• Membership of Taiwan

• Membership of United Ireland

• Membership of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Honorable chairs, distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,

I am Quynh Chi Truong, currently a junior at Delta Global School Hanoi. It is a great honor to serve as the Head Chair of the UN Membership Council in the UNISMUN November 2024 Conference, marking my 21st MUN conference.

With the theme “How can we use regional cooperation to promote equitable development?” For the UNISMUN conference this year, these topics require delegates to have a thorough perception of the international landscape of the world, thus defining what does it mean to have “equitable development” and how collaboration between countries can foster development among themselves. The theme requires delegates to collaborate and find a common ground that can apply for a long run. Issues discussed will not only affect the country itself, but in the current global context, will affect the citizens and other allied or non-allied countries.

My co-chairs have probably talked about how the Membership Council is not an actual committee, so I’ll talk a bit about how it is going to function in UNISMUN this year. The Membership Council will be in charge of determining whether a country is suitable to be a member of the UN, hence considering if that country shall be a member of the UN. Since the UN is an international organization that emphasizes collaboration, it is important that the newly member country brings a diverse background to the discussion, though remains diplomatic and complying to international law.

In UNMC this year, delegates will be talking about the membership of Taiwan, Northern Ireland, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. All of the membership for these countries are a longstanding controversy, which delegates will be talking about if these countries are suitable to be a member of the UN. 

With that being said, I’m looking forward to seeing active debates within the committee and hope you all have a memorable experience in UNISMUN November this year.

Hello, my name is Binh Minh, and I am a Senior at Concordia International School Hanoi. I will be serving as your Deputy Chair for the United Nations Membership Council, which would mark my 8th MUN conference but my 2nd time chairing.

Now as you all may probably know, the UN Membership Council is not a real committee. It’s a hoax! States wishing to apply for UN membership must submit an application for the Security Council to review. This application, if passed, would then be recommended to the General Assembly for a vote. However, for the sake of this UN simulation, this committee would be tasked with the entirety of the UN membership process. UN membership is an important status. Recognition in the UN establishes the existence of the country itself. This becomes a bigger issue when member-states have groups that want to separate.

With this conference theme of “How can we use regional cooperation to promote equitable development?”, the UNMC presents issues that not only require delegates to collaborate but also create long-term solutions. Long-term solutions that are fair to the parties involved, benefit not only those of governments but also the people on the ground. Remember, this issue of border lines and administrations is not only of the concern of governments, it is a concern for the people living in these areas which often influences services, policy, and development. 

The issues this council tackles have long persisted since the previous century, continually resurfacing again and again. Taiwan was removed from the UN in 1971. Its sovereignty, relation to mainland China, and membership are not a new issue; the question of Northern Ireland that delved into the isles in decades of bloodshed has again resurfaced; and the question of Western Sahara is still the cause of an ongoing conflict. All of which, while may have had solutions in the past, now need new solutions which I now turn to you delegates. I look forward to seeing what ideas you may bring and band together to make. See you in November!

Distinguished delegates, fellow chairs, and most esteemed guests,

My name is Hanbee Choi, and I am a sophomore at UNIS Hanoi. I am extremely honored to be serving as the procedural chair for the United Nations Membership Council. This conference marks my first time serving as a chair and my fifth participation in UNISMUN.

The conference theme, “How can we use regional cooperation to promote equitable development?” highlights the importance of collaboration among countries in a specific region to foster growth. This aligns with the UNMC as the delegate's position on each issue may vary depending on the country in question and the interactions between regions. Furthermore, cooperation between member states is necessary for establishing state recognition.

The United Nations Membership Council is a non-official council responsible for discussing and approving applications submitted by various nations wishing to become UN member states. As UNMC exemplifies the perspectives and cooperation by different countries arguing for or against a state's recognition, it is a crucial committee of the MUN.

Moreover, the three topics that will be discussed in this conference are “Membership of Taiwan,” “Membership of United Ireland,” and “Membership of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,” focusing on three very different regions in the world:

Taiwan is located in Eastern Asia. After World War II, Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control. Today, while the People’s Republic of China asserts that Taiwan is a province of China, Taiwan maintains that it is an independent country.

United Ireland is a hypothetical state based on the proposition that the islands of Ireland should become a single sovereign state. The issue has been discussed since 1922.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a self-declared state in the western Maghreb that claims authority over Western Sahara. The republic declared its independence after Spain withdrew from the region in 1976.

That said, I look forward to a fruitful debate in November and to ensuring that this conference becomes a memorable experience for all. Thank you.