Position Papers by Country

Position paper for Colombia

Committee:	GA First
Topic:	Consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures
Paper text:
The Republic of Columbia believes in a world with peace and prosperity at the forefront of our minds. All of the conferences, treaties and conventions mean nothing if countries are not enforcing them within their country. This includes assessing and creating policies regarding the use of drones, in particular by non-state actors, in an attempt to ensure peace and prosperity within this century. The unbiased and proper enforcement of treaties will allow countries to build confidence building measures (CBMs) for the greater good. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 is to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. In an effort to work towards achieving this goal, practical disarmament is the first step towards following this goal through 2030. Previous conventions, including but not limited to Certain Conventional Weapons, the Ottawa Treaty, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions have attempted to limit the creation of weapons that cause irreparable harm to civilians. The use of drones by non-state actors causes countries to feel unsteady even within their own boundaries, including our own both for political uncertainty and the possible harm to civilians. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the UN to adopt regulations for the safety of civilians that address the use of drones. We have already seen the damage that non-state actors have within and outside of an official declaration of war. Drones that drop fragmentation grenades are no better than dropping a bomb that contains cluster munitions. New technology causes CBMs to become either a great focus to ensure that all sides feel safe from attack or that those with the new technology feel the ability to conquer new territories for their own good. Although war shows this technology in a negative light, there have been many positives from using this technology. Drones have been used to track migration of animals, construction of large projects and agriculture. Satellites have been used to track weather patterns which have saved millions of lives.

Committee:	GA First
Topic:	Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction
Paper text:
Colombia, unfortunately, has a recent history with chemical weapons and has long been a supporter of the disarmament of chemical weapons as well as destroying any existing stockpiles of chemical weapons. Colombia believes that in order to help prevent the acquisition and use of chemical weapons, there must be more transparency and monitoring of chemicals and materials that can be used to produce chemical weapons or can be used as a chemical weapon. These inspections would help lower the chance of the use of chemical weapons by both non-state and state actors. For states that have the ability to produce them, there must be inspections in place to ensure that nothing that violates international law is produced. With this, more support and funding must be provided to the OPCW so they can pursue their directive. Colombia also acknowledges that there are several chemicals that can be used in both peaceful and offensive ways. An example of a dual-use chemical is hydrogen cyanide, which is a powerful nerve agent but is also used in dyes. With this, transparency is needed, and information needs to be shared between states to prevent the offensive use of a dual-use chemical.

Committee:	GA Second
Topic:	Agriculture development, food security and nutrition
Paper text:
Since 2020 the malnutrition and lack of food security has increased across the world as a result of increasing natural disaster and armed conflict. This has resulted in the large-scale erasure of the progress made in the past decade. Further complicating matters is that a significant part of the global agricultural workforce and land has been co-opted by the drug trade. Colombia itself has struggled with potentially productive farmland being illegally used to grow coca for the drug trade instead of producing food. Globally, poppy and Coca cultivation outcompete food production, increasing both global and local food scarcity, while also driving conflict that worsens that food scarcity. Another complication is the legitimate pharmaceutical, cultural and religious uses for the plants. Colombia is committed to reducing the global drug trade, but rejects the violent enforcement methods that continue to be used despite having been proven ineffective. Therefore, we would like to propose an economic, rather than military solution. The first part of our proposal involves a change in drug policy globally toward state-moderated production of coca and poppy for legitimate uses. The added tax revenue from this legal cultivation and trade could be spent on projects to promote the cultivation of food instead of coca and poppy, or to other social services. An additional Government or even direct UN involvement would also help protect farmers from retribution by drug cartels. Secondly, an agreement to lower or remove tariffs on the alternative crops by the world's largest food importers would also help. A more unconventional solution would be legalizing domestic production as a regulated, safer alternative for drug users. This would go a long way to lowering the demand for smuggled narcotics, thus making it less profitable for farmers and weakening the power of the criminal organizations behind the illegal cultivation. The resulting rise in food production would help combat food scarcity on both a local and global level, while also treating another cause of food scarcity by combatting a driver of armed conflict.

Committee:	GA Second
Topic:	Development cooperation with middle-income countries
Paper text:
Colombia has experience with the middle-income trap, and we believe that a major factor in the difficulties faced by middle-income countries is the difficulty of developing high-tech, innovative industries. High-income countries outcompete middle-income startups, and the importance of these technologies in simply remaining competitive as a middle-income country combined with the time it takes for the industries to mature preclude the import substitution policies that would be necessary to foster such industries. A further complication is that middle income countries often find that the individuals with the skills needed to create these industries are more inclined to move to high-income countries instead. With this in mind we propose the following; encouraging corporations in high- income countries to invest in new branches in middle-income countries, along with a global commitment to encourage remote work so that well-educated, talented individuals can find gainful employment while remaining in their home country, allowing middle income countries to grow their middle class and retain their talent, while also hardening the global economy against another pandemic. A global shift toward remote work would dramatically reduce the economic impact of another pandemic, make efforts to contain spread easier, and provide a solution to the global housing crisis by making it easier for people to live further away from work. To accomplish this we also propose a global resolution on the agreed standards and law regarding international remote work to ensure a smooth transition.

Committee:	GA Third
Topic:	Rights of indigenous peoples
Paper text:
We firmly believe that the rights of Indigenous Peoples must be vigilantly protected and preserved. Indigenous groups globally suffer the threat of language extinction and the loss of cultural ties. We commend the UN General Assembly's proclamation of an International Decade of Indigenous Languages as a long-term aim to concentrate on sustained efforts to preserve and revitalize Indigenous languages. In accordance with the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, we encourage the inclusion of Indigenous voices in issues related to their lives, such as protecting Indigenous women and children from violence, access to healthcare and education, and self-determination. In order to achieve such goals, we must agree to the development of a system action plan that reflects the values of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); we should specifically focus on Article 41 and Article 42 of the declaration, placing an expectation of a promotion of respect and cooperation on the UN to Indigenous inclusion and participation. We also recommend using the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention as a guideline and holistic foundation when mapping standards to any implementation plan consisting of the various issues previously mentioned surrounding Indigenous communities today. By insisting on the inclusion of Indigenous voices, we are confident that Indigenous rights will be preserved and promoted, and that humankind itself will benefit from the lessons Indigenous voices can teach us. The Preamble to the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention states its recognition of the aspirations of these peoples to exercise control over their own institutions, ways of life and economic development and to maintain and develop their identities, languages, and religions, within the framework of the States in which they live and well as calls attention to the distinctive contributions of indigenous and tribal peoples to the cultural diversity and social and ecological harmony of humankind and to international co-operation and understanding. Erasing Indigenous voices erases Indigenous presence as well as the invaluable knowledge they contribute to understanding sustainability and protecting our earth.

Committee:	GA Third
Topic:	Literacy for life
Paper text:
We believe that achieving literacy for life remains a crucial global goal, and that the work through UNESCO has made meaningful progress towards reducing illiteracy over the last few decades. However, we recognize the continued challenges of reaching vulnerable communities, particularly in addressing gender disparities, as well as access for Indigenous populations, and displaced people. The global community must focus on inclusive policies to address these challenges. One key recommendation is adopting targeted literacy programs, which would be informed by experiences in Peru and other countries, which have already implemented initiatives to address some literacy gaps. By expanding and scaling programs that work in specific countries through UNESCO's frameworks, the UN could better support nations in creating literacy programs for these vulnerable communities. To support those affected by major displacement events, literacy programs must have some adaptability to changing cultures and linguistic realities. We advocate for creating scalable programs that could quickly be implemented in refugee camps or other areas. These programs would emphasize language acquisition as well as cultural integration. This would build skills and reduce some of the challenges that come from such drastic events. We also are in favor of increasing private-public relationships to invest in and expand internet coverage in rural areas, but also by training educators in digital literacy. The UN can provide technical assistance and encourage investment for Member States to build the necessary infrastructure to bridge these gaps. Programs like Pronama, which aims to increase technological literacy among adults, can serve as a model for technological integration in the growing digital economy. Finally, to close the gender gap in literacy, we recommend enhancing support for women and girls through community-based literacy campaigns. The UN can provide resources that prioritize girls access to both technology and education. Special efforts must be made to ensure these programs reach rural and underserved communities, where gender disparities in literacy are often most pronounced.

Committee:	GA Plenary
Topic:	The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
Paper text:
We firmly support the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as affirmed by resolution A/76/75. We recognize the importance of the UN SDGs and hope to further our progress towards these goals. As it stands, the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 projects that the world is falling very short of meeting all of the goals with only 17% completion by 2030. To meet the goals, there would have to be substantial funding and action increases around the globe to meet even half of the SDGs. As a nation in the Global South, we are requesting additional assistance for nations that are falling behind their SDGs from the international community. We propose increasing funding to the South-South Cooperation to further the sharing of sustainable practices, technological development, and sustainable development in the Global South in cooperation with the Global North. We also support the UNDP 2022-2025 Strategic Plan that promotes green, inclusive, and digital structural transitions as well as human agency, human development, and creating resilience in the face of systemic uncertainty and risk. This strategy aligns with our national goals toward sustainable development outlined by our National Planning Department; however, these goals are difficult to achieve whilst being sabotaged by multinational corporations who destroy the environment. Multinational corporations like those who extract oil make astounding profits while sacrificing the global environment by promoting the emission of greenhouse gasses and exploitation of natural resources. We are in support of holding these corporations accountable through a binding global legal framework as proposed by FAIN International through the UN Humans Rights Council. Transnational corporations must be held accountable for their actions and for impeding UN SDGs as well as the violation of the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Committee:	GA Plenary
Topic:	Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel
Paper text:
We strongly condemn the increase in violence against United Nations (UN) humanitarian aid workers. There have been nearly 2000 attacks on World Health Organization (WHO) officials alone in 2023 with 280 fatalities as a result. That is nearly double what it was last year largely due to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine. As former recipients of humanitarian and peacekeeping aid we support the United Nation's call for greater protection. We have signed resolution 78/369 which seeks to strengthen support for international humanitarian assistance. We call for host countries to strengthen their commitments to assist UN forces and protect them to allow them to provide aid as well as coordinating with the UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) to make sure that humanitarian personnel are being sent where they are needed. Greater monitoring of threats to humanitarian personnel must be started in order to protect them in the field by organizations such as OCHA and the WHO. Host countries must also work to educate their populations on what the humanitarian workers look like and what they do in order to avoid potential issues arising from mistaken identity. These are volunteers who should not have to put themselves in danger to give humanitarian aid. Aid rendered in the last two years alone has saved uncountable lives in the wake of crises such as the earthquake in Istanbul and climate disasters in Somalia. We are greatly troubled by the increase in violence against Humanitarian Personnel that was reported in resolution 78/118 and want to see real action taken to protect those who may be affected in the future. We must recommit ourselves to the rules set forth in the Geneva Convention governing aid and humanitarian workers. All countries must follow Rule 55 of the Geneva Convention which were reaffirmed in 1977 and 2005. There must be a resolution passed to strengthen international frameworks that protect workers against violence. We also strongly support increasing accountability in the international system for those who would break the rules and harm civilians. Attacks and prevention by national militaries, even unintentionally, against international aid, on healthcare and specialists are completely unacceptable and those nations must be held accountable.

Committee:	ECOSOC
Topic:	Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality
Paper text:
Climate change is a rapid and dangerous issue that must be acknowledged by the United Nations. Change must be made as climate change affects all countries both environmentally and economically. Although Colombia ranks only 35th globally for Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, we are aware that this is a pressing issue, and all states must make drastic changes to prevent environmental disaster. Colombia believes that it is of most importance to explore solutions to addressing climate change by listening to all voices and providing an inclusive atmosphere in the creation of reforms or new policies to tackle this stressing issue. To address climate change, Colombia believes it is in best interest to secure a legally binding climate agreement amongst all states in replace of the previous Paris agreement. Instead of holding some states accountable for its actions, it is evident that safeguards need to be put in place to ensure each state is contributing to the decreasing of GHG emissions to the best of their abilities dependent upon their resources. To ensure inclusivity we propose the establishment of local climate councils to provide the opportunity for minority voices to be heard when addressing climate change and any possible solutions. Colombia has made great strides in gender inclusivity by creating policy guidelines such as the Public Policy Guidelines for Women's Gender Equality and we believe that setting guidelines is the best way to make progress towards inclusivity as these regulations are the framework for the advancement of women's rights. Another way to empower inclusivity is through financial resources. We must continue to invest in our local communities through education, adaptation of technological resources, as well as focusing financial assistance and support on local communities to ensure growth and inclusivity of local voices.

Committee:	ECOSOC
Topic:	Science, technology and innovation for development
Paper text:
In an ever evolving world of constant innovation and advancements, Columbia finds it important to strengthen and encourage local innovation and sustainable development while ensuring public input and participation. Columbia wants to be able to foster an environment of innovation that helps the greater good of its people and the international community. Intellectual property is a cornerstone of ensuring a fair playing field for member states, transnational corporations, and individuals alike. Colombia believes that promoting sustainable development while respecting intellectual property is crucial for fostering a good faith global environment that promotes innovation. Colombia aims to reaffirm existing international frameworks such as the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Recognizing the benefits of technology sharing, Colombia urges the United Nations (UN) and its member states to utilize the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) . Colombia recognizes the importance of technology transfer and capacity building to support local industries like those found in Columbia and developing nations. By improving the partnerships between developed and developing countries, we can improve innovation and ensure that intellectual property rights are upheld while also pursuing the development of sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and environmental sustainability. Along with utilizing existing frameworks Colombia would seek to build off the UN TFM by implementing new training programs that would have local professionals trained by industry experts from developed nations. Having locally trained professionals would allow for locals to have access to better paying jobs and allow for knowledge of advanced technologies to be institutionalized. Colombia would also seek to have developed nations create funds to offer scholarships for students from developing nations to get first hand experience and then bring that back to their counties. This approach will ensure that the next generation is equipped with advanced technologies and the skills necessary for sustainable development.

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