Position paper for Saudi Arabia
| Committee: | GA First |
| Topic: | Consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures |
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| The Middle East stands out as one of the most significant markets for arms globally, largely due to persistent geopolitical tensions and conflicts that have plagued the region for decades. Recent analyses indicate that imports of major arms by European states surged by an astonishing 94 percent between the periods of 2014-2018 and 2019-2023. Among the world's largest arms importers from 2019 to 2023, are five countries: India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Ukraine, and Pakistan. The Kingdom's approach to arms imports is rooted in a strategy focused on regulating sales to not only bolster its national defense capabilities but also to contribute to regional stability. Saudi Arabia's government maintains that responsible arms sales are essential for enhancing its military infrastructure, enabling the Kingdom to effectively respond to perceived threats from regional adversaries, including Iran and various non-state actors. While the Kingdom seeks to fortify its defense mechanisms, it is equally committed to promoting a regulated arms trade, advocating for transparency and accountability in transactions. The Kingdom participates in various conventions and groups aimed at establishing frameworks that promote responsible arms management, and stress the importance of cooperation among Middle Eastern nations to achieve collective security objectives. Through these efforts, Saudi Arabia advocates for a balanced and regulated arms trade that prioritizes both national and regional security. The kingdom emphasizes the importance of collaborative measures that align with international norms and regulations, ensuring that arms transfers are conducted responsibly and transparently. By promoting a disciplined approach to arms trade, Saudi Arabia aims to enhance its defense capabilities while simultaneously fostering an environment that mitigates conflict and supports peace initiatives across the Middle East. | |
| 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 |
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| The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia works toward the implementation of the regulations for the complete banishment and destruction of chemical weaponry. Chemical weaponry is a chemical, or any equipment designed to weaponize chemicals, used with the intention to cause harm or death through its toxicity. There are multiple nerve agents each being extremely dangerous and causing casualties. The nation works toward this, alongside other major advancements within the Vision 2030 plan. The country works with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in support of their cause, alongside the United Nations' other member states. The Kingdom also itself does not possess any chemical nor nuclear weaponry, and wishes that other nations within the Middle East follow these guidelines. The member state prioritizes all aspects of the Vision 2030 plans, and especially in taking the initiative to have a completely nuclear-free zone specifically within the Middle East. Vision 2030is a very comprehensive and extensive plan that the nation is aiming to achieve because of the current state of the nation and globally, due to the increase in terrorism, conflicts amongst neighboring countries, and the growing effects of climate change. With the OPCW, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also working with the Chemical Weapon Convention (CWC). Each of these organizations guides the nation in determining what is a chemical weapon, and how it must be prohibited in order to promote the security of member states, within the United Nations. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intends to stand as a beacon of peace, as well as an inspiration for how other nations should follow the regulations as well as the complete destruction of stock piling these chemical weapons in order to promote peace amongst countries. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Agriculture development, food security and nutrition |
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| With over two billion people suffering from food insecurity around the globe, the food crisis is far from over. The creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945 sparked international collaboration resulting in decades of committees, plans, declarations, and promises. Some were successful, such as the International Fund for Agriculture Development allocation of 23.2 billion USD in low-interest loans to accepting member states. Some made good progress but still fell short of their goals. For example, while 2014 saw a significant decline in undernourishment since 1990, the 1996 World Food Summit's goals of halving the world's proportion of people suffering from hunger by 2015 was not met. Current conflicts, climate change-induced weather disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic have threatened the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of eradicating hunger by 2030. After analyzing nearly two decades worth of hunger-fighting strategies, we have found most success in developing region-specific plans to combat food insecurity on a case-by-case basis. In observance of the success of the Sahel Integrated Resilience Program, we would support increased funding for research projects in other regions to determine the exact causes of hunger, whether local corruption, lack of international support, climate change, etc. We thus support potential resolutions encouraging bottom-up aid solutions, facilitated by United Nations investment and research data. Finally, technological advances in water retention, irrigation, indoor farming, and other agricultural techniques significantly increase food production. Keeping in mind all countries struggling with drought or food production instability, we strongly encourage further investment into agricultural technological innovation and education. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Development cooperation with middle-income countries |
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| As the world continues to grow and develop, it has been clear that a few countries have pulled ahead through various means while others have fallen behind. As the world becomes more interconnected through financial and trade networks, these economic rankings have become more cemented and less alterable. Very few countries have been able to break this mold and climb from a low or middle income country to a high income country, while many fall victim to the middle income trap. This is a problem as a stagnation of an economy leads to many issues, some being unemployment and a rapid use of natural resources. Due to this, we, Saudi Arabia, are committed to helping other countries break through the middle income trap. We believe that cooperation with neighboring countries, including increased trading, as well as infrastructure growth will not only benefit the participating countries, but also the surrounding region. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Rights of indigenous peoples |
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| With voting in favor of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in resolution 61/295 of 13 September 2007, Saudi Arabia as homogenous Arab nation that has experienced imperialist forces trying to grasp control of the country and destroy its unique cultural capital, Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. Especially given our efforts to be part of driving global emissions down and as active collaborator in addressing the issues that come from climate change, we are aware of the exposure to various issues many indigenous peoples face. However, not only the changing climate but also the legal recognition, political representation, and access to medical care and education still remain issues when it comes to indigenous peoples. UNDRIP has led to increased global recognition and established legal framework and institutions indigenous peoples can use to voice and amplify their concerns. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia is also aware of the gaps in the implementation of the standards set down in UNDRIP. Another disadvantage of global recognition is the increasing cultural appropriation and commercialization of the unique cultures we in the first place seek to preserve. Thus, we suggest approaches that do on the one hand protect these indigenous peoples but on the other hand give them incentive to preserve their distinctive features without being consumed by tourism or abandonment of their lifestyle in order to migrate into modern society. Overall, we thus aim to strike the balance of raising awareness for indigenous people and giving them the tools needed for their prosperity while also encouraging them to preserve their distinctive features, relationship with their environment, and approaches to life. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Literacy for life |
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| The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia firmly believes that literacy is a fundamental human right and acritical element for achieving sustainable development. The importance of literacy extends beyond individual empowerment; it serves as a foundation for economic growth, social stability, and cultural enrichment. In light of the ongoing global literacy crisis, exacerbated by theCOVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia recognizes the urgent need for collective action to address disparities in access to education. Recent United Nations efforts, particularly the emphasis on Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, are commendable. However, despite progress, millions of people remain illiterate, especially in conflict-affected and impoverished regions. Saudi Arabia views these challenges as an opportunity for the international community to strengthen its commitment to literacy initiatives that prioritize marginalized populations, including women and rural communities. Moving forward, Saudi Arabia advocates for the United Nations to enhance its support for global literacy programs through increased funding and technical assistance. The Kingdom encourages member states to collaborate on best practices and innovative educational strategies that integrate digital literacy into traditional learning frameworks. Saudi Arabia intends to sponsor initiatives aimed at establishing regional partnerships that focus on literacy and education, particularly in areas facing humanitarian crises. Saudi Arabia calls for a unified global effort to promote literacy as a vehicle for sustainable development. The Kingdom believes that with the right support and commitment, we can create an educated and empowered global citizenry capable of addressing the challenges of the future. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment |
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| In 2022, the General Assembly determined that people have the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and the assembly must now decide what plans and accountability should be put in place to ensure they truly do. The Paris Agreement, for instance, has seen little material impact on carbon emissions, and climate change continues to disrupt food security, alter the spread of disease, and intensify natural disasters. With COP29 having just wrapped up on November 22nd in Baku, Azerbaijan, the issue is present in all of our minds-most especially ours. Without too much irregularity, days can reach 130°F, which has implications for the wellbeing of all in our region. Because of these ever present concerns, we believe that climate change must be fully acknowledged and completely reckoned with. We strongly support resolutions which affirm and stress the dangerous nature of climate change, and any which encourage countries to formulate their own plans to address it. Wary of potentially extreme, neocolonial obligations being unfairly placed on fellow developing nations, we are in favor of each country having the autonomy to create their own path towards energy transition. This would encourage cooperation towards a common goal the entire International Community shares: preventing the destruction of our planet without reproducing unfortunate and problematic power dynamics. What works for countries in the West may not be what works for countries in the Middle East, and what is successful in the Middle East may not be successful in Western countries. We should not paper over these natural differences, but embrace them with open arms for the freedom and possibility they represent. Anything else would be a totalitarian approach to the environment that goes against the very charter of the United Nations. With the maintenance of those liberties in mind, we are in favor of a green future-one built for all countries and their unique national circumstances. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel |
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| Saudi Arabia's position on the issue of the safety and security of Humanitarian personnel and protection of UN personnel is one of deep care for the support of such personnel, especially in places like Gaza. There have been so many humanitarian deaths at the cost of the war due to far too frequent bombings of civilian places like hospitals that Hamas might be in seem unacceptable to Saudi Arabia, so the Saudis would call for either accountability from the Israeli people, and their relation to the actions of the government, or increased fundings to organizations such as UNWRA to provide aid to the Palestinian people. Since Saudi Arabia is still one of the major contributors to UNWRA, we as Saudi Arabia call others to have the moral obligation to contribute to UNWRA as well. The types of resolutions we are looking for as Saudi Arabia are solutions tackling the countries Saudi Arabia has an interest in, usually majority Muslim countries, as well as more financial resolutions to issues related to the protection of humanitarian personnel, rather than having actual Saudi people in the United Nations Army. Saudi Arabia would call for a resolution tackling the establishment of ceasefires in warmongering states to protect such personnel who may still be there in Gaza during the conflict. Not only that, but Saudi Arabia would likely call for the condemnation of Israel's unjust bombings of multiple pro-Palestinian buildings that were guessed as Hamas hiding spots. In conclusion, we are looking for safety and security through active efforts to fundraise for the protection of these individuals, as Saudi Arabia seems to stick more economically to non-socio- cultural issues. | |
| Committee: | WHA |
| Topic: | Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health |
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| The Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health is one of the UN's SDG goals for 2030. It focuses on the development of women, children and adolescents through government action, by promoting healthcare to prevent deaths, in maternal, newborn and children, and improving overall health. Despite there being major breakthroughs in the health industry, stillbirths still happen in underdeveloped countries, many women die due to complications during pregnancy or birth and millions of babies die just 1 month after they are born. As the delegation of Saudi Arabia, we are committed to bringing those numbers to zero, as we are facing the same problems as the world is. Universal healthcare is a must for everyone, we need to ensure that whoever goes through this process must not carry on financial hardship, despite the outcome. There are a lot of proven life-saving inventions that can help maternal health and survival for both the mother and the child, along with newborn care, and we are committed on advancing on these topics. Adolescents are also a center point for this topic, they are mostly at risk when they reach their teenage years, when they are exposed to developing their social skills, become independent individuals, forge new relationships, and learn stuff that will carry on to the rest of their lives, so we need to focus on any vulnerabilities that they can be exposed to. We are also committed in protecting them, as we also understand the impact that these women, newborn children and adolescents can have not only to our nation, but also to the international community, to help us thrive in the future, and continue on a path of peace. | |
| Committee: | WHA |
| Topic: | Public health dimension of the world drug problem |
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| The public health dimension of the world drug problem is a topic primarily focused on drug misuse, mainly focusing on and caring for people with drug disorders and misuse, along with reducing harm related to drugs and providing the necessary medication to get over it. This goal requires cooperation from the people, law enforcement and health services to help us achieve our goal in this topic. We are committed to aid the international community in stopping drug misuse, we are happy to provide our resources and techniques on how we crack down drug misuse and manufacture in Saudi Arabia, as we have very strict policies when it comes to this issue. We believe that this committee has the required resources to eliminate this problem, with the help of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), we have a huge advantage in the process to locate and put an end to the manufacturing and distribution of these drugs that plague our community. | |
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