Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Evan Covington, Director
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the committee on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for Harvard Model United Nations 2012! My name is Evan Covington, and I will be your director for this year. I am originally from Chicago, IL but have grown up most of my life in Houston, TX. I do have the tendency to say “ya’ll” quite frequently, but that is simply just a bit of my southern upbringing. I am a member of the Harvard Class of 2012 majoring in East Asian Studies with a minor in Social Anthropology. I am a huge Asia enthusiast! I have spent time working in China alongside exploring and traveling across East and Southeast Asia. I am a huge aquatic sports enthusiast and love anything ranging from swimming and rowing to water polo and scuba diving. Likewise, I really love Tex-Mex food (only appropriate for my Texas roots!).
I would like to express my utmost excitement and sincerest congratulations to you as you gear up for HMUN 2012. I truly believe that the committee on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is one of the most important and dynamic committees due to the Asia-Pacific region’s growing prominence in world affairs. During conference, you will have unparalleled chances to work with the best and brightest delegates from across the globe and strive to solve key international issues pertinent to the Asia-Pacific region. This year, APEC will be focusing on two particularly important topic areas: emergency preparedness and food security in the Asia-Pacific region. From tsunamis and typhoons to earthquakes and beyond, nations both within the Asia-Pacific region and outside of it are affected. Furthermore, maintaining civilian security in the face of emergencies remains a key issue facing APEC. The other topic is food security in the Asia-Pacific Region. While the Asia-Pacific region contains the largest percentage of the world’s population, it must also work to ensure a sustainable food supply for its citizens. Subsequently, this will help ensure economic growth and prosperity for APEC member nations. While we may have seen developments to address these issues, there is still much work to be done in creating comprehensive solutions to these topics.
In order to prepare for conference, I urge you to delve deep into the research and history behind these two topic areas. The study guide for this committee will help steer you in directions that you can explore; however, I encourage you to pursue additional research. Both of these topics are particularly pertinent to international affairs and not only affect APEC member nations, but rather the entire world on a profound basis. More preparation and research will lead to more engaging and interactive debate, so I encourage you to learn as much as you can.
Please do not hesitate to let me know of any questions or concerns that you may have. Feel free to shoot a friendly hello even before conference as well! I hope you are as excited for Harvard Model United Nations 2012 as I am, and I look forward to meeting each of you in person! Take care and see you in committee!
Best Regards,
Evan
About Me
Class Year: 2012
Concentration: East Asian Studies
Hometown: Houston, TX
Favorite Place: Bali, Indonesia
Favorite MUN Moment: I chose these topics because both of them are particularly universal in nature; however, both topics have unique relations with the Asia-Pacific region. We always think “safety first” when dealing with anything dangerous. Additionally, who doesn’t like talking about food?
Some advice for new delegates: Don’t pass any notes in committee you would not want the dais to find at the end of the day when we clean up!
Why did you choose these topics? I chose these topics because I feel like they’re happening right now, and I think it’s important to know what’s going on in our world and to see what problems our leaders are dealing with.
HMUN is the best because… it gives me a chance to live vicariously through the delegates! I never had Model UN at my school during high school, so I love to see the delegates enjoying themselves at HMUN.
Topics
Topic A: Emergency Preparedness
This topic area will be focusing on how APEC member nations prepare themselves for impending and unexpected natural emergencies. From typhoons and floods to drought and earthquakes, APEC countries need to develop comprehensive risk management plans that ensure civilian security and economic stability. Should APEC countries focus on plans that react to the effects of natural disasters or develop strategies to cope with natural disasters before they strike? How can APEC countries ensure speedy economic recovery after disasters strike?
Topic B: Food Security
This topic area will be focusing on food access and security in the Asia-Pacific region. With an increasing population, how will APEC countries assure a steady supply of safe food to meet a growing demand? How can APEC countries develop a food trading system that not only spurs agricultural development but also maintains affordable prices for food?