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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

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Created in 1997, as a merging of two previously existing commissions, UNODC has the goal of combating worldwide drug trafficking, cultivation, abuse and other problems regarding this illegal activity. Also this commission deals with issues such  

The Official CCBMUN will be covering two topics, 'Rapid growth in the global production of synthetic drugs' and 'Use of the internet for terrorist purposes'.

as corruption, drug abuse and its effects on minors, money laundering and terrorism. 

Topics

Model 

Topic 1: Rapid growth in the global production of synthetic drugs

Topic 2: Use of the internet for terrorist purposes

Presidents

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Screen Shot 2020-11-27 at 9.48.11 a.m..p

President: Daniel Pardo

School: Colegio Colombo Británico

President: Andrés Felipe Herrera

School: Colegio Colombo Británico

Dear Delegates,

 

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime was founded in 1997 when the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division were combined to form the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. The commission was later renamed the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)in 2002. The main goals of this commission are to support governments by giving guidance on how to adopt and implement treaties and protocols effectively . This is done in a variety of ways in order to raise awareness, and to fully prepare governments to face any challenges concerning trafficking and abuse of drugs, crime prevention and justice, political corruption, and international terrorism.  

As presidents, we expect you to do your best to accomplish these goals by participating thoroughly and inciting debate. We will do our best to help you and to give you the best MUN experience. 

"

CCBMUNXVIII

Day 1

The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime Day 1

By: Antonia Ramirez

The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime is a commission that seeks to make the world safer from drugs, organized crime, corruption, and terrorism. It is committed to achieve health, security and justice for all by tackling all of the threats regarding these issues, promoting peace and sustainable well-being as deterrents to them. It was founded in 1997, after the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division were combined to form the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. Later on, the commission was renamed to the name it has today. UNODC focuses on supporting nations by guiding them on how to adopt and implement treaties and protocols in an effective manner. 

Today, the commission of UNODC debated the rapid growth in the global production of synthetic drugs, narcotics that are produced using man-made chemicals rather than natural ingredients. The debate was centered around the commission’s first crisis, where Russia, a nation that had been supporting solutions and manifested that was willing to donate monetary resources to tackle this issue, bought a large quantity of synthetic drugs to Myanmar, a developing country that counts with weak and insufficient policies regarding this topic. Unfortunately, the case isn’t stopping here, on account of these narcotics being distributed and sold to a Mexican drug cartel, and UNODC’s debate is taking an unexpected turn. Saudi Arabia, a nation that was a close ally to the Russian Federation, is now blaming the country for its hypocrisy, while Russia states that there are more nation's that should be blamed, taking into account Mexico doesn’t have firm and solid borders, excusing that the atrocity was committed because of financial difficulties due to COVID-19. Currently, the commission is operating around the working papers...

Day 2

The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime Day 1

By: Antonia Ramirez

The second topic was discussed in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, this being the use of the internet for terrorist purposes, an alarming threat to any nation’s national security. Multiple high-profile terrorist attacks around the globe have used the internet as a pertinent tool for their executions. For instance, the 9/11 attack to the Twin Towers in New York City is one of the most televised assaults in history, and an important part of this is thanks to the internet, taking into account it was used as a way of communicating in an undetected manner, proving the world how easy it is to discuss life threatening attacks like this one without being captured. Nowadays, the internet has become a crucial system for terrorist organizations, forcing governments all around the world to invest heavily in their country’s cybersecurity. In consequence, terrorist activity is an issue that has destroyed many regions’ social and economic stability, especially in nations such as Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen, which have been partially or significantly damaged by terrorist-inflicted violence. It has become a growing issue considering that many young people are exposed to this illegal content, which can make them sympathetic to a terrorist´ cause, and can even lead to recruitment into these groups, passing this threat on from generation to generation.

 

Today’s work revolved around an unmoderated caucus, where the delegations expressed their point of view towards the topic. Some remarkable events that took place could be, for example, the controversy that was created when the Russian Federation expressed its will to provide internet security in the Middle East, taking into account the nation’s multiple cyber attacks in territories such as the US. Furthermore, the commission also attacked Iraq by reason of being a center for boundless terrorist activity, and no internet security to tackle this. On another note, the commission’s president intervened as the United States, expressing its unconformity with Saudi Arabia for not giving enough importance to the topic. Currently, UNODC revolves around numerous and for sure engaging solutions that are now being discussed in lobby time.

Day 3

The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime Day 1

By: Antonia Ramirez

To start off the third and last day of the MUN, the commission’s second crisis took place. It revolved around the fact that a confidential piece of information was found by the European Union, pointing out that Saudi Arabia’s government sold a specialized internet program for the Jihadists, Islamists that see violent struggle as necessary to eradicate obstacles to restoring God's rule on Earth and defending the Muslim community. It is pertinent to state that the program has the purpose of facilitating the recruitment of new members relating to terrorist organizations, so... who is it to blame? After an unmoderated caucus, where Saudi Arabia expressed its total unawareness of the occurred, the commission discussed some interesting points that contributed to the solution proposals that were brought up later. Some of these were: the illegalization of synthetic drugs and the chemicals used to produce them, the overproduction and oversupply of synthetic narcotics in East and Southerneast Asia, establishing control and government presence in the Golden Triangle, the cooperation between international governments with weak border security, drug-free programs and other governments, the intensification of border security and biosecurity in eastern and southeastern nations, deciding what type of aid is necessary for nations with increased cases of COVID - 19 and synthetic drug production, as well as the preparation for the inevitable global over flood of synthetic drugs after the pandemic. After doing so, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime managed to deliver opportune solutions that will efficiently help tackle this world wide problematic. These included implementing courses in the education of the Islamic states so that citizens are properly informed about terrorism, preventing them from being vulnerable to it, creating international alliances with the purpose of improving the security of nations in the Middle East cibernetically in such a manner that governments are protected, as well as founding awareness campaigns for people all around the world in order to build conscience on what terrorist propaganda is. 

CCBMUNXVII

Simulation Day

Will delegations come together for a common cause?

By: Ana Lucia 

Today’s simulation debate discussed the Afghanistan conflict. To understand the debate it is important to understand the conflict itself, which has been present since 2011 with Osama Bin Laden’s attack on the US. Long before this in 1999 the UNSC pronounces al-Qaeda and The Taliban as terrorist entities.   September 11th 2001, is not only known for the 9/11 attack but also the assasination of Ahmad Shah Massoud, who had anti-taliban beliefs and aspirations, by members of al-Qaeda. The 9/11 attack was not only to the World Trade Center in New York but also to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. As a response to this attack, the US, with help from the UK fired air missiles to Afghanistan.

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Delegations in the debate want to come together for a solution. The fact that the US has removed itself from the peace treaty with The Taliban is being discussed. Multiple delegations talk about how there’s a main focus on the Taliban, but other terrorist groups should be taken into account, too. The US insists that if delegations are interested in peace they should be willing to accept war. 

 

After some time, the delegations of China and Afghanistan made a joint intervention: they spoke about how delegations are not giving possible solutions and about how there is a lack of interest from the delegates on this matter. They mentioned the multiple problems that were present in Afghanistan such as the lack of economic support from other countries as well as deficiency of awareness about the subject. They also provide possible solutions such as monetary support from other countries such as China.

 

The debate continues and a crisis surfaces, the Crisis team joins the debate giving out a speech about how a humanitarian aid truck was sent and ambushed leaving behind multiple casualties. The topic was still being discussed and no realistic solution was being proposed. Some delegates were proposing war and violence as a form of solution while others opposed saying that peace was the answer. Then the violence struck again, delegates where saying that before peace there had to be war and there was no other way. In an interview with Maria Antonia Zamorano, delegate of Afghanistan, states that “the main problem is the conflict in Afghanistan where The Taliban has a great impact on the society.” later she was asked what was the best solution for her nation. “The best solution was proposed by the delegate of the United States where there is a military intervention which is not necessarily violent unless it is fully necessary. A military intervention would facilitate the negotiation of a peace treaty with The Taliban.

Day 1

The Legalization and Regulation of Medical and Recreational Marijuana

By: Ana Lucia Cayon

The legalization and regulation of medical and recreational marijuana has been a controversial topic throughout decades. Most countries are against the legalization of the plant for both medical and recreational purposes, even if they are aware of the benefits it could bring. 

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Various countries consider the medical uses of marijuana and the numerous ways it can aid people, as it is the case of the US. The delegation of Brazil, for example, believes that marijuana could benefit various diseases, but should not be legalized the same way recreational marijuana is legalized. Both have different purposes, and with the proper regulations, medical marijuana could benefit the country. The delegation of Peru, on the other hand, is in favor of the use of medical marijuana because of the evidence that it can cure serious diseases. And, although it doesn’t promote the use of it for recreational purposes, it doesn’t believe that making it illegal would be a necessary decision. 

Other delegations, such as the delegation of Saudi Arabia, are entirely against the use of any type of marijuana, both medical and recreational, because of the various harms it has been associated with. It wants to highlight that this will lead to the illegal use of the plant, especially with the excuse that the product is being used for medical purposes. The delegation of Yemen and the delegation of India, for example, do not believe in the benefits of the product, and said that it has only caused chaos along the way, including hallucinations and dependency on other drugs; this is why they are determined to keep the now use laws that make the product illegal. 

Delegations such as Brazil, Germany, Cambodia and Australia firmly believe in the multiple benefits that marijuana can bring with a proper regularization and policies for the possession, distributions, consumption, and production of it. They ask other countries to take into account the various benefits medical cannabis could bring and how could it could improve the countries’ economy and benefit the country overall, bringing new jobs to life that do not have to include the participation of the illegal market. Besides, delegations like Cambodia believe that having regulated marijuana could mean a much safer use of it among people where consumers can be sure of what they are consuming instead of having the risk of consuming other prejudicial substances along with the marijuana obtained from the illegal distribution. 

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It should be made clear that medical and recreational marijuana are two different kinds of marijuana; hence, they should be addressed differently. For a start, both types of cannabis have different THC levels, which are according to their use. Medical marijuana has a significantly lower level to have a different responses from the body of the consumer, giving more help than harm. Besides, they both have different policies and laws that make their use a lot different. The medical use of marijuana has shown that when having a proper regulation, it can create a vital benefit safely. Delegations should take into account the different elements that form marijuana and that all variations of it would not have the same effect in the body. In addition to this, taxing marijuana would create a profit that would improve a country’s economy and could be used to address the problems related to the drug. 

On the contrary, some may say marijuana is an unnecessary substance in our life. Delegations could tackle diseases differently without the need of a hallucinogen with it. Marijuana should not be treated the same as any other medication prescribed by the doctor, because it would mean to be seen with a different perspective where it wouldn’t be as severe or harmful as any other drugs. Besides, in countries with economic and political instability, the use of marijuana can get out of hand and cause more considerable damage to the consumers and the country. Additionally, the legalization of marijuana will reduce, but not stop the selling and production of the drug because illegal sellers will always find a way to sell the product at a lower tax. 

Overall, the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana did not conclude in an agreement, but in specific measurements majority of countries agreed with. Firstly, the legalization of medical marijuana should be considered a beneficial option regarding the health of the population and the economy and safety of the country. Secondly, recreational marijuana has shown minimal benefit in every country and stay or become illegal. Lastly, both types of marijuana should only be legal in places with enough resources to regularize it and assure its control for proper use. 

Day 3

Marijuana: Profit for a Country, Chaos for others

By: Ana Lucia Cayon

The divided opinions continued to persist among the commission, each country having its valid reasons for their opinion. In the end, three draft resolutions were made explaining why or why not the legalization and regularization of marijuana should be accepted. Countries like Saudi Arabia and India decided to be in agreement that both medical and recreational marijuana is not necessary for the country, and can be easily replaced with other medicines that are much easier to get, and it would avoid the harmful side effects of the substance. In addition, the recreational marijuana can bring serious diseases and could create addiction or be use as a “gateway drug.” And, the legalization of marijuana can bring dealers to sell other drug that could be much more dangerous. 

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On the other hand, countries such as United States and Cambodia believe in the advantages the legalization and regularization of marijuana can bring to the every country. Firstly, marijuana can be a effective painkiller that many medicines in the market and by using the right policies it can be safe for everyone. Secondly, by including taxes for the possession, distribution and production of the substance, marijuana can bring a great profit for a country’s economy where the monetary resources obtain can be use to solve and fight other problems within the country. Additionally, it will decrease the violence that the illegal production of the substance may bring, and consequently it can reduce the amount of illegal dealers and people taking advantage of the black market. 

The result came in three different draft resolutions. Draft resolution 1.1 stated that it is against the legalization and regularization of both medical and recreational marijuana. Draft 1.2 encourages limited access to medical marijuana only with restrictive policies and several laws of its use. Draft resolution 1.3 approves the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana emphasising in the many advantages a government obtain. In the end, and over democratic vote, the commission decided to agree and approve draft resolution 1.2 for a controlled used of medical marijuana that still benefit the country and be safe for the population. 

A Fair Treatment?

By: Ana Lucia Cayon

The proper treatment for juvenile delinquents is a topic with diverse perspectives among every country. On the last day of the commission work countries such as Germany, India, France and the United States stated to believe in the fair treatment of these delinquents by respecting their rights and being aware of the psychological effects they may go through. Other countries, such as Cambodia, believe that the giving these children a proper education as a form of rehabilitation can boost the country’s economy by creating professional workers. According to these countries every child has the right to an education. 

Possible solutions started to arise as the debate continued. Peru, for example, suggested that improving the education system for juvenile delinquents could significantly improve the lives of these children and increase their chances of a better future. Cambodia, to give an example, assures to be working on the education of this children and teenagers because every kid has the right to a proper education. 

However, that is not the only things delegations should take into account. Brazil, stated that we must not only seek for the protection of these minors, but understand their social situations and other external factors that may be causing these children to commit this crimes. Brazil proposed educational programs, better prepared bodies and institutions but primarily commitment. Costa Rica asked: What if their parents are the ones who wants them to commit the crimes?

As to conclude the debate, various countries expressed their opinions of what should be done with juvenile delinquents and most agreed on the proper education that these kids are going through and encourage each delegation should analyse each children’s situation and work with the resources obtain to treat these juvenile delinquents; this could improve significantly the minors’ situations, their future and and the ones of the other people around them. 

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