Press NTUMUN 2022

'Verba' in 'Acta Non Verba': Your one-stop place for updates, and all things NTUMUN'22 | Twitter: @pressntumun2022

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The ASEAN fiasco don’t seem to end anytime soon!

Shreya Ghosal | BBC

“Google Baba has the answer to everything” is a famous phrase that is used by pretty much anyone and everyone who is familiar with the use of internet struggling to thrive in the quick-paced 21st century world. The delegate of Philippines at ASEAN actually strongly believes in this phrase as he was researching and reading off Google when asked about “effective measures” against COVID-19 during a press conference. You’re living in the COVID era, seems like you haven’t read the news since March 2020! Shreya Ghosal, BBC reporter  couldn’t help but sympathise for him as she realised his lack of research on the 3rd day of the conference amidst mindful and observant delegates of ASEAN. She was forced to say, “delegate, from next please have your information ready and also try to not read off from Google”.

On the other hand, there was the delegate of China who tried to get herself ‘ready’ for any press questions by actually sending a direct message to the BBC press delegate.

Delegate, do you really think the press reporter would let you know of a question beforehand? Has that ever happened before? Let us know!

Along with delegates who gave opportunity for roasters coming from the press corps, ASEAN also consists of delegates such as the delegate of Malaysia who provided complete justification to each and every point that was brought out successfully sticking to her stance which unfortunately is quite a rare sight in the ASEAN council.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has come to a point where citizens are simply used to the idea of breathing in air that consists a virus. People have developed the habit of wearing masks. People are sick and tired of hearing “social distancing”. Now, the world is opening up and very few countries are truly hesitating before opening up their borders. However, the delegate of Indonesia thinks that opening up the borders with Malaysia and Thailand despite having “full trust” in their measures would not be a good idea. Why? “Uhhh, it is just not a good time”. “But delegate, don’t you think the world would have to open up at some point and don’t you think this is a good time to do so” asked BBC reporter, Shreya Ghosal as a follow up to which the response was once again, “right now would not be that time”. To our dismay, the delegate of Indonesia, couldn’t even answer the question which simply asked, “Why don’t you open up your borders with Malaysia and Thailand”. Delegate, at least come up with a believable reason from next time.

ASEAN delegates really need to pull up their socks. The press can’t help but wish for more time for another press conference to gather a couple more roasters.

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Cutting Wounds Deeper: Ambiguity in France’s Proposal to Gender Equality in Health

Shafa Amani Anargya Pragiwaka | The Saudi Gazette

On Sunday (20/3/2022), the ongoing WHO (World Health Organization) conference — operating under the objective of gender equality in healthcare and COVID-19 recovery — underwent an exclusive Press Conference subsequent to the cementing of the “Communique” concerning gender equality discussions.

States have posited varying proposals and personal objectives within the get-go, particularly evident in the concession of adopting the “Communique” format, which highlights the distinct polarizations each state wavered to forfeit, as opposed to the bloc-heavy conventional “Draft Resolution” format. In a sense, implying the absence of specific group alignments in the plight to collaboration.

One such solution that protrudes is France’s “REGAIN” initiative (short for Reward and Education as General Measures to Alleviate Gender Inequality in Healthcare). Under this, a specialized WHO GER (Gender, Equity, and Human Rights) team will be formed, fortified by elected member-state representatives, to delineate awards for healthcare professionals deemed to “champion” women and gender equality in their practice.

However, one must note the vagueness and incongruences such a plan may impose. First, there is no stipulated mechanism that details the initiation of the task force in the first place. When inquired by the Saudi Gazette, the delegate of France mentions the aid that the French health sector will provide with the WHO to kick things forward. However, there is no mentioned safety nets that voids plausible impartiality and subjectivity impacting REGAIN due to France’s embryonic involvement.

Secondly, France underlined greatly the need for healthcare provisions to cater individually to each state, rather than be universally encompassing. Then, how could we possibly get around to sequencing these states’ efforts when the playing ground is not leveled, unlike other awarding programs which consider receivers from their individual dispositions?

Thirdly, France asserts the success probabilities of their proposal by stating that there are existing blueprints today, albeit in different fields. However, it was very evident during the council sessions that a concession to any basic, universal upkeep was problematic. Gender equality in health has been a long-spanning issue that plagues even the best systems in the world, and the fact of said issues have not been properly combatted under developmental processes so far is proof of how intricate it is.

Thus, putting in place a “reward” system that, in retrospect, ranks the efforts made by completely different environments is akin to putting a bandaid on a gun wound. We’re not circumventing any actual blood loss, just taking comfort in the fact that it’s covered under a sheet of duplicity.

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Shenanigans Continue in UNSC

Lee Loch Kean, Shreya Ghosal | BBC

Upon UNSC’s failure to pass a resolution on Biological Weapons yesterday, press delegates from the BBC were invited to hold a press conference. During this, the UNSC continued to deliver humorous moments reminiscent of past sessions.

The delegate of Iran, when asked about the use of Internet memes in her working papers stated enthusiastically, “a picture speaks a thousand words, add six more and boom! Such an influential picture that can bring forth a big meaning.”

At this, the press chair quipped without hesitation, “Delegate, you might want to be careful with the use of the word “boom” as it’s taken in another way in your country,” a joke accompanied by laughter seen rarely at such a serious meeting of the UN.

Seems like the press just had its best press conference moment at UNSC. The writers of this article are lucky to have viewed it, especially with the delegate of Israel releasing several bursts of laughter every couple of minutes.

However, it seems that today might see more serious and productive debate. The delegate of Russia stated that the debate so far had been “very fruitful” and “better than yesterday”. The delegate of France seemed to agree, also adding that delegates were “explaining their views very clearly.”

The press conference also found time for more serious questions. Lee Loch Kean, a reporter from the BBC asked the Israeli delegate to “confirm that Israel will not use biological weapons in any conflict.” The Israeli delegate appeared stunned at this, but answered calmly, “Israel has always taken a defensive stance in its defense system…and does not trust in global conventions to adequately provide coverage for national security.” The delegate proceeded to explain that “it [the Biological Weapons Convention] was not comprehensive enough,” failing both to answer the question posed nor convince many of her sincerity.

On the other hand, UNSC presents itself with the selfish delegate of USA who says, “there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interest” when questioned about his seconding with the delegate of UNSC which shocked the delegate of Brazil. The USA says that he would side with China only because they have the same stance and it’s rather egoistical of the USA doing the same. Nevertheless, it’s not surprising to get perplexed when China and US agree with each other since all the ex-president of the USA, Mr.Trump was riveted towards, was the destruction of China.

Along with active delegates, UNSC, an advanced committee also consists of delegates like the delegate of Kenya to whom Shreya Ghosal, BBC reporter was obliged to say, “Delegate, speak up more when you come for the next conference, that’s what delegates come here for.” It is upsetting to observe that delegates have joined the prestigious NTUMUN22 with little to no preparation.

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Cyber-censorship; Is a Consensus Closer Than It Seems?

Voon Kee Shand |  The Saudi Gazette 

Cyber-censorship, otherwise known as internet censorship, is defined by the UNHRC as the effort to control or suppress accessibility of certain publications or content or the internet, both in publishing and viewing, by regulations or collaborations with media entities. Simply put, it is the restriction of online resources on the Internet.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not shy about the fact that cyber-censorship is carried out within the country at all. In fact, cyber-censorship is extremely essential for maintaining a safe and positive environment, both online and offline. By blocking content that promotes hate speech, illegal activities, or defamation of the monarchy, harmony and political stability is established within the Kingdom.

In the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) first committee session to address cyber-censorship of online activism, many countries acknowledged the potential repercussions of the radicalisation of the Internet; a vast, shared space accessible by all.

Even countries that originally abhorred censorship and cried for the upholding of free speech could agree that censorship to a certain extent is needed for the greater good of their people. However, the amount of censorship advocated for by the delegates varies greatly. Such a sentiment may have been formed due to the hesitance to censor activism in particular, which is defined as “the use of direct and noticeable action to achieve a result, usually a political or social one” and usually perceived as positive.

In an exclusive interview with the delegate for Saudi Arabia, he aptly pointed out that “some types of activism are not good, (such as) activism for illicit purposes or (that promote) immoral opinions,”, which may be a realisation that the other other delegates have not yet come to.

Considering the common ground that the twenty nations have found thus far, the battle is already half won, and coming to a successful resolution may happen sooner than expected.

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Tensions Running High at UNSC

Alicia Ng | The Saudi Gazette 

Tensions ran high at the United Nations Security Council, as the delegates of the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), Israel, Egypt and France presented their working paper accusing the country of Iran of financing terrorists and “trying to take over the world through terrorism”, as the delegate of the UK delicately stated.

These tensions were preceded by and stemmed from conflict over the role of foreign intervention in dealing with terrorist organisations, as the council saw itself divided between countries supporting foreign intervention, like Egypt and France, and countries against foreign interventions, like China, Iran and Brazil. The delegate of Russia accused of the USA and the EU of abusing their power, stating that they feel that the “US thinks it has the right to intervene”, despite the UNSC having “the responsibility to protect, not the right to protect”

In the defence of their government, the delegate of Iran said that they “do not support terrorist organisations, but rather organisations fighting for freedom”, a tagline largely reminiscent of many terrorist organisations.

Another can of worms was opened regarding the role of the USA in the war in Afghanistan, as they said that that was precisely why foreign intervention was not a way to go, as it would turn states into “failed states”, as the delegate of Iran said with the support of the delegates of China and Brazil.

With less than two council sessions left and a resolution not in sight, the prestigious UNSC will have to live up to the expectations of efficiency and prominence it has been given and produce a resolution sooner rather than later, lest this conference ends on a bad note for the council.

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UN-Habitat makes a Ground-breaking Discovery: Transparency!

Karl Adormeo | New York Times 

UN-Habitat: The morning starts off with a slow discussion on the problems of urban governance. As one would assume, urban governance is the planning, financing, and management of urban centers. In UN-Habitat, member states are dead set on resolving current issues of strategy, transparency, and accountability in urban governance.

The Gutters of Urban Governance

In this fantastically convenient and modern world, populations are more and more inclined to inhabit the concrete jungles of today, drawn to them like moths to a flame. Clearly, this poses some problems. As the delegate of Malaysia said, “Urban governments are unable to keep up with the growth of urban slums and a rapid flow of people into their cities.”

That’s not where it ends. For the delegate of Indonesia, the corruption in the justice system of urban governments seems particularly significant, mentioning how the downfall of law and order leads to increased crime rates. Another woe for UN-Habitat.

As discussions went on, the delegate of the United States made a particularly mild call to action, saying that, “We [the USA] hope that solutions can be found. The delegation of the USA understands that a new urban governance policy needs to be put in place.”

Old Solutions to Old Problems

However, some states seem to have the solution: transparency, which is obviously not ground-breaking (unlike what the title implied). Marketing it like the solution to the problems of tomorrow, the delegate of South Korea passionately calls out the “lack of transparency” in already existing efforts to improve urban governance. Who would’ve thought that honesty did some good to society?

Chiming in, the delegate of China boasts about the country’s smart cities, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and adapting UN goals to the needs of each country.  

These proposals for solutions were joined by the delegate of Norway, who provided a liberal stance: that local governments need more autonomy in the implementation of urban governance projects. This was echoed by the delegates of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

Several Forks in the Road Ahead

As the session comes to an end, the discussion seems to be taking different roads, but heading in the same direction, nonetheless. With countries immersed in their own agendas, one can only hope that all these views can be reconciled into a unified solution. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so they say, and the delegates of UN-Habitat seem inclined to take their time…

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DISEC, Work Faster, Buddy!

Shreya Ghosal | BBC

Swinging into Day 3 of NTUMUN22, DISEC is running slower than usual whilst discussing their draft resolution for their first agenda, ‘Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military’. Delegates have just more than 2 council sessions now to work on their second agenda. As a beginner committee, would the delegates be able to prove their worth?

In fact, the chairs of the council had to personally ask the delegates to “read the draft resolution word to word” well after its release. Delegates, stop slacking, start acting. QUICK! The council lost 10 minutes simply waiting for delegates to read the draft resolution. Usually, committees do not consider this as a “waste of time” since delegates are familiarising themselves with the draft resolution but it seems like the delegate of Israel doesn’t follow the usual conventions as he goes on to say, “This resolution looks like cheese, it is full of holes although it has substance”.

It’s saddening to see the absence of the typical MUN heated debate when that is all most delegates want, need and desire in an MUN conference. DISEC, you’re famous, hope you don’t lose your popularity in NTUMUNs due to your slow running. No, walking.

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Opinion Piece: The 9/11 Commission Won’t Tell You The Truth. Here’s Why.

Ong You Jie (Gerard) ⎪ Fox News

The first press conference by the 9/11 commission has finally been held. Amidst allegations of incompetency, controversy and lack of transparency, Mr Alvin S. Felzenberg, the Director of Communication, struggled to answer our Fox News 9/11 correspondent's question with confidence and certainty. Why is that? Is there something the commission is trying to hide? What’s there that the public can’t know?

There seems to be a recurring theme throughout the short press conference, one that entails concealing the truth from the public. When asked about the progress of the investigation, Mr John J. Farmer, the Head of Ground Investigation, seems to always come to the same conclusion - “We cannot reveal too much due to national security concerns”. Yes, national security. Well, if national security is a genuine concern, why didn’t America’s intelligence community take action upon knowing potential threats? That was something the commission was supposed to shed light on, but to this day, they still haven’t.

However, Felzenberg did give some details, stating that “The investigation is currently still in the beginning stages and a lot of data still needs to be obtained; a lot of documents from law enforcement agencies still needs to be sieved through. Nevertheless, the direction of the investigation is quite clear and we are working with relevant authorities. We will disclose what we can without revealing too much that it compromises national security.”.

How can they expect us, the populace, to have confidence in them again? How can we trust the government when the government doesn't trust us? How can the American people have faith when the very committee that is supposed to give us closure thrives off cover-ups and mysterious and suspicious proceedings.

The purpose of the 9/11 commission is to serve the American people, to give us the truth. The whole truth. By holding press conferences, Fox News will continue to exert pressure on the 9/11 commission to give us the respect and answer we rightfully deserve.

We will hold the commission accountable. We will help rebuild our nation.

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UNSC: Beating around the Bush

The bush doesn’t seem green enough though

Shreya Ghosal | BBC

An advanced committee starts off with a concoction of nothing but confusion. Stances mixed up, solutions unknown and a whole address to the issue of bioweapons to solve.

Delegates beating around the bush is a normal scene at the United Nations Security Council committee of NTUMUN22 as all they tend to do is present which solution is the best under which “having a peaceful resolution” is an option. Is this how an advanced committee works? Where are the arguments? Where is the debate? Why are delegates simply running in circles?

Screams from a few, meme sharing from a few others and stressful speech completion from the rest is all what UNSC was about, especially in their 1st and 2nd council session.

Here’s hoping the committee has advanced and has proven themselves as an “advanced” committee.

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The Grass is Greener on the Side with Pesticide Alternatives

Xin Ying (CNA) & Karl (New York Times) 

FAO: Southeast Asia remains as one of the world’s major agricultural regions, and its countries find themselves still drowning crops in pesticides. With rising concerns related to health and environment, this method of chemical pest-control is increasingly becoming unpopular. The global move toward an age of technological advancement warrants a question of significant consequence: what are the modern alternatives to pesticides?

For the Philippines, pesticide alternatives aren’t even in question. In a joint press conference with the New York Times and CNA, the delegate of the Philippines was asked about how the Philippine government has made pesticide alternatives less costly and more accessible for farmers. 

“The delegate of the Philippines is not aware of any efforts that the Philippine government has made to make pesticide less costly for farmers,” the delegate hesitantly said, revealing that the Philippines would rather reduce the costs of pesticides than provide alternatives for them. 

In an earlier council session, the delegate of Vietnam considered pesticide alternatives, demonstrating awareness by proposing that any pursuit of alternative pesticides should be differentiated between developing and developed countries. Perhaps this is the only instance in history that the gap between the rich and poor worked in humanity’s favor. 

When interviewed, Malaysia expressed that crop mutation is not an effective solution for their country because “majority of the crops are similar as they are exported to other countries” and crop mutation requires different kinds of crops. However, Malaysia is appreciative of how the council is considerate CNA & New York Times of the economical situations of each country and “focused on coming up with applicable and sustainable solutions in the long term”.

Currently, the alternative solutions the Food and Agriculture Organisation has came up with includes crop mutation, funding through the collaboration with funds and banks, collaborating with policy makers to advice on policies and legal frameworks regarding manufacturing, usage and waste management of pesticides in the state, implementation of Integrated Pesticide Management and formation of temporary working committee for 5 years under the FAO to tighten pesticide restrictions and monitor pesticide reports of countries. As for Southeast Asia, it seems that for as long as alternatives are not refined, accessible, and affordable, pesticides will continue to be in widespread use. Perhaps the grass on this side of the world will be greener some other day.

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The Highs and Lows of DISEC

Alicia Ng | The Saudi Gazette 

The fifth session of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC) started out slowly, as delegates struggled to find common ground on how exactly to best apply artificial intelligence in the military.

As stated by the delegate of Poland, debate was “turning in circles”, and as a whole, not very fruitful. A key reason for these struggles was the unwillingness of multiple countries to compromise on certain solutions, as the three blocs enlisted in an unyielding battle of wills.

Thankfully, after the sixth session was cancelled in “a strategic decision” owing to “general tiredness”, debate picked up and was given new life. The different delegates then managed to come to a consensus towards, as countries started to compromise to certain caveats carved out. For example, debate notably was renewed after some delegates accepted the delegate of China’s want for countries to consent to provide data to each other. Another key turning point was when the 3 main blocs agreed to merge themselves and their proposed solutions, so as to provide a more holistic approach to solving the issue of artificial intelligence in militaries. Thereafter, debate flowed smoothly, as delegates agreed to regulate artificial intelligence usage and create databases for artificial intelligence, as well as to possibly attempt to collaborate with experts and private organisations.

As the fifth session of the DISEC came to a close, a hopeful energy permeated through the virtual room, as the committee approached an increasingly agreeable, fruitful future.

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Creating More Specific Framework: U.N. Member States’ Idea on Dealing with Corruption in the Renewable Energy Transformation

Avra Abida El Ravi | New York Times 

Continuing the conference, the second day of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-HABITAT) began at 11.00 (GMT+8) on March 19, 2020. They started with the second council session by addressing every country’s outlook and expectations. During this session, member states discussed diverse issues related to sustainable energy use.

One topic highlighted during this discussion is corruption from the program that increases the use of clean energy, which is one of the challenges faced by the U. N. member states, especially the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The Delegate of Norway encourages member states to emphasize the solutions of the corruption from the incentives for member states in doing the greening programs for advancing renewable energy.

Furthermore, other countries were also noting the corruption. An example of these countries is the United Kingdom which highlights this topic, “To ensure that companies do not embezzle funds and use the fund for other purposes, The delegate of the United Kingdom would like to suggest that the UN-Habitat could collaborate with the other agencies.”

Indonesia’s representative brought up an interesting point. They noticed that several countries or companies might refuse to investigate the U.N. investigators. We believed that several member states leaders cannot be truthful regarding the corruption in “supporting” the use of sustainable energy. To combat this, U. N. countries must build strong cooperation in making a particular framework related to this issue.

On the other hand, China and South Korea did not prefer to make a new framework because they urged them to implement existing policies. We understand that there is a convention about corruption, which is the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCOC). However, no international framework specifies the corruption of the U. N. incentives on clean energy.

To overcome this situation, we would like to advise the UN-HABITAT countries to collaborate with other U. N. bodies to formalize the specific regulations regarding corruption on sustainable energy developments. Lastly, the transparency of the funding for boosting clean energy can be the effort to combat corruption, as mentioned by the delegate of Switzerland.

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Chaos ensues in WHO during Unmoderated Caucus

Shafa Amani Anargya Pragiwaka | The Saudi Gazette

On Saturday (19/3/2022), the World Health Organization (WHO) have facilitated its second rounds of committee sessions. In this instance, states are quick to take their own stances on the matter of gender inequality in the health sector — with discussions jumping from fair health workers’ wages to non-cisgender patients.

One may expect a lively, cohesive, and equal arena of contribution for all states — what with such a universally critical notion at play. Curiously, it seems like this council is at odds not in terms of substance or argumentative retorts, but how, in a functional sense, the council should commence. In particular, the sheer unruliness of an “Unmoderated Caucus” which only backfired as the delegate of France tried to instate order.

Representatives are often anticipating Unmoderated Caucuses for its freedom, allowing delegates to take themselves in and out of the debate as they see fit. As the WHO is nigh of one such session, the French Republic swiftly took dominance by pushing for an order of speaking for all members. At first, this system seems to continue without hindrances. However, tensions arose when one delegate stated that it is ineffective to go against the very fabric of a time null of constant involvement from the Board of Dais.

The ensuing retorts from then quiet, now openly differing states on the basis of this Unmoderated Caucus alone seems to have reshuffled the atmosphere of the conference significantly. France, initially forerunning with constant input conceded by fellow states, seems to have taken a small step down — relegating itself to observation rather than interjection.

Nevertheless, the WHO has been running its course chockful of mea culpa and faux pas, with one delegate earning an admonishing from the Operative Chair for misusing data that is incongruent to the delegate’s arguments. To the committee’s credit, there seems to be a great amount of progress considering the polarized visions of states involved — ranging from the Global South to its more affluent counterparts.

Perhaps the concessions will have more success in taking apart its next agenda, concerning recovery measures from the ever-present COVID-19 pandemic in addition to constructing future mechanisms for unforeseen viral disasters. States are expected to shift their focus during the coming conferences on Sunday, 20 March 2022.

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Gender Inequality Amidst COVID-19

Alicia Ng | Saudi Gazette 

As the pandemic trundles on, schools and workplaces worldwide have closed, bringing about an age of isolation once thought unfathomable. As the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) council discussed how to bring about a world renewed from the pandemic, various inequalities were brought up. Notably, many delegates brought up gender inequality as an inequality factoring into poverty that was exacerbated due to COVID-19, begging the question- How exactly has COVID-19 affected gender inequality?

Across the globe, women have historically lost out to their male peers, be it from facing a glass ceiling in workplaces, to simply being expected to bear the burden of running a household. Though movements such as the women sufferage movement and feminist movement have shifted the paradigm of gender roles as we know it, women are nevertheless still held up to archaic standards from a time long gone, thus contributing to poverty among women as they grow to have limited education or are boxed into a role.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and girls, as they are the first to suffer from job losses and  education disruptions, and are facing increasing pressure and burdens to fit their long-prescribed roles as caretakers and homemakers.

This issue was first brought to light on Day 2 of the NTUMUN conference, when the delegate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stated that women are a vulnerable group with a higher propensity to be victims of poverty, with the succinct quote of “women face inequality everywhere.” This was expounded on by the delegate of Norway, who suggested a universal basic income to support everyone, especially women, who were “hit harder than men” by the pandemic. This phenomenon could be due to many families getting poorer during the pandemic, and thus having to send their children to work. In these cases, many of these families would elect their daughters to work first, due to entrenched biases towards males being more inherently valuable and deserving of investments than females. The delegate of Denmark also contributed to the discussion, saying that many women were stuck having to juggle household duties as well as work, with work from home becoming a norm.

These issues are severe and detrimental to the development of society for the better, as extreme poverty rises and 1 out of 5 girls under 15 grow up in extreme poverty, according to UN Women.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, gender equality is a goal the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is relentlessly working towards, as he continues on his drive to afford females the rights to drive and access government services such as education and healthcare. This radical reform is emblematic of the dedication the Kingdom has towards equality for all, which is a sentiment the UNDP hopefully will share. 

Thus, to fulfill their agenda of eradicating poverty, member states of the UNDP must look within their own countries and take stock of what is being done to women, and what can be done to women to improve their lives, possibly by facilitating their education and access to basic necessities, thus uplifting them to escape the poverty cycle. Hopefully, by the end of the conference, a consensus can be arrived at, providing a brighter, better future for women and girls everywhere. 

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Are Biopesticides Truly On Our Side?

Lee Xin Ying | CNA

In the second council meeting of the FAO, a common alternative to harmful pesticides brought up by many delegates is biopesticides. Biopesticides are a separate class of pesticides that are of microbial or biochemical origin. The benefits of using biopesticides are prevalent, namingly how they are much less toxic than conventional pesticides. However, the delegate of the United Kingdom pointed out that the use of biopesticides may not be a universal alternative.

What are some factors do governments need to consider before implementing mandatory use of biopesticides? Firstly, the use of biopesticides is pretty specific to its origin. Not all farmers have prior knowledge and sufficient technical support to start using them immediately. Another point is that biopesticides is a niche area that needs more research. Diving into that novel alternative straight away might not be the best option. Last but not least, biological methods are more susceptible to adverse environmental conditions, which diminishes its reliability compared to conventional pesticides.

When considering alternatives, it is important to weigh the pros and cons. It is also necessary to keep in mind how accessible these alternatives are to those working in the agricultural industry.

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Unity: The Major Solution to Tackling Illegal Drugs

Avra Abida El Ravi | New York Times

Illegal drug distribution can be considered an urban international problem that must be  addressed by countries around the world, particularly those located near the ocean or on the  ocean. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) 2021 World  Drugs Report, this pandemic significantly impacts cocaine shipment via the ports. COVID-19,  which reduced commercial air travel and increased land border controls in 2020, has  accelerated illicit drug trafficking along maritime and waterway routes.

As a regional body located in the maritime areas, ASEAN countries are excited to hold  discussions regarding the drug trade in Southeast Asia. This meeting is not only attended by its  member states but also by their neighboring nations, such as Australia and China. During the  third council session, they propose solutions.

Strengthening collaborations among member states

According to China’s delegate, unity is the key to successful implementation. As ASEAN’s neighboring country, they also mentioned several previous actions that they considered good cooperation. China proposes using tax forces to combat illegal drug trafficking in Southeast Asian countries. Seconding China, Brunei suggests that ASEAN countries support the existing Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) for collaborations to run smoothly.

Cooperation with more specific bodies

The way to address drug issues in Southeast Asia is through collaboration among its member  states and through cooperation with its other bodies, such as the ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation  Center (ASEAN-NARCO) and the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Network (ADMN).

Community-based approaches

On the other hand, some countries advocate for a more community-oriented approach,  embracing digitalization and supporting alternative development techniques. Furthermore, Children's programs are required since children will be the world’s leaders and have a brighter  future if they are not exposed to illegal drugs.

Emphasizing the use of technology

Another point of view was mentioned by the delegate of Thailand, “We have been using new  technology including devices and machines as tools against illicit drug treating. Best practices  should also be shared as a mode of detection methods.” They also underlined the importance  of research facilities in preventing drug smuggling across national boundaries, mainly when  dealing with modern databases. If this approach can be implemented, it will positively impact  cooperation.

Needless to say, the delegates of ASEAN have had a great time at the last two council sessions,  and the future of drug control will be brighter if their proposals are incorporated into their draft  resolutions.

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Is it Allergy Season? The Criticality of Muslims in Talks of Terrorism

Shafa Amani Anargya Pragiwaka | The Saudi Gazette

The heat festers within the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) chamber as representatives for the Republic of Cameroon and the Republic of Sudan initiated their opening speeches by slamming the discriminative generalization of Muslims as forerunners in global terrorism. “Discrimination is unacceptable and developing a prejudice against a certain group goes against the entire objective of the UNHRC,” said the delegate of Cameroon for The Saudi Gazette.

According to Sudan, the infamous Twin Tower bombings occurring on September 11, 2001, have become a sort of catalyst for the stigmatization of Muslims as a “synonym” for “terrorist”, often attributed to religious extremism. However, Sudan maintains that although such a notion is generally widespread, “religious extremism is not ‘Muslim extremism’ and that is important.”

Despite the sheer tragedy pounded upon the victims of the 9/11 attacks, it is often overlooked how the instantaneous offensive stance that global state heads took against the identifiably Islamic group in question, Al-Qaeda, tragically diffused itself on the conventional Westen outlook on Islam in general — leading to belief-based bigotry and normalized racism on ethnically Muslim nations.

Spearheaded under Bush’s “Global War on Terrorism”, in which he proclaims that the “war” will not end until all instances of terrorism have been eradicated, the American (alongside its allies, such as the United Kingdom) general public may have taken it as a sign for all attributes that Al-Qaeda showcase as concrete, irrefutable factors to terrorism.

This has sadly thrown the perception of Muslim-populated countries, such as Cameroon, Sudan, and most notably Saudi Arabia, to the sharks.

However, it is greatly disappointing how the aforementioned issues have hardly been delved into by the council. It seems like there’s a distinct “allergy” the UNHRC possesses to even utter the word “Islam” or “9/11”. The issue: how can the committee progress towards “all-encompassing” and “culturally-sensitive” terminology when it can’t dissect the biggest elephant in the room?

Supposedly the cornerstone of counter-terrorism, the USA is yet to be found with any major posits during discussion. Whether this is a mark of indifference or embarrassment is yet to be answered, but the wound is open all the same: when will Muslims, and other political minorities, ever be considered?

When inquired by The Saudi Gazette during an exclusive Press Conference, the UK have circumvented questions to their past support of Bush’s agenda by stating that they do not see it as relevant, despite mounting historical evidence as strong backers otherwise. In addition, the USA has yet to give a clear reply nor suggestion at any instance of the debate — converning all nuances to the status quo.