Download G8 Summit of 2005 Republic of Senegal Issues for Consideration

G8 Summit of 2005
Republic of Senegal
Issues for Consideration
Delegate: Vincent Wong
School: Cherry Hill High School East
Traditionally, the G8 Summit has addressed issues concerning the welfare of the eight
most-industrialized nations of the world. However, for the 2005 summit, Africa is the focus,
concentrating on African debt, climate change, and counterterrorism. Ever since World War II,
various regions of the world have been excessively plagued by debt. Africa is no exception to the
viral reaches of debt. Because many African nations were formerly European colonies, they
developed an economic and political independence to their colonizers. However, after the
European powers finished “exploiting” all of the colonies’ resources, they abandoned their
colony, leaving the colonies’ infrastructures to crumble. But, despite this abandonment, there
were other factors that led to substantial debt. Excessive government expenditures and loans
contributed substantially to the debt. Programs such as the HIPC Initiative and Genoa Plan have
helped mitigate the losses. However, much still needs to be done to help eradicate debt in Africa.
Another pressing topic is that of climate change. With many nations on the rise in
industry, pollution has become an ever-ostensible problem. Factories and deforestation produce
an abundance of carbon dioxide, which alone accounts for 60% of all harmful emissions. As
carbon dioxide creates holes in the ozone layer, which protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet
(UV) rays from the sun, it causes more sun rays to reach earth. This, in turn, raises the
temperature substantially, causing glaciers to melt, which further causes sea levels to rise.
Nations have met together to find solutions to the copious emissions in the atmosphere. The
Kyoto Protocol, for instance, promotes technology that inherently emits less greenhouse gases. It
also tries to reward environmentally beneficial endowments in countries with nations that
actively abide by the Protocol. However, it will take more than the Kyoto Protocol to stop
climate change.
Additionally, counter-terrorism has been a menacing problem facing the global
community. Past G7 summits have met to discuss methods of halting funding for terror activity.
They have also formulated measures to stunt the growth of terrorism. Implementations include
the refusal to export arms to terror states, stricter immigration for citizens and states that sponsor
terrorism, and improved extradition procedures within due process of domestic law. Ever since
the September 11th bombings in the United States of America, the international community has
taken terrorism more seriously than it ever has. But, this alone cannot suffice to prevent
terrorism.
It is the responsibility of the General Assembly to help the G8 reach out to resolve the
aforementioned issues.
The Republic of Senegal strongly believes that nations need to take immediate action in
all of these issues. While climate change and terrorism directly endanger the international
community, African debt is also a major problem. In fact, it has the capability to cause terrorism
in destitute nations where terrorism is an appealing alternative to paying debt. Senegal, which is
surrounded by several indebted African nations, has pledged aid to its neighbors. Although
Senegal is by no means an affluent nation, it has given aid to countries that desperately need it.
Having prospered with a relatively non-industrial economical infrastructure, Senegal has avoided
the use of pernicious chemicals and fuels that eventually lead to dramatic climate change. While
Senegal can help to attain these goals, it is necessary for the entire international community,
including the G8, to cooperate in attaining them.
The Republic of Senegal proposes several measures in response to the previously
mentioned issues. First, Senegal urges all nations that hold African states in debt to forgive their
debts. As the debts are primarily started by the colonizer, they should be immediately eradicated
by the colonizer as well. Most African nations will only accrue more debt with the progression of
time. These states would be trapped in a perpetual black hole, unable to escape their fiscal
arrears. Concerning climate change, Senegal suggests that the G8 nations reduce greenhouse gasproducing facilities by 50% by 2015. As they are the most industrialized nations in the world,
they also produce the most aerial waste, with the exceptions of China and India. Also, the G8
nations should employ more eco-friendly resources, such as windmills and solar power. These
nations should invest more into these facilities than destructive and deleterious ones. As for
terrorism, nations with potential terrorist activity, meaning the vast majority of nations, should
actively secure borders. For instance, the United States of America, a G8 member, currently has
hundreds of miles of unprotected border. This leaves the U.S. susceptible to illegal immigration,
as well as terrorist crossings into the American lands. With the cooperation of the entire global
community, the possibility of increasing the resolving these issues becomes a feasible notion.