
SPECPOL
Establishing state liability for objects and activities in space
Curbing terrorism across Sub-Saharan Africa
About this Committee
The Special, Political, and Decolonization Committee, also known as the UN General Assembly Fourth Commitee, is one of the six primary subdivisions of the UNGA. Established in 1993, this committee is responsible for tackling today’s most significant geopolitical issues such as decolonization, general international security, and even security in outer space. With disputes over natural resources slowly becoming commonplace throughout the world, the role of SPECPOL as a mediator is steadily increasing, with the need for innovative solutions growing with it.
Our first topic this year is the establishment of state liability over objects and activities in space. The commercialization and militarization of space have become a landmark of mankind’s technological prowess, but remnants in the form of space debris pollute Earth’s orbit, which is why it is critical for nations to accept responsibility and look into cleaner ways of space exploration.
Our second topic is the reduction of terrorism in sub-Saharan Africa, which has grown in recent times but is overlooked in comparison to Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian terrorist affairs. Groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State, and al-Qaeda have strongholds in West Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, which have disrupted thousands of civilian lives and have accounted for more than 35% of all deaths due to terrorism, worldwide.
In conclusion, the Fourth Committee requires the global community to reassemble and tackle this new wave of conflicts that daunts us, in order to fulfill the UN’s goal of striving to make the world a better place.