The Fourth Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations is

the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, otherwise known as

SPECPOL. Established in 1993, SPECPOL is the combination of the
Decolonization Committee (formerly the Fourth Committee) and the Special
Political Committee. This committees inception took place in 1990 when the
United Nations established 1990-2000 as the International Decade for the
Eradication of Colonialism. This was particularly important considering at the
time of the United Nations creation, 750 million people lived in what would be
considered to be a colonized territory. Over eighty former colonies have become
independent since 1945. Today, in part due to the work of the Fourth
Committee, this number has drastically decreased to approximately two million,
an amount SPECPOL is still determined to address.

SPECPOL includes all 193 Member States, uniting to alleviate developing

countries dependencies on former colonizing powers. The committee derives
power from its mandate in Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter, which
commits to the preservation of the rights and dignities of people living in non-
self-governing territories. The committee passes resolutions with suggestions on
the optimal ways for the United Nations and member states to address the
issues of colonized people. According to its mandate, the Fourth Committee can
discuss issues such as self-determination, decolonization, and peacekeeping
efforts. While SPECPOL was derived from the Disarmament and International
Security Committee, it takes on issues that the First Committee does not
address, as well as looking at topics with a wider scope. Unlike other UN
committees, SPECPOL shines a spotlight on issues pertaining to occupation,
colonization, and subjugation, with the primary goal of making all countries
independent and self-sufficient from outside powers. Also according to its
mandate, SPECPOL is not able to take military action and many of its resolutions
are passed along as suggestions to the Security Council, which ultimately
decides whether or not the plan of action will be carried through.

Since its inception, SPECPOL has passed many resolutions addressing the
quality and framework of information technology in developing countries, paying
special attention to the development of the United Nations Department of
Public Information. The Committee has also attempted to develop a consensus
among member states regarding the issue of the peaceful uses of outer space.
Historically, SPECPOL has focused its attention on issues such as the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. In addition, SPECPOL frequently works in conjunction with
groups such as the High Commissioner on Refugees and also specialized groups
such as the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the
Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied
Territories.

The Special Political and Decolonization committee holds a very unique

role in the United Nations. While other main committees aim to resolve current
global issues, SPECPOL concerns itself with healing countries from the lasting
impact of their troubling histories. The committees foremost goal is to ensure
that all countries enjoy the benefits of the independence to which they are
entitled, and only when all countries are economically, culturally, and socially
liberated can the world move forward.

Topic Area A: Reforming UN Peacekeeping Operations

Conflicts around the world threaten individuals peace and security. International
organizations, such as the United Nations, are tasked with maintaining peace
and ensuring that a persons right to security is not breached. As such, the UN
carries out peacekeeping operations with the aim of restoring and creating
lasting peace in areas of conflict. The failure of UN Peacekeeping Operations to
restore peace in some areas questions the effectiveness of these operations and
calls for a thorough review and reform to ensure that they are in line with the UN
Charters principles. The recent deaths and injuries of peacekeepers in Mali
brings into focus the increasing attacks on peacekeepers themselves and the
severe threat to their safety. On the other hand, with reports rising of sexual
assault and misconduct of peacekeepers, review is essential for determining
whether the success of these operations is deterred by chosen troops and their
behaviors. With all this in mind, SPECPOL will consider the safety and security of
peacekeepers, expanding and strengthening support capacities for missions, the
capacity for civilian protection and the conduct of peacekeepers in this debate
for reform.

Topic Area B: Improving Governance in Somalia

Somalia has been an area of severe conflict ever since the start of the Somali
Civil War in 1986. However, solutions for maintaining peace and stability in the
region have not been found. More importantly, efforts to lay foundations for
state building and a functioning government have failed consistently. Therefore,
it is extremely crucial for this committee to address how to improve governance
in the region. In particular, SPECPOL will address the questions of why state
building and governance have been failing in the country, the implications of
such failures, finding ways of maintaining a stable, functioning government, and
putting an end to the ongoing conflict. Since the war in Somalia is mainly
between the government and peacekeeping troops on one side, and different
Islamist groups (including Al-Shabaab) on the other side, delegates need to take
into consideration the different religious actors at play. To solve the issue, the
committee will need to consider the type of state structure that would best fit
Somalias unique situation, and bring peace to the area. SPECPOL delegates will
be trained in the craft of state-building during times of severe conflict, and will
need to consider how the international community can aid Somalia without
interfering with its sovereignty.
Budget cuts
the US Congress already caps Americans peacekeeping assessment level at 25
percent.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said that, by

reducing its contribution to the UN peacekeeping operation, we are not only
damaging the US foreign policy

This will be extremely detrimental to the US interest. The only beneficiaries of

our pull back of funding from the UN would be countries like China and Russia.

Stphane Dujarric, a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres,

warned any significant cuts would have long-term consequences.

The Secretary-General is totally committed to reforming the United Nations and

ensuring that it is fit for purpose and delivers results in the most efficient and
cost-effective manner, Dujarric said. However, abrupt funding cuts can force
the adoption of ad hoc measures that will undermine the impact of longer-term
reform efforts.

Dujarric said he understands the need to boost military spending. But, he added,
that should not come at the expense of critical humanitarian aid.

The international community is facing enormous global challenges that can only
be addressed by a strong and effective multilateral system, of which the United
Nations remains the fundamental pillar.

"Council members are encouraged to review missions and identify areas where
mandates no longer match political realities and propose alternatives or paths
towards restructuring to bring missions more in line with achievable outcomes,"
wrote the US mission.

Slow troop deployment

France's defense minister on Monday criticized the slow deployment of U.N.

peacekeepers in Mali's volatile northern region, saying the delay had encouraged
a fresh wave of Islamist militant attacks there.

2 measures expand the pool of countries

SOMALIA

But despite the recent victories against al Shabab, the groups presence in
Somalia has strengthened. Peacekeeping troops from the African Union Mission
in Somalia (AMISOM) had pushed the group from its major strongholds over the
past five years, but their offensive has stalled.

AMISOM still occasionally liberates areas from the groups control, but is
sometimes unable to hold onto them. Al Shabab, meanwhile, has managed to
kill hundreds of AMISOM troops, and has overrun three of AMISOMs bases in the
last ten months.

- Un missions

- Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) training

- US fallaciously believe that

- improvised explosive device (IED)

AMISOM has been generally effective but lacks sufficient troops to exert
consistent military pressure against al Shabab, and the Somali National Army
(SNA) is unable to pick up the slack. This has allowed al Shabab to survive and
continue its terror campaign that costs lives and stymies progress. The Somali
government and the international community need to act urgently to ensure the
costly, fragile gains of the last five years do not slip away.

Reason for not contributing is not because he think

1. Us trump congress has not gone through the decision making process-
and hence to talk about it futile

2. Attitude showing contempt - allo

3. Pro us country-would like to quote from ambassador samanthan power

damaging foreign policies lose power and lose domination

Implications of budget cuts

By way of comparison, the UN Peacekeeping budget is less than half of one per
cent of world military expenditures (estimated at $1,747 billion in 2013).
Enhance credibility of peacekeepers peacekeepers physical health and mental
health criminal records encompasses language proficiency - physically and
mentally fit for strenuous operations and long hours of work in difficult living
conditions.