BNMPC MOCKMUN
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
(UNGA)
STUDY GUIDE
Prepared by the Academics and Documentation Department
Introduction to UN General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is one of the six principal
organs of the United Nations and the only body where all 193 member
states of the UN are delegated, each having one vote. It first operated on
January 10, 1946 in the United Kingdom with 51 founding member
countries. As the main entity of the UN, the General Assembly provides a
global platform for every UN member country to discuss global issues and
express their country’s opinions and perspective. Now, nearly every country
in the world is included in UNGA, making it a global deliberative body for
discussions on maintaining peace, security, human rights, and development
for the betterment of world. The Assembly’s large membership and diversity
and differences in opinions and ideologies has led to the formation of voting
blocs, especially during the Cold War and on issues like the Arab Israeli
conflict. The UNGA’s resolutions and discussions have defined global
standards and kept critical issues relevant, like the UNGA’s efforts to bring
attention to the topic on the Situation in Palestine.
Mandate of UNGA
Now, every United Nations Body has a thing called ‘Mandate’ or
‘Committee Mandate’. In the simplest terms, the mandate of a UN
Committee means the official authority,power,jurisdiction or responsibility
given to a certain committee to carry out specific objectives. It defines what
the committee is responsible for and what it is authorized to do. A
committee cannot act or do anything beyond its established mandate. The
UNGA has a wide mandate under the United Nations Charter even though
its powers are mostly recommendatory and suggestionary.
What the UNGA can do:
I. Discuss any issue that is that is within the scope of UN charter
II. Make recommendations for global security and peace, human
rights, economic, social and cultural issues
III. Elect and Appoint Official Positions within UN bodies
IV. Initiate and promote international cooperation on political, economic,
social, cultural, and humanitarian issues.
V. Take decision on admission of new member states if the UN Security
Council recommends
VI. Form subsidiary UN bodies like committees, working groups and special
agencies to address various issues
VII. Work on budgetary and monetary issues, review the UN reports and
contribution of member countries
VIII. Convene an Emergency Session if the Security council is in deadlock on a
certain issue
What the UNGA can’t do:
i. Cannot Enforce any rulings, decisions or compliance on member states
II. Cannot Overrule Security council decisions
III. Cannot Interfere in any member state’s internal policies
The UNGA can be classified as the primarily deliberative body of the UN. It
raises awareness regarding international issues, sets the goals and represents
world opinion. It can promote diplomatic initiatives. However, it lacks direct
enforcement power. Hence, on complex conflicts such as Israel-Palestine, the
General Assembly is able to highlight the problems, suggest solutions, and
garner support worldwide, but the Assembly itself cannot implement a peace
settlement nor bind any party to adherence to its resolutions.
This section provides a focused overview of the Middle East, a region that
remains central to global diplomacy due to its ongoing conflicts, shifting
alliances, and humanitarian challenges.
Middle East
The middle east has been the center of attention for countless conflicts for
decades. Most notably ,the conflict between Israel and Palestine is a long
standing conflict over territory, sovereignty, nationality and peace security
in the land historically known as Palestine. The idea of ‘Two-state
Solution’ mainly refers to the idea of establishing the independent state of
Palestine along with the state of Israel, where both parties will live side by
side with each other in peace and harmony. This has been the
internationally recognised and endorsed diplomatic and legal framework
for decades, with the main idea of ensuring that both parties' right to self
determination is fulfilled.
The history goes way back to the year 1947, when the UNGA resolution 181
was passed, which proposed the creation of two states from British Ruled
Palestine, one Arab and one Jewish. Even though the Zionist leaders
accepted it which later led to the creation of Israel, it was rejected by the
Arab leaders and was never implemented. Instead a war broke out right
after Israel’s Declaration of Independence in 1948. During the war,
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced, an event which is
labelled as ‘Nakba’. This issue of the refugee crisis still remains an issue to
this day.
From 1948 to 1967, the West Bank including East Jerusalem was under
Jordan’s control and the Gaza Strip under Egypt. During the 1967 six-day
war, Israel occupied these territories and the Golan heights from Syria and
Sinai Peninsula from Egypt as well. Then the Security Council passed the
UNSC Resolution 242, which demanded for Israel’s withdrawal from the
occupied territories.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded in 1964 and
became the representative body for the Palestinians. The PLO officially
accepted the two-state solution in 1988 and later their then leader Yasser
Arafat declared Palestine’s Independence while also recognising the state of
Israel under UNSCR 242 and 338.
The OSLO accords (1993-1995) , signed by both PLO and Israel, mediated
by Bill Clinton where both parties mutually recognized each other. These
accords created the Palestinian Authority (PA) and were supposed to be a
gradual step towards the full implementation of a two state solution.
Notable efforts for the two state solution includes the Quartet
(USA,EU,RUSSIA,UN) in 2003 and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002,
where all 22 Arab League states offered normalisation of relations with
Israel, in return of the establishment of a Palestinian state on the occupied
territories of 1967, with East Jerusalem as the Capital and also a proper
solution for the Palestinian refugees.
Today, even though the 2 state solution remains the officially endorsed
solution by the UN and most countries, the on ground realities are far from
the implementation of a possible two state solution. East Jerusalem and the
West Bank are still under Israeli control and are fragmented by Israeli
settlements and IDF military checkpoints and Gaza has been under a total
blockade.
Over 75% of the UN member states have formally recognized the State of
Palestine and supported the Palestinian statehood. As of 2025, over 700,000
Israelis live beyond the 1967 lines.
In October 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel and killed
about 1200 people and took hostages.
Then the IDF responded with a large-scale military operation in Gaza,
resulting in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths, widespread destruction, and the
displacement of more than 1.5 million people. Israel has been accused
multiple times by the international community for conducting a mass
genocide and ethnic cleansing by launching disproportionate air strikes and
causing civilian harm. As of mid 2025, Gaza remains in critical condition;
under blockade, with extreme shortages of clean water, electricity, and
healthcare. Recently, Israeli shelling on July 17 hit Gaza’s only Catholic
church, killing civilians, prompting UN condemnation and warnings of
potential war crimes. Israel since then has declared a state of war and
conducted heavy airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in the name of destroying
Hamas infrastructure and leadership while in reality targeting mostly civilian
sites and hospitals.
By the middle of 2025, total estimated Palestinian deaths were almost
50,000, mostly women and children, with many more displaced. Various
bodies such as the United Nations and several human rights organizations
accused Israel of genocide, in view of indiscriminate killings, grave
deprivations, and other attacks on an unarmed and innocent population.
Inquiries were conducted, and legal action was instituted against Israel
from various parts of the world. However the lack of compliance from the
Israeli government and lack of international action has resulted in nothing
but failure to resolve this dispute.
There were multiple ceasefires attempted throughout the war. A brief
ceasefire in November 2023 allowed for some exchange of hostages and
prisoners and also for some humanitarian aid to get through. Violence
resumed shortly after when each side started blaming the other for violating
the ceasefire.
The most significant ceasefire was the one negotiated in January 2025 to
stop hostilities and allow for humanitarian relief and further hostage
releases. Even these ceasefires, however, were broken by repeated violations.
The IDF carried out strikes, reports of continued Hamas attacks, while
Hamas withholds or suspends hostage releases, alleging Israeli
noncompliance. None of these attempts of ceasefires have led to
permanent peace.
Very Recently, Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset voted 71-13 in favour of a
motion, anon-binding vote which called for “applying Israeli sovereignty to
Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley” the Israeli terms for the area of
West bank. The Knesset claims that the annexation of the Westbank will
strengthen and ensure the sovereignty and security of Israel despite these
legislative actions being completely in violation of International Laws.
Now, if we zoom out from this and focus on the eastern side to this
conflict, we can see another regional power, Iran, who got drawn into the
war between Israel and Hamas. Iran supported Hamas and fired missiles at
Israel, US Military interventions then came. In June 2025, after continuous
back and forth and mediatory efforts especially by the US and Qatar, a
fragile ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Iran. Defying the truce at
first, pressure from the international community finally led the ceasefire to
primarily hold by late June, though still with hostilities far from resolved.
Syria, formerly a close ally of Iran and variously central in the region's
military calculations, post2024 saw a change in Syria with the fall of the
Assad regime. The subsequent Syrian regime sought to distance itself from
Iran, attempting neutrality.
This led the Israeli forces to venture deeper into Syria against Iranian assets
but with little to no response from Damascus. Syria, though not an active
battleground for Israel and Iran anymore, continues affecting the post-war
instability and alliance changes across the broader area, with that land still
marked for future flashpoints. Recent Druze and Bedouin groups clashes in
southern Syria’s Suwayda province escalated sectarian tensions. Israel
intervened with airstrikes against Syrian forces and Bedouin fighters,
claiming to protect the Druze and enforcing a demilitarized zone. A fragile
ceasefire was brokered, but tensions and retaliatory attacks still prevail.
United States of America:
The US is still heavily involved in the conflicts of middle east and also have boots
on the ground, It tries to balance supporting Israel and dealing with Iran but isn’t
making big breakthroughs.
United Kingdom:
The UK wants peace and a two-state deal. They call out Israel’s settlements
and push for help to Palestinians, trying to keep things calm and balance
everything.
France:
France is serious about a Palestinian state and slowing down Israel’s moves
to territorial expansion. They advocate for the protection of civilians and
want to get all sides talking, including every stakeholder to protect civilians
Russia:
Russia plays both sides by tryring to maintain good ties. They also support
the Syria’s new government but the Russia-Syria ties are not stronger like
that of during the Assad Regime. Russia opposes Israel’s actions in Gaza
and condemns their actions in the UN.
China:
China stays neutral, pushing for UN-led talks and peace. They want to
keep good relations with everyone and focus on trade and stability.
Jordan:
Jordan supports Palestinians and wants East Jerusalem as their capital.
They hate annexation moves by Israel but keep talking to Israel to keep
the peace at home.
Israel:
Israel’s focus is on security and holding onto key areas. They don’t really
want to go with the two-state plan as things stand and face a lot of
international criticism. Israel also doesn’t want to compromise on their
annexed territories.
Palestine:
Palestinians want their own state and an end to Israel’s control. Gaza is struggling
with blockade and war damage, and political splits make progress hard.
Syria:
Syria’s government tries to stay out of direct fights now, distancing
itself from Iran, but there’s still a lot of internal violence and Israeli
airstrikes.
Iran:
Iran backs Hamas and fights Israel indirectly. They made a shaky truce
in 2025 but still escalated tensions and kept pushing against Israel’s
moves.
Reading List
I. UNSCR 181 (1947)
II. UNSCR 242 (1967)
III. UNSCR 338 (1973) -
IV. Oslo Accords (1993 and 1995)
V. Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty (1994) -
VI. UNSCR 1397 (2002) -
VII.UNGA Resolution 67/19 (2012) -
VIII. UNSCR 2334 (2016) -
IX. UNSCR 1515 (2003)
X. Abraham Accords
This section covers significant developments in other key regions beyond
the Middle East, offering delegates a broader understanding of global
conflict zones, political shifts, and human rights concerns. It is designed to
help delegates contextualize regional issues within the wider international
landscape.
Situation between Thailand and Cambodia
The dispute of Thailand and Cambodia regarding their border is a long-
standing one. The dispute originates from the colonial map drawn by the
French between 1904 and 1907, leaving much of the 817 Km border ill
defined. One of the major reasons for the conflict is the Preah Vihear
temple, a historical temple given to Cambodia by the ICJ in 1962. But the
surrounding areas are claimed by Thailand, which contributes to the
tensions.
Military confrontations have escalated since 2008, mainly after Cambodia
listed the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Thailand views it
as a threat to their territorial claims. The ICJ reaffirmed Cambodia’s claim
in 2013 and ordered the withdrawal of Thai troops even though low level
military exchanges still took place.
Very Recently, on July 24, heavy fighting broke out through exchanges of
artillery rocket fire and Thai air strikes inside the Cambodian territory.
Both sides accused each other of initiating hostilities. This escalation led to
civilian casualties and thousands being displaced in Thailand’s rural
provinces. The diplomatic relations deteriorated very quickly between both
the parties; ambassadors were withdrawn, borders closed and some
economic sanctions were imposed.
The Indo-Pak Conflict
The India Pakistan escalation of 2025 was precipitated by the April 22
Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 civilians, mostly Hindu pilgrims, died
in Indian administered Kashmir. While a Kashmiri group claimed initial
responsibility, India blamed Pakistan for backing cross border terror and
harboring extremist groups. Pakistan denied any role and demanded an
independent inquiry.
Tensions escalated in the ensuing days. India suspended the Indus Waters
Treaty, revoked visas for Pakistani nationals, expelled diplomats, and shut
down border crossings. India began Operation Sindoor on May 7 and
targeted alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir
with a series of air, drone, and missile strikes. India stressed that the strikes
were precisely timed to avoid hitting civilian and military targets in
Pakistan.
Pakistan attacked Indian military targets and infrastructure in retaliation as
part of Operation Bunyan al Marsus. Drone attacks, plane dogfights, and
artillery fire across the border caused the conflict to momentarily escalate
into a direct armed conflict. Pakistan claimed to have destroyed several
Indian aircraft, but India denied this. Ceasefire talks began shortly after
and concluded on or around May 10–11, 2025, following high level
backchannel diplomacy and public mediation efforts, including those by
then-former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Myanmar Civil War
Myanmar continues to experience civil conflict after the elected civilian
government was ousted in a military coup in February 2021. The junta’s
brutal suppression of peaceful demonstrations
led to a nationwide armed revolt from pro-democracy forces called the
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), which includes ethnically based militias.
By 2025, the military has intensified its “scorched-earth” strategy by
launching airstrikes, and the destruction of entire villages, along with
targeting civilian infrastructure like schools, clinics, churches, and
displacement camps. Since then, over 2.7 million people have become
internally displaced, many of whom reside in forests, fleeing to Thailand
and India. Humanitarian aid is still severely restricted, and the junta
continues to wield starvation as a tool. There is just as much political
violence, torture, or execution without due legal process of political
prisoners detailing a complete collapse of legal governance. The Rohingya
population, ethnically targeted in a genocidal campaign back in 2017,
remains extremely at risk. Displaced individuals living in Bangladesh still
have no realistic path towards safe return, while those remaining in
Myanmar are facing renewed dangers. As of July 2025,with new air strikes
reported in Kayin, Chin and Sagaing states, UN officials claim that
civilian deaths are at an all time high since the coup. Reports suggest that
junta forces used chemical weapons and cluster bombs in recent attacks,
allegations which the UN has yet to reach a conclusion on.
Situation in South Sudan
South Sudan, the newest country of the world, remains fragile since its
peace deal of 2018 did little to curb the ongoing violence. While the national
civil war tensions has eased, the rampant violence on a smaller scale fueled
by local militias continues to inflict extreme human rights violations.
Militias have committed mass rape and burnt entire villages during the
ongoing genocidal rampage. There are serious consequences with this kind
of violence. The UN Commission has warned that such widespread
systematic violence may eventually be classified as crimes against humanity.
Political repression, the shrinking of civic space, and growing impunity have
also been identified as major looming issues when considering postponing
elections to December 2026. Further more, there is still no sign of justice for
victims of wartime atrocities since the Hybrid Court for South Sudan is yet
to be established. Alongside these problems, climatic and conflict shocks
have caused more than half the population to face extreme hunger, while
internally more than 2.2million people are displaced.
Situation in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
remains one of the most affected by conflict in the world, with more than
120 armed groups perpetuating violence. Internally, there are more than 7.8
million displaced people.
The ADF, CODECO, and M23 rebels have been particularly notorious for
their horrifying acts of mass murder, mass rape, and torture, as well as the
conscription of child soldiers. In early 2025 M23 and Rwandan forces made
major offensives capturing the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.
In Goma, civilians were even compelled to work under severe restrictions,
including forced labor while paying taxes to local miners. The UN reports
approximately 3,000 civilian deaths and almost 2,900 sustained injuries
during the escalation that resulted in the Walikale offensive.
A brutal January ADF attack left 70 civilians dead, some beheaded in
church massacres. On July 19, 2025, The DRC government together with
M23 signed a Declaration of Principles in Qatar, which was supported by a
US-peace treaty with Rwanda in June. It included a ceasefire, exchange of
prisoners, and restoration of state control as terms of the treaty. However, it
does not resolve the important issues of M23’s withdrawal and justice. On
the other hand, a confidential UN report reveals the smuggling of minerals
linked to Rwanda has funded the rebellion.
Situation in Ethiopia
Ever since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed gained power in 2018, human rights
abuse by the government forces in Ethiopia have caused multiple conflicts.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed, particularly in the
Amhara, Oromia and Tigray regions, and over 3 million people remain
displaced due to conflict. Conflict and climate factors have driven a massive
humanitarian crisis, leaving 21.4 million people in need of assistance.
Since 2018, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the Oromo
Liberation Army (OLA) armed group have killed thousands of civilians.
Despite signing a peace agreement in December, 2024 by the federal
government, their forces continue to commit enforced disappearances and
attacks on civilians through air and drone strikes and extrajudicial
executions of OLA supporters. s accusing the Ethiopian government of
ongoing human rights. The OLA seeks self-reliance for ethnic Oromos which
has targeted ethnic Amharas living in Oromia and border areas. From
November 2020 to 2022 the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) also fought in
an armed conflict with the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF). The fighting began
in the Tigray region and subsequently spread to neighboring Afar and
Amhara regions in July 2021.
According to Refugees International, between 40 to 50 percent of women
and girls in Tigray experienced sexual violence during the conflict. The
Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), signed a cessation of hostilities
agreement (CoHA) on 2 November 2022. An ethnic Amhara militia have
continued sexual violence and killings of civilians. The regional
administration estimates that around 40 percent of Tigray remains
occupied, including by the EDF and Amhara forces in the west. The
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported at least 115 civilian deaths
in Amhara between September and December 2024. On 14 May, 2025 the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights heard a case by Legal
Action Worldwide (LAW) and partner violations in Tigray. LAW also filed
a universal jurisdiction complaint in Germany against Ethiopian and
Eritrean officials for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow yet significant maritime chokepoint
connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and, further, to the
Arabian Sea. It is one of the major oil transit routes in the world, with
about 20-30 percent of global oil trade passing through every day. Due to
its strategic importance, it has long been a source of geopolitical tension
among Iran, on one hand, and Western countries on the other.
Recent years have seen a series of escalations in events. Iran is accused of
threatening navigational freedom by, inter alia, the seizure of merchant
vessels, harassment of ships by fast-attack boats, and deployment of shore-
based missile systems. These actions are usually interpreted as reactions to
international sanctions and the military presence of the United States and its
allies in the region. To keep the sea lanes open, the U.S. Navy and other
allied forces augmented their patrols and military presence, but tanker
attacks, drone strikes, and the shoot-down of reconnaissance drones have
multiplied the risks of miscalculation or open warfare.
These tensions continue to contribute to the volatility of the global oil
prices and have become a cause for concern around the globe.
China-Taiwan Dispute
China bases its Taiwan Policy on the notion that Taiwan is a breakaway
province, yet Taiwan asserts itself as a self-governing democracy. With
increased military activities by China just off the coast of Taiwan,
blockades and simulated attacks have become quite common in the Chinese
Naval exercises. Taiwan has since stepped up its defenses and reached out to
countries including the U.S. for support in much-needed arms procurement
and political support under a "strategic ambiguity" policy. Hence, these are
the causes for the almost explosive nature and sensitivity that underlies the
Taiwan Strait.
Message From the Academics and Documentation Department
We hope this guide serves as a helpful starting point for your research
and preparation. On behalf of the Academics and Documentation
Department, we wish you the very best of luck for the BNMPC Mock
MUN. May your arguments be well-founded, your diplomacy effective,
and your experience unforgettable.
