• The question of AI replacement in jobs

• The question of security resilience in rural regions

• The question of food security in high conflict zones

In preparation for this March conference, I, as head chair of ECOSOC, had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Juliette Awua-Kyerematen, an ES teacher here at UNIS and one of our committee mentors. I asked her some questions about herself as a teacher and about her thoughts on the issues to be addressed by our committee.

Firstly, we talked about her experience and work in education. Raised by two teachers, Ms. Juliette first found herself interested in the field after starting a family of her own, in 2002. Since then, she has worked in the UK, then an IB school Ghana for 16 consecutive years, and now, Viet Nam. Her travel here has led to a range of opportunities and perspectives, of which many international students know the value well.

Next, we had a conversation about global issues and this March’s conference theme. For her, some issues that hold a lot of importance are protection of the environment and gender equality. These are meaningful to her because of the state of West Africa: there are many issues with water pollution as a result of illegal gold mining. Additionally, her “experiences between the developed and developing world have revealed a lot” about the continued necessity of progress towards gender equality. 

When I mentioned the theme of our conference, “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?”, Ms. Juliette stressed the importance of change as part of integrity. Taking action, participating in advocacy, and other proactive measures are what makes integrity so important to creating balance; going further than empathizing with others is what brings forth real change and builds both security and development.

Finally, we touched on the three topics to be addressed by ECOSOC:

For topic 1 (AI replacement in jobs), we talked about how the future in terms of AI is, first and foremost, full of unknowns. While it is almost definite that some human employment will be lost, it is most important to find a balance between using AI and maintaining “the human element”.

For topic 2 (security resilience in rural regions), the main takeaway was that no matter the region, peace and security are absolutely vital to a functioning society.

Finally, for topic 3 (food security in high conflict zones), Ms. Juliette said that food, as a primal and basic need, is often a source of detriment to those most vulnerable in conflict.

One important part of working up to our March conference for me was meeting with Mr. Lee Halpert, a Mathematics teacher and one of our ECOSOC committee mentors. We had a conversation about his perspective and some issues relevant to UNISMUN this March. 

First, I asked him about his career. Uniquely, Mr. Halpert first took up teaching after completing an engineering degree; by teaching in non-school settings abroad, including for standardized testing prep, he gained valuable and diverse experience. For the last 15 years, he has taught in schools in Viet Nam and China.

Later, I brought up the topic of global issues and how we connect and place importance on them. Mr. Halpert highlighted that issues faced by communities local to ourselves are often those most front and center: multilateral regional cooperation plays a large role in efficient problem-solving. He also talked about the imperative of a factual basis for global discussion: “I think one of our biggest issues is truth and honesty. It’s something we don’t see nearly enough of in politics.” A staggering number of global-scale issues the world faces together are exacerbated by this lack of transparency, clarity, and truth from large stakeholders. An overall lack of necessary changes throughout the world may stem from greed and individual interest over all else, he added. Developing methods to manage this and finding clear ways forward is precisely what UNISMUN aims to address.

This linked to our discussion on our conference’s theme: “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?”, in which Mr. Halpert emphasized that integrity must be developed around the steps that we as a global community take. Figuring out how to bring in this integrity is clearly necessary to create a secure and sustainable future.

Lastly, I asked Mr. Halpert for his thoughts on ECOSOC’s three topics of debate.

For Topic 1 (AI replacement of jobs), he insisted that “like anything, it’s a great opportunity.” It has the potential to free up the workforce, allowing for both more advanced and fulfilling careers, whilst also leading to a more sustainable and healthy work-life balance for many. However, he also noted that how exactly this opportunity is used means everything for its outcome. “There’s still that danger of greed,” and of large corporations exploiting AI’s benefits for private gain.

Towards Topic 2 (security resilience in rural areas), he mentioned the path of leveraging technology towards aiding rural areas: developing access to resources, knowledge, further education, and crucial information can help to connect and solidify rural communities in the important place they hold for nations worldwide.

Finally, for Topic 3 (food security in high-conflict zones), we discussed that while for many conflicts, traditional UN aid through refugee camps to ensure proper access to healthcare and food have proven effective, situations like that of Gaza show that other approaches are sometimes necessary to protect access to vital human needs.

Fellow chairs, wonderful directors, distinguished delegates, and esteemed guests,

My name is Theo Steil, and I am a junior at the United Nations International School of Hanoi. I have been a member of the UNISMUN community since 2022, participating in 5 conferences in that time. This will be my second conference serving as chair.

The theme for this conference is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?” As the world continues to unfold and face new adversities, a large number of multilateral approaches and solutions are bound to develop simultaneously. To ensure the success of this budding framework, it is vital to create a strong base of integrity for any collaborative action. This will help to balance the continuous development of strategies to overcome global challenges whilst maintaining security and stability for all.

Established as one of the six main organs of the UN in 1945, The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) continues to play an important role in collaborative action towards sustainable development, primarily through international debate and consensus on economic and social issues. 

This March, our UNISMUN ECOSOC committee will address three such topics: the question of AI replacement in jobs, the question of security resilience in rural regions, and the question of food security in high conflict zones. The first of these has become apparent as a possibility within the last 2 years, and is certainly an issue that requires integral development and international cooperation to mitigate negative impacts. Next, security resilience in rural areas is a much more long standing issue, but one that proves to be especially important whilst maintaining integrity and support structures, relating to our theme. Finally, food security is a vital part of any human life, and ensuring that it is upheld in the midst of danger and extreme vulnerability is necessary for every nation to consider.

 I am truly excited to meet all the wonderful UNISMUN participants and to partake in our three-day conference. The issues ECOSOC will address represent a spread of the many topics the actual Council covers today. Their international applicability, variance, and relevance gives me certainty that this conference will bear intriguing and comprehensive debate. 

That being said, thank you all. I look forward to seeing you in March!

Greetings delegates, directors, chairs, and guests,

My name is Yuji Choi and I am a junior in St Paul American School Hanoi. I have been participating in MUN since 2023, and I am excited to be serving as a deputy chair for this conference. This marks my 6th conference, but first as an external chair. 

As all annual conferences have a theme, this year’s theme is “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?”. This theme addresses the transparent allocation of resources and the balancing of both short and long term goals in the committee Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Within this theme, I find the challenge of balancing immediate security measures with long term development interesting, as it is compelling how this balance requires addressing concerns like conflicts and instability without having to compromise sustainable growth. 

ECOSOC  in Model United Nations (MUN) holds an important role in shaping international development to address economic, social, and environmental challenges. ECOSOC’s work is wide ranging from issues such as economic and social activities to humanitarian, and cultural activities. I find ECOSOC’s mission particularly significant because it bridges the gap between development and policy.

The topics of ECOSOC for this conference are “The question of AI replacement in jobs”, “The question of security resilience in rural regions”, and “The question of food security in high conflict zones”. As technology evolves, AIs are increasingly becoming a part of our lives. This resonates with me because of the contradictory side of AIs, providing both opportunities and challenges. The issue of AI in reshaping the workforce resonates with me because it affects the career paths of my generation. Rural areas often have geographically isolated and have limited infrastructures. This topic is significant because it highlights the disparities in resources allocations possibly impacting those close to me. The high conflict zones face challenges in ensuring food security due to disruptions of agriculture and supply chains. Addressing this topic is crucial because it can lead to consequences like displacements. This highlights the need to address the basic survival needs in areas affected by conflicts. 

I am excited to see fruitful debates, and will try to provide help throughout the conference. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need any assistance. 

Greetings distinguished delegates,

I am Mai The Phuc, a First Year Sixth Form student at BIS Hanoi and I am honoured to be the Procedural Chair at the UNISMUN March 2025 Conference. Having participated in 7 MUNs, chaired 3 times, and ran BISMUN 2024 as the Under-Secretariat of Logistics, I hope to make this year’s conference an enjoyable and memorable success for all ECOSOC delegates!

The theme for this year’s March conference is: “What role can integrity play in the balance between development and security prioritization?” This is especially relevant for the ECOSOC as integrity forms the backbone of trust. In the committee's mandate to promote economic growth and social equity, transparency and clarity are cornerstone qualities that will determine the prosperity of all. I encourage all delegates to embrace this theme by crafting solutions that are not only fair, balanced, and sustainable but also ethical to combat the curse of corruption and build a better world for humanity.

The topics for UNISMUN’s ECOSOC committee are  “The question of AI replacement in jobs,” “The question of security resilience in rural regions,” and “The question of food security in high conflict zones.” Together, these issues highlight our committee’s vital role in addressing complex global challenges. From managing the unprecedented and transformative impact of artificial intelligence to strengthening security and ensuring natural resources security in conflict zones, ECOSOC will tackle heavily weighted issues in our current global climate, both economic and humanitarian. Delegates will be exploring strategies to balance economic development with humanitarian priorities to ensure sustainable progress for all.

I am so excited to meet all of you delegates and be a part of your MUN journey. Let’s approach the conference with an open mind, a collaborative spirit, and a passionate commitment to engage in diplomacy. May we all engage in thrilling debates and have unforgettable experiences here at the UNISMUN March 2025 Conference!