Bild: “Mess with DRC, you mess with UN”

Intense discussions commenced in the United Nations Security Council this morning when four Ebola treatment camps situated in the Democratic Republic of Congo were captured by certain rebel groups. These rebel groups had threatened to use the virus samples obtained as biological weapons against the personnel. To add on, the citizens of the country do not wish to follow the government due to an evident lack of trust.

Alarmed, the committee dived straight into an unmoderated caucus where they outlined the general aspects they wished to touch upon during the course of the day.


However, during the span of the GSL and moderated caucuses, the stances and aims of each country began to become unclear. Some delegates stressed on prioritising the healthcare of the civilians whereas others prioritised the solidification of the DRC and Ugandan border. This resulted in many delegates describing the course of the debate as “messy” and the delegate of Indonesia to urge council not to “act irrationally” by deploying troops and instigating the rebels to take actions that could risk the safety of civilians. Although one common point acknowledged by all delegates was the strengthening of trust between the government and the general public.

A few delegates attempted to explain to the council, multiple times, that council need not focus predominantly on healthcare as that is out of their mandate and should be left for organisations such as WHO. But rather, they should focus on other aspects. Thereafter, through Extensive debate, multiple Arria Formula Meetings and discussions council came up with a few potential solutions. Firstly, all agreed on the making of a centralised intelligence bank where research regarding Ebola and its symptoms would be stored. skilled training for the military staff especially the peacekeeping troops were then proposed. With the help of the database, a curriculum regarding the identification of Ebola patients could be taught to the staff, thus addressing the informal nature of cross border interactions. The need for raising awareness regarding the issue was also recognised as integral in formulating a resolution, as the civilians of a country must be aware of their country’s current situation.

Issues regarding the stance of the delegates of Germany were clarified in an interview with the representatives. Germany highlighted that although using Ebola as a biological weapon is a threat, it is not that powerful as the virus requires a host for transmission. In addition, the delegates acknowledged the availability of Ebola vaccines. The delegate went on to propose using incentives, such as food aid, to better relationships between the government and the civilians.

By the end of the first committee session, 2-3 blocs were in place. However, it seems that the progress in UNSC has been on a stand, considering the fact that they have 15 agendas in total to address, but had been stuck on the first one for quite some time. Will the delegates be able to solve their differences for a bigger cause:global issues?