Organization of American States
Organization of American States (OAS)
Courteney Smith, Director
Vipul Shekhawat, Crisis Director
Nathaniel Tucker, Crisis Director
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to HMUN 2012 and especially welcome to the Organization of American States! My name is Courteney Smith and I am thrilled to be directing this committee at Harvard Model United Nations 2012. I hope that you are also looking forward to working together in an effort to identify the some of the most pressing issues facing the Americas today.
I am a member of the class of 2013 at Harvard College, with a concentration in History and Literature. I’m a language enthusiast: I can read and write Latin, am pursuing a secondary (or minor) in French and a language citation in Spanish. Originally from Boston, I am a huge fan of snow as well as a diehard Red Sox fanatic. I did a lot of Model UN in high school, and was always fondest of my experiences in committees that combined crisis elements with substantive debate, a love I hope to share with you all through an innovative and groundbreaking EcoSoc experience.
Being a delegate on a committee that simulates a regional body is a unique opportunity to look in depth at the problems plaguing a specific area of the world and find innovative solutions that could be applicable around the globe. The topics for this year’s Organization of American States are free trade and political corruption. Both issues affect a vast number of people throughout the Americas, as they represent both economic and political, as well as cultural concerns. The question of free trade has been debated since the age of empires and the answer is not an easy one – you will need to navigate through moral, economic and social issues, as well as walk a diplomatic tightrope to secure trading partnerships. Political corruption is a part of life in many countries across Latin America, one that needs to be addressed in order to maintain the OAS’s commitment to representative democracy. You will be forced to think critically, respond rapidly and seek innovation in order to create sustainable, viable solutions to both of these pressing challenges.
As we get closer to the conference, I encourage you to begin reviewing your country’s policies concerning free trade and political corruption, both internal and external. The study guide will be released in the fall, and should provide a broad, but detailed, overview of the issues we will be discussing this weekend, and will provide you avenues for further research.
I look forward to meeting you all at the conference, and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Warmest regards,
Courteney Smith
About Me
Class Year: 2013
Concentration: History and Literature
Hometown: Boston
Favorite Place: Dennis, Massachusetts
Favorite Food: Risotto
Favorite MUN Moment: My favorite MUN moment was getting assassinated by one of my fellow staffers in a simulation of the Fatimid Caliphate.
Why did you choose these topics? I chose these topics because I think both of them are extremely relevant issues, whose potential solutions have a wide number of arguments for and against them. They will make for interesting debate, as well as provide valuable insight into the politics, economics and culture of an area of the world that continues to play a growing and incredibly important role on the global stage.
Some advice for new delegates: Don’t be afraid to speak up and always, always, always ask questions. We’re here to help you learn and to make sure that you have the best possible experience.
HMUN is the best because … it gives high school students a chance to interact with other students from across the world, teaches them real-world skills that they’ll be able to use for the rest of their lives and gives us a chance to give back to a wide community of people.
Topics
Topic A: Political Corruption
Political corruption has been a long-standing concern among the Organization of American States because of the threat it poses to the democratic process. Beyond jeopardizing the stability of government, corruption also effects the growth of infrastructure, the strength of the economy, the efficacy of education and literacy rates and the status of women in these societies. The OAS must identify the best methods for rooting out corruption in government and finds ways to ensure that these solutions are sustainable.
Topic B: Free Trade
The status of trade is one of the world’s most hotly debated issues, with a myriad of arguments for and against the principles of free trade. With individual trade agreements among many of the nations, proponents of free trade have long argued that a free trade area across the Americas would be extremely beneficial for the economies of the member states. Opponents, however, have argued that such a move would create greater economic inequalities, especially across the developing states of Central and South America. The OAS must determine the possibility of pan-American free trade agreements, as well as the viability of continuing individual free trade agreements.