MAC MUN

UNITED NATIONS
The UN Office of
Counter-Terrorism
______________________________

Chair Co-Chair
Quinn Hall Nimsi Silvan

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MACMUN The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism
At its core, Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulatory exercise of diplomatically
embodying, presenting, hearing, dissecting, and negotiating various perspectives in
debate. Such an exercise offers opportunities for delegates to meaningfully explore
possibilities for conflict resolution on various issues and their complex, even controversial
dimensions—which, we recognize, may be emotionally and intellectually challenging to
engage with.

As MACMUN seeks to provide an enriching educational experience that facilitates

understanding of the real-world implications of issues, our committees’ contents may
involve sensitive or controversial subject matter strictly for academic purposes. We ask for
delegates to be respectful, professional, tactful, and diplomatic when engaging with all
committee content, representing their assigned country’s or character’s position,
communicating with staff and other delegates, and responding to opposing viewpoints.

The below content warning is meant to warn you of potentially sensitive or triggering
topics that are present in the formal content of this background guide, as well as content
that may appear in other aspects of the committee (e.g., debate, crisis updates, directives),
so that you can either prepare yourself before reading this background guide or opt-out of
reading it entirely

If, because of this committee’s content warning, you wish to request switching committees
and you registered with MACMUN as
a) As part of a group delegation, please contact your faculty advisor and/or head delegate
with your concerns and requests.

b) As an individual delegate, please email our Secretary General with a brief explanation
of your concerns based on this committee’s content warning and your request to switch.
You will be contacted shortly regarding your request.

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MACMUN Policies
We ask for your cooperation in maintaining order, both inside and outside of committee
sessions, so that we may provide a professional, safe, inclusive, and educational
conference.

Throughout the conference, please note that delegates shall only:

1. Wear Appropriate Attire (i.e., no costumes, nor pajamas; semi-formal recommended)

2. Embody their assigned country’s/character’s position, not their mannerisms (e.g., no

accents, no props)

3. Opt for diplomatic, respectful, and tactful speech and phrasing of ideas, including notes
(e.g., no foul language, personal subject pronouns, suggestive remarks, or obscene body
language)

4. Make decisions that contribute to a professional, safe, inclusive, and educational space
for debate

By attending all or part of a MACMUN conference, attendees agree to abide by all of our
conference policies.

Furthermore, delegates’ efforts to contribute to a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and

equity at our conference, both inside and outside of committee sessions, will be considered
by the dais and Secretariat when determining conference scholarships and committee
awards.

In cases of failing to adhere to any of MACMUN’s policies, the Secretariat reserves the
right to take any action it deems necessary, including rendering delegates ineligible for
awards, taking disciplinary action, and prohibiting delegates from participating further in
the conference.

Equity Concerns and Accessibility Needs

MACMUN 2024’s Secretariat and Staff are committed to ensuring every attendee has an
enjoyable, comfortable, and safe experience and can participate fully and positively at our
conference.

If you have any equity concerns (e.g., concerns about barriers to participation) or
accessibility needs now or during the conference, please do not hesitate to contact your
committees’ dais and/or our Secretary General.

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MACMUN The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism

Dear Delegates,

We would like to offer you a warm welcome to the MACMUN 2024 The
UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. We are so excited to have you as our
delegates and hope to see a productive and dynamic debate!

This committee will primarily focus on mitigating the loss of nuclear

waste linked to nuclear activity. This is a growing concern for global safety,
and any solutions proposed by the council must take into account the
implications of many different aspects of the problem. Resolutions passed-
or proposed- will aim to protect humanity from dangerous possibilities.

The dais serving the The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism this year at

MACMUN is excited to meet you. The dais includes Quinn Hall as Chair,
Quinn is a grade 12 student with 3 years of experience and has attended
multiple MUN conferences as well as part of last year’s MACMUN
Executives. The dais will also include Nimsi Silvan serving as the Co-Chair,
Nimsi is a Grade 11 student at MAC in her second year of participation at
Model UN. We are all honored to be your dais for this year's The UN Office
of Counter-Terrorism

Your dais is so excited to have you debating with us this year. We wish
you the best of luck in your research and preparation for MACMUN this
year!

Good debating delegates,

Quinn Hall

Chair
archbishopmacdonaldmun@gmail.com (UNCT)

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MACMUN The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism

United Nations The UN Office of

Counter-Terrorism: Mitigating the Loss of Nuclear Waste
Linked to Nuclear Activity

Background
The loss or theft of nuclear waste, including spent nuclear fuel, poses a grave
threat to international security and stability. Nuclear waste, containing
radioactive materials, can be exploited by terrorist groups or non-state actors
to develop and deploy radiological dispersal devices (RDDs), commonly known
as "dirty bombs." Such devices have the potential to cause widespread
environmental contamination, public panic, and long-term health hazards.

The improper handling, storage, or disposal of nuclear waste increases the risk
of it falling into the wrong hands. Weak regulatory frameworks, inadequate
security measures, and lack of international cooperation further exacerbate this
risk. Terrorist organizations may seek to acquire nuclear waste to exploit its
radioactive properties for malicious purposes, including acts of terrorism or
extortion.

The potential consequences of a terrorist attack involving nuclear waste are

severe, with far-reaching implications for global security and public safety. The
release of radioactive materials into the environment could result in widespread
contamination of air, water, and soil, posing significant health risks to
populations near and far from the incident site. Additionally, the psychological
impact of such an event could undermine public confidence in nuclear energy
and exacerbate social and political tensions.

Addressing the loss of nuclear waste linked to terrorist activity requires a

comprehensive and coordinated response at the international level. Cooperation
among member states, relevant international organizations, and other
stakeholders is essential to strengthen nuclear security measures, enhance
regulatory frameworks, and prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear materials.

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Key Perspectives

Military Advantage vs. Ethical Concerns:

● Some nations may view genetic and cybernetic modification of
soldiers as essential for maintaining military superiority and
gaining a competitive edge in modern warfare. They may prioritize
technological advancements and military effectiveness over ethical
considerations, arguing that enhancing soldiers' capabilities is a
natural progression of military innovation.

​ Human Rights and International Law:

● Others may emphasize the importance of upholding human rights
principles and international humanitarian law in the development
and deployment of military technologies. They may stress the need
for strict regulation and oversight to prevent abuses of genetic and
cybernetic modification, including violations of individuals' right to
bodily autonomy and protection from harmful experimentation.

​ Global Security and Arms Control:

● Some stakeholders may raise concerns about the potential
implications of widespread adoption of genetic and cybernetic
modification of soldiers for global security and arms control. They
may highlight the risk of arms races and proliferation, as well as the
destabilizing effects of introducing enhanced soldiers into conflict
zones.

​ Bioethics and Biotechnology Governance:

● Experts in bioethics and biotechnology governance may advocate
for comprehensive ethical frameworks and regulatory mechanisms
to govern the use of genetic and cybernetic modification in military
contexts. They may emphasize the importance of informed consent,
risk assessment, and oversight in ensuring the responsible
development and deployment of military enhancement
technologies.

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Questions to Consider:
1. How can member states enhance nuclear security measures to prevent
the loss or theft of nuclear waste by terrorist groups or non-state actors?
2. What regulatory frameworks and international standards are needed to
ensure the safe handling, storage, and disposal of nuclear waste, thereby
reducing the risk of it being exploited for malicious purposes?
3. What measures can be taken to strengthen international cooperation and
information sharing to prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and
mitigate the risk of nuclear terrorism?
4. How can member states address the environmental and public health
consequences of a terrorist attack involving nuclear waste, and what
measures can be implemented to enhance preparedness and response
capabilities?
5. What role can the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTC)
play in facilitating international cooperation, sharing best practices, and
providing technical assistance to member states to strengthen nuclear
security measures and prevent terrorist access to nuclear materials?

Useful Links
United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT): UNOCT coordinates
global efforts to prevent and combat terrorism, including activities related
to the mitigation of nuclear terrorism risks.
​ [Link: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/]

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) - Radiological Security: NTI is a non-profit

organization dedicated to reducing the threat of nuclear, biological, and
chemical weapons.
[Link: https://www.nti.org/]

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN): ICAN is a

global coalition working to promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of
Nuclear Weapons
[Link: https://www.icanw.org/]

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Advice for Research and Preparation

Hello again delegates, congrats on making it this far in the background

guide! We'd like to discuss some good approaches to your research, as well as
preparation, for MACMUN 2024. As you will be taking on the mentality and beliefs
of the countries to which you are assigned, be sure to familiarise yourself with
their foreign policy, as you will be representing that country for the conference.
You should familiarise yourself with their foreign policy, meaning that you should
know your country’s stance on each topic. Your country’s policy is your
responsibility for research and we highly recommend writing a position paper. It is
a great way to take all of the information we have provided and your research and
make the details concise and clear. This process will help you greatly in
preparation for the conference. Beyond familiarising yourself with your country’s
foreign policies, you should consider reviewing the operations of Model United
Nations Procedure. This will give you an idea of what to expect and what the
different roles will look like during the committee.

Overall, this MUN committee should prompt ideas and have respectful
debate. We are looking for individuals who have a comprehensive and unique
approach to the topics at hand. All of these topics are very complex and have
many layers that must be addressed before stability in these regions can be
achieved. Review UN documents that have been used in the past and see how you
could improve them to better address today’s climate. Please, do not copy them,
we are looking for unique and effective solutions, but use them as a reference to
see what approach the UN has taken.