independent member states.10 However, Africa faces

massive challenges including extreme poverty, illness, desertification, malnutrition and regional

conflicts. It has been a long struggle.

On the other hand, China is one of the world’s top exporters and is attracting record amounts

of foreign investment. In turn, China is also investing billions of dollars abroad. The fast-growingeconomy has fuelled the demand for energy. China is the largest oil consumer after the US and

the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal. It spends billions of dollars in pursuit of

foreign energy supplies including Africa.

As we know Africa’s need for its development like new and better roads, school buildings,

computer networks, telecoms systems and power generation, it has opened a new opportunity

for Chinese firms. In contrast with the Western donors, China offers “no-strings” aid to Africa.

Western donors who provide aid to African countries impose conditions on aid and tie trade

sweeteners to human rights issues. Chinese’s approach has been criticized as this would allow

the governments to ignore Western calls for reform. Sudan with its vast oil reserves, is the

number one recipient of Chinese investment and sells two-thirds of its oil to Beijing. The China-

Africa relationship shot to attention in November 2006 when 48 African heads of government

attended a forum in Beijing.11

10http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/africa/index.shtml

11http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7086777.stm

http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/africa/index.shtml


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7086777.stm






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Key Issues

Tensions between China and Western countries - Colonial domination in Africa by the Chinese?

British Prime Minister, David Cameron had warned African states over China’s “authoritarian

capitalism” on 19th

July 2011. He also claimed that it is unsustainable in the long term. Inpossibly the most critical comments made by a modern British Prime Minister about China’s

growing global influence, Mr. Cameron admitted the West is increasingly alarmed by Beijing’s

leading role in the new ‘scramble for Africa’.

China has poured billions into Africa in recent years – buying up natural resources and

infrastructure while asking few questions about some of the unsavoury regimes involved.12

Chinese influence has grown massively in recent years across Africa, fuelled by natural

resources which include oil, iron and copper. These are shipped to China and then would end

up back in Africa in the form of vehicles or footwear. Trade between China and Africa was

worth £70billion by the turn of this decade. Trade deals with more than 40 countries have been

signed, including Uganda, Kenya and Algeria.

As we have discussed above, the China-Africa relationship shot to

attention. Ethiopia Foreign Minister was in Beijing during the

Forum. A year later, he claimed there was a new partnership

between Africa and China, despite there being no colonial history

between the two nations. However, as we look into the graph

shown below, Chinese investment has been increased enormously

in recent years. The trade in the continent is famously booming -

up to $40bn in 2004, a tenfold increase in under a decade. 13

On the other hand, there’s close diplomatic ties between South

Africa and China. With two-way trade rising from $800 million in

1998 to $11.2 billion in October 2007, economic cooperation

between the two countries is being realized at ever-increasing

rates.Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reached new heights

with the announcement in November 2007 that the Industrial and

Commercial Bank of China would be purchasing a 20 percent stake

in Standard Bank worth $5.6 billion.14

According to news report on 19th

July 2011, a Chinese company

12http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016677/Cameron-warns-Africans-Chinese-invasion-pour-billions-

continent.html#ixzz1Siaxhnii13

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7086777.stm14

http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=5001&tx_ttnews%5BbackP

id%5D=168&no_cache=1

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016677/Cameron-warns-Africans-Chinese-invasion-pour-billions-continent.html#ixzz1Siaxhnii



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7086777.stm


http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=5001&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=168&no_cache=1










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has been given a contract to distribute media content in Kenya. The company obtained the

license to distribute digital broadcast signal, giving it control of key strategic infrastructure and

role in Kenya’s transition to digital broadcasting. China does not have a free press and is

notorious for censoring the media, including over the Internet, and restricting civil liberties.

Critics have also questioned why local broadcasters have been locked out of the deal despite

the fact that the national information and communications technology (ICT) policy published inJanuary 2006, commits the government to promote participation of local investors in

companies that own critical telecommunications infrastructure.15

The Chinese insist they are not interested in dominating Africa. Instead China says it seeks a

"harmonious world", an evolution of its Cold War search for "peaceful co-existence", and it

wants to coax African countries along the path towards development.

Instead of top-down aid projects, Chinese companies seek profits in Africa as they bequeath the

continent a new infrastructure - one that will more than likely be used to increase trade with

China.

The Chinese government has claimed in the past that it is not interested in dominating the

continent. However, the question remains as to why China has given aid and FDI to this

continent without any sanctions on the heated humanitarian issues in Africa. Why?

The second question is why the local broadcasters did not receive a licence for distributing the

media content. If the Chinese did not have any influence on the governments, what’s the

underlying reason for this? The third concern would lie on the relationship between the

Western world and the Chinese.

After we have looked into these issues, delegates should resolve on resolutions that could

and would prevent these from happening. Remember, FSC has the primarily responsibility for

the maintenance of international peace and security.

15http://www.nation.co.ke/Tech/Chinese+firm++to+control+media+signal+/-/1017288/1204310/-/7h4ak/-

/index.html

http://www.nation.co.ke/Tech/Chinese+firm++to+control+media+signal+/-/1017288/1204310/-/7h4ak/-/index.html







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Bibliography

AGENDA 1



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12128080http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14204148

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/12/fighting-sudan-border-unravel-peace-

process



AGENDA 2 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7086777.stm#map



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016677/Cameron-warns-Africans-Chinese-invasion-

pour-billions-continent.html#ixzz1Siaxhnii

http://www.nation.co.ke/Tech/Chinese+firm++to+control+media+signal+/-

/1017288/1204310/-/7h4ak/-/index.html

http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=5001&tx

_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=168&no_cache=1






























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