By: Taylor Mangold, Student Reporter**

*Since this article was written, the Council has chosen a topic

Time is of the essence when situations arise to the Security Council’s attention. Whether discussing Sudan’s requested withdrawal from the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) or the recent bombing of two Gaza schools which killed 80 civilians, all of these topics merit a spotlight on the Security Council floor. While a few countries, such as Switzerland, wanted to tackle the easier option first of accepting Sudan’s request and move on to the larger issues later on, others like Ecuador preferred to solve the dire problems foremost to prevent further human suffering. However, a majority of the Council was willing to vote on any topic just to get moving.

But how does the Security Council decide which topic to discuss first? This was the very first issue addressed by the Security Council. It was not potential war on the shores, political missions gone wrong or even the death of school children, it all falls on the topics chosen before all others. 

Amidst the chaos, one fact stood out. Representative Aliyah Houston of Ecuador said, “But people are dying as we try to touch on [these subjects].” This statement by the Representative encapsulated the views of several members of the Council about the current suffering of the civilians who can not argue their case on the Council floor. As Representative Houston stated, the Security Council’s preoccupation with procedural matters has resulted in gridlock which negatively impacts those in need of humanitarian support due to the numerous conflicts across the globe.

_{The views and opinions expressed in this article were part of simulation of the United Nations held from 18 to 21 November 2023 and do not reflect the views and opinions of the American Model United Nations Conference, American Model United Nations International, LLC., the **Pacific Northwest University or the governing bodies of the states mentioned in the article.}