Model United Nations Procedure.

For debate to run smoothly and efficiently, the committee's delegates must follow an agreed-upon procedure. This guide will explain some key concepts and outline a typical committee scenario.

 

In debate, there are three types of consideration:

1. Formal Consideration: Your country must be on the speaker's list in order to speak. There is usually a time limit for your speech, which may be adjusted (increased or decreased) as the debate proceeds.

2. Informal Consideration: Delegates simply raise their placards in order to be recognized in ad hoc fashion by the chair. The time limit for discussion may be flexible and at the discretion of the chair. Often, there will be a rapid-fire exchange from one country to another. The chair must moderate this sequence in order to maintain order. Informal discussion is a good technique to brainstorm, problem-solve, gather data and flesh out issues. The chair must ensure that delegates stay on track.

3. Caucus: This involves important discussion and arm-twisting in both large and small informal groups. The non-moderated discussion allows nations to actively lobby each other for ideas and support. There is normally a time limit set by the chair. If there are two delegates assigned per team, good strategy would dictate for one to lobby the actual bloc that the delegate is attached to and the other listen in on the strategy being discussed by the rest. Because of the latter strategy, some caucus groups will move to more private areas, outside the committee room. In full day and multi-day debates, informal "caucus" may take place anywhere including lunch or at night on the phone. In this fashion, delegates follow the actual practice employed by real diplomats. Although hard to monitor, a good conference will evaluate the performance of delegates during caucus. (see MUN Tools for more notes on country blocs.)

 

In debate, Points (of Order) largely determine procedure. The following are important types:

1. Point of Order: Used to correct a mistake in the parliamentary procedure.

2. Point of Parliamentary Procedure: Used to inquire about proper procedure. The chair will rule and explain.

3. Point of Information: Used to correct or ask some information.

4. Point of Personal Privilege: Used to alleviate a personal discomfort or distraction that impedes your participation in debate. (noise, room temperature, volume, movement, etc.)

 

When a delegate speaks during formal consideration, s/he may Yield time to another delegate. This is a difficult decision because most delegates wish to maximize their own speaking time. Sometimes, it is done as a favour to a like-minded country. Some delegates believe that a yield to another is a sign of weakness. You will have to determine if it fits within your overall strategy or not.

When speaking, Yields are as follows:

1. Yield to the Chair: The remaining time is left to the chair, and s/he will normally select the next speaker. Yielding one's remaining time to the chair prevents anyone from asking you tough questions, but it also indicates a weak position. If you want to avoid the hot seat yet curry favour, why not yield to a friendly country?

2. Yield to Questions: This is the preferred course. The speaker's remaining time is utilized for question(s) on the delegate's speech. Only questions on the speech are permitted. This demonstrates that the delegate is both secure and prepared to deal with harsh objections. Beware that by yielding your remaining time to questions from the floor, you allow adversaries to lead off with their own mini-speech preamble before they actually ask their question.

If you see this happening, immediately interrupt the mini-speech by saying to the chair: "Point of order, is there a question?" The chair will normally concur and demand a specific question. Another strategy that you might promote in your caucus is to encourage friendly nations to ask non-aggressive questions, which will provide you with yet another springboard for extended speeches.

3. Yield to Another Delegate: As above. The remaining time is given to another delegate.

If a delegate has said some extremely uncomplimentary things about your country, you might stand up and say: Right of Reply. Here, a delegate is given the opportunity to defend the nation's integrity after being slandered or misrepresented. A right of reply will not be granted in cases of personal (versus country) slander. Right of reply is granted at the chair's discretion, and should not be abused. If the chair grants such an action, the offending party will be asked if they wish to apologize. Slandering your fellow delegates does not impress either them or the chair.

Resolutions: This is what the committee is aiming at, a particular recommended course of action that will adequately address some specific issue. The proposed resolution forms the basis of debate.

Committees should not try to pass a resolution no matter what. The resolution must be viable. Because there are multiple interests and countries, this becomes a difficult process. A resolution can be the product of a productive council. It outlines the recommendations suggested by the committee. Often, a resolution, in order to pass, will be changed or amended a great deal such that the majority can live with it. If you are provided with a ready-made resolution for debate at your conference, be aware that there will be many weaknesses deliberately built into it to encourage this process of amendment.

 

Voting: In the Security Council, there are five veto powers. They are the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russian Federation, and China. These nations may arbitrarily vote 'no' to a resolution, and it is automatically defeated. In all other bodies, there are no veto powers, and you will operate on a simple majority. If a permanent member country might veto your resolution, your strategy might be to try and persuade that country to abstain in the vote. Otherwise, in the other committees, everyone has one vote and is therefore, a potential ally for a simple majority. There is no advantage in other committees to being a permanent member. In fact, they are often greatly outnumbered by other blocs.

Committee Procedure: A Typical Flow Chart

To get a better idea of how things actually happen in committee, the following is the sort of procedural dynamic that will typically occur:

 

1) Motion to open debate. Some chairs will simply declare debate open. If this is the case, there is no need to utilize this motion.

2) Motion to set agenda. The topics are usually set ahead of time. If there are multiple topics, a speaker for and a speaker for and against are required. A vote is taken, and the majority rules.

3) Motion to open the speaker's list. All nations wishing to be on the speaker's list raise their placards or write a note to the chair.

4) Motion to set a time limit on speeches. Used in formal consideration only.

 

At this point procedure can move in many directions. For example, after a few speakers, the following may occur:

 

5) Remain in formal consideration (on speaker's list)

OR

6) Motion to move into informal consideration. If the latter, after much discussion, there are many ideas, therefore -

7) If in informal consideration, motion to move back into formal consideration.

8) You might motion for a caucus (usually 5 -10 minutes). The purpose would be to further develop the ideas into a working paper, and to obtain sponsors in support of these ideas. A working paper is the beginning of a resolution. There might be several working papers being developed by different groups at the same time. Your task is to bring together those that are similar into a larger more powerful bloc that will enjoy greater chance at success. (votes)

9) After the caucus, the council is back in formal consideration. Someone may motion to move into informal consideration, or you will remain in formal consideration. (Speaker's list)

10) After collaboration, the working paper needs to be presented to the chair with the sponsoring countries listed. Often, you will be given a minimum number of sponsors to obtain before the chair will look at your working paper.

11) If the chair deems your working paper to be in order, indicate that your nation wishes to introduce it as a resolution before the council.

12) Once the chair has approved the working paper (proper format, spelling and grammar), the chair will allow for it to be introduced.

13) In order to introduce a working paper, the council must be in formal consideration. The speaker's list will be utilized.

14) The nation that led the writing of the working paper will read it to the council. The time limit is suspended for the duration of the reading.

15) The chair acknowledges that the working paper is now a resolution. Debate continues over the resolution until it is ready to be finally voted upon. When the resolution has been amended, and is meets the satisfaction of the council,

16) Motion to enter voting procedure. A speaker for and a speaker against are required at this time. Simple majority rules. Another way to end debate and force a vote is to move that the speaker's list be closed, which effectively stops debate by preventing additional countries to speak. The chair will not normally allow this if considered premature and much too early in the debate.

 

At this time, there are several motions that could be made.

 

a) Motion to divide question. This motion allows the council to separate the operative clauses into sections. For example, if a resolution were composed of seven clauses, each recommending some specific course of action, each section would then be voted on separately. This might be a last ditch effort by some nations to vote down one particular clause (or more) that they cannot live with.

OR

b) Roll call vote. Each nation is called upon in alphabetical order. Each nation may say yes, no, abstain or pass. If a pass is taken, the chair returns to that delegate. At this point, the delegate may say yes or no. Abstentions are no longer permitted.

 

If the resolution is passed, a new topic is selected. If the resolution is not passed, the resolution fails and does not exist. The topic goes back into debate. Try not to rush through your topic merely to pass a resolution. Often, because of the nature of the topic and a complete lack of consensus, a resolution simply cannot be passed. Students must accurately represent the interests of their foreign country. You might be imperialistic, socialist, rich or poor. You might be one of many world faiths including those that you don't necessarily agree with. Your country might treat women as equals to men or keep them servile. You might sanction terrorism or look the other way at it. The key is that you must execute an accurate portrayal. In multi-day conferences, one topic might be discussed for many hours and several days. Keep in mind that some of these U.N. issues have been argued for years, not mere days. It's up to you to be creative yet not sacrifice your country's interests. You will be evaluated on how well you can perform this difficult task.

 

© by Mike Keenan