TechMUN 2015 Czar: Will Frank Director

TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
AdHoc
Thomas Jefferson High School Model United Nations
Conference
TechMUN 2015
Czar: Will Frank
Director: Andrew Howard
Chair: Parth Chopra
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Dear Delegates,
My name is Will Frank and I am one of
the Crisis Czars for TechMUN 2015. I am proud
to be coordinating several of the committees
we will have this year at the conference
including the Napoleonic Wars JCC, the Gotham
Crime Lords, and Ad-Hoc. Our goal is to make a
crisis experience that allows delegates to take
control of their own committees while
receiving exciting crises that force them to respond with innovative and creative solutions.
To tell you a little bit about myself, I began my Model UN career in 7th grade at
Kilmer Middle School and have been an avid participant since then. I have participated with
the TJ MUN club at several national conferences and have had some of my truly best
memories on those trips. Outside of Model UN I am a Boy Scout on the verge of getting Eagle
Scout and am currently serving as Lead Instructor for my Troop. In this position I’m
responsible for teaching younger Scouts new skills. In addition, I play Varsity Lacrosse for
TJ and also enjoy playing basketball and football with friends.
In committee I expect delegates to respond well to crises with quality solutions and
be in communication with crisis consistently by writing personal and/or committee
directives. However, delegates should make sure not to be neglectful of committee debate. I
look forward to seeing all of you at TechMUN!
Sincerely,
Will Frank
Crisis Czar
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Hello delegates!
My name is Andrew Howard and I will
be serving as your Crisis Director for the AdHoc Committee. We will be debating modernday Russia, and you will all be representing
different members of the Russian Cabinet
under Dmitry Medvedev. The background
guide is designed to give you an overview of
many of the topics you will face in the
committee, although I do expect additional
research in regards to your position.
Similarly, I expect a very high level of debate, with extensively written directives on the
personal and committee-level. You will not have the typical amount of time to perform
research, but I will still expect well thought-out solutions with specific planning. My team
and I will do our best to provide the best experience possible, with a variety of different
simulations and difficult crisis updates to handle. That being said, I want this to be a very
interesting yet challenging weekend for you all, and it will be my privilege to serve as your
Ad-Hoc Crisis Director.
Outside of tjMUN, I enjoy sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities. I am a member of the
Student Government Association here at TJ, with my position being the treasurer. I have
served as a student-body officer for three years, and I plan to continue into my senior year.
I am a member of the lacrosse and football programs. I enjoy being active and spending time
with my teammates, both on and off the field. Above all else, I have a deep passion for
foreign affairs that I carry throughout my life. I hope to study international affairs in college,
and one day to land a job abroad. If you all have any questions about the committee, feel
free to send me an email and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Regards,
Andrew Howard
Crisis Director
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Russia: The Economic
As a cabinet, you are presented with a dynamic economy with many strengths and
weaknesses. The Russian economy is one of mixed capitalism, and is classified as high
income by the World Bank through the Atlas method. Over the past twenty years the
Russian economy has expanded dramatically, with major focus on natural resources and
arms industries. However, there are many economic challenges still present for the
Russian people. The Heritage foundation ranks Russia 143rd worldwide in economic
freedom due to extensive state-owned enterprise, the screening of foreign investment,
incredible corruption, complex state bureaucracy, and a very rigid labor market. That
being said, the Russian economy has been incredibly dynamic in its shift towards
privatization since the fall of communism, and its GDP continues to grow, albeit to a
limited extent of .4% in the last quarter.
It is vital as a cabinet that you address the current recession and currency crisis of
the modern day. The Western imposed sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine have
crippled the Russian Economy and sent it spiraling into the worst recession since 1998.
The sanctions have cut off Russia from all international capital markets, preventing them
from utilizing many key trading partners and importing the necessary technology for the
defense and energy industries. Furthermore, crude oil has fallen dramatically to around
$50.00 a barrel, which is far less than the necessary price of oil in order for Russia’s
economy to be successful under its current structure. (~$90-100USD / barrel) As a
cabinet, it is important to understand the value of your energy exports, as 70% of your
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
exports involve natural resources, yet you must find a way to involve new markets in
order to exceed the World Bank’s 2015 estimate of a .3% contraction.
The final major challenge facing the Russian economy is that of currency
volatility and capital flight. The dramatic drop in oil prices combined with the conflict in
Ukraine has amounted to horrific changes in the value of the Ruble, which has lost more
than 2% of its total value in one day more than a few times over the past months. The
Russian Central Bank has poured money into the economy to try to maintain some
stability, while many foreign loans have been called resulting in massive capital flight in
2015. Some projections could even put the value of capital flight at $100 billion USD by
the end of this quarter, more than double that of the previous year at this time. Above all,
the extremely high level of crude oil production internationally has driven the Russian
economy into a difficult situation, worsened by the presence of Western sanctions due to
Ukraine. As a cabinet, you all must find a way to alleviate the pressure on the Russian
people and ensure the reserves of the Central Bank of Russia do not collapse.
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Russia: The International
Russian foreign policy under Vladimir Putin has affirmed goals that assert Russia
as a major world power that wishes to continue dominance over its surrounding region.
The “Putin Doctrine,” as worded by the Council on Foreign Relations, affirms the
reclamation of former Soviet assets, maintaining nuclear superpower status, asserting a
regional hegemony, and a hardline approach to US relations. This policy has become
more and more clear to the international community as Putin continues to guide Russia in
a manner reflective of his KGB past, while the surrounding Eastern European and Asian
community falls under their influence.
To begin, it is important to understand that Vladimir Putin’s policy is not to
completely recreate the Soviet Union, he himself initiated many of the privatization
reforms of the late 90’s that allowed Russia to flourish, yet the cabinet must account for
the decisions made in this regard. The annexation of Crimea has ensured a key strategic
location for the Russian fleet. The Port of Sevastopol is both the only warm water port
under Russian control and the only direct link to the Port of Tartus in Syria. The
annexation of Crimea has guaranteed Russia important links to its allies in the Middle
East, as well as opened avenues for a potential arms deal with Egypt, again strengthening
their foothold in the region. These are important achievements, yet they have come at a
great cost. Crimea is not capable of self-sustenance, and relied heavily on Ukraine for the
vast majority of its commodities and budget. Furthermore, the resulting sanctions have
weakened the economy, and the NATO alliance has been strengthened by the conflict. As
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
a cabinet, you must decide how to move forward with Crimea to take advantage of your
new territory, while minimizing the losses from the conflict with the West.
As the Russian Cabinet, you will be responsible for upholding the power and
influence of Russia’s nuclear program and military interests. Putin has steadily increased
spending throughout the last decade, especially after a poor showing in the 2008 RussoGeorgian War. The Russian Finance Ministry will allocate a record 80 billion USD to
defense in 2015, an increase of 20 billion from the previous year. This is all
demonstrative of Putin’s vision for a modernized military, in which he calls for over onemillion soldiers and increases in armored divisions by the thousands. Furthermore, the
Russians have repeatedly questioned the ability of the EU and NATO to place missile
defense systems closer to Russia, as they feel it undermines their nuclear deterrence
capabilities. Thus, it is vital to Russian interests that surrounding Eurasian nations remain
under their influence, and away from NATO. As a cabinet, you will be responsible for
these decisions in the East-European region, as the loss of nuclear deterrence would
eliminate the validity of any argument for Russia as a truly global superpower.
The final two international conflicts of extreme importance are those regarding
the Russian position on the conflict in Syria and its importance to US relations, as well as
the nuclear deal between Iran and the United States. Russia and Syria have been
longstanding allies, as Putin believes Assad to be a leader under similar conditions as
himself. As the West brought forth mounting pressure against a Russo-Syrian arms deal,
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
the Kremlin pointed out that any negotiations between the two nations would have
occurred prior to the conflict in 2011. Thus far, Russia has not directly intervened into
this conflict, yet as a cabinet you will be responsible for deciding the value of Assad as an
ally in the region. With regards to Iran, both Russia and the United States view this
conflict as a way to promote peace and to gain a geopolitical advantage, albeit
hypocritically. Russia is threatened by the presence of the NATO ballistic missile defense
system in Europe, and the agreement with Iran depends on a non-veto from Russia, yet at
this point Moscow does not appear to be taking action, but rather voicing its dissent. That
being said, the agreements between all nations in that region are not concrete, and the
actions of the Russian cabinet may hold great influence.
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Russia: The Domestic
The Russian domestic sphere is dominated by issues of civil liberties and humanrights issues. These problems were brought to the international spotlight upon the Sochi
Winter Olympics in 2014, when Western media brought attention to forced evictions,
migrant worker abuses, suppression of civil society, environmental degradation, and
discrimination to the LGBT community. In fact, the conflict between Moscow and the
press has worsened in recent history, as some 56 Russian journalists have been reported
murdered since 1992. Under Putin, internet censorship laws, community assembly rules,
and NGO privileges have been tightened. These actions show a clear trend away from the
general “glasnost” brought forth by Gorbachev, and strengthen the argument that Putin is
guiding Russia back towards a more Soviet-style government.
Another domestic issue of massive importance to the Russian people is that of
crime, especially in the spheres of bribery and illicit trafficking. To begin, Russia is
known as a major participant in human trafficking, supplying to over 50 countries.
Furthermore, the black market arms trade is practically commonplace, as over 1.5 million
illegal weapons were estimated to be in Russia as of 2003. In fact, many of the consumers
of arms trafficking are Chechen rebels that use the weapons to commit crimes against the
Russian people. Similarly, the Russian drug trade is booming, as many of the reforms
brought by Putin did not actually combat the issue. It is important to note that organized
crime is practically integral to Russia’s economy; crime was directly linked to 50% of
Russian economic activity in the year 2000. These levels have begun to decline in some
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
respects, yet they are nowhere near the international average for a developed nation, and
as a cabinet you must decide how to deal with this issue.
The final major set of domestic issues in Russia regards education and social
policy. The official level of collegiate education for the Russian workforce is 54%, yet
the quality of their education is often underwhelming. Many Russian universities are
known as “diploma mills,” where simple bribery can bring official accreditation.
Additionally, Russian public schools are generally of low quality, and most Russian
middle class families must pay in order to achieve a respectable level of education. With
respect to social policy in Russia, health care is abysmal at best. The constitution of
Russia guarantees free healthcare to all citizens, yet intense corruption strips most of the
funding, leaving hospitals understaffed and poorly equipped. Similarly, the Russian
citizenry is known for high levels of smoking and a high prevalence of alcoholism. In
order for the Russian government to gain respect, it must take care of its people. The
Russian cabinet will be held responsible for these horrid levels of social welfare if they
do not improve, and thus you must take immediate action.
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Works Cited
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Andrianova, Anna. "Russian Economy Unexpectedly Expanded 0.4% in Fourth
Quarter." Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 1 Apr. 2015. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
Aron, Leon. "The Putin Doctrine." Global. Council on Foreign Relations, 8 Mar.
2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
Baram, Amatzia. "Putin's Ukrainian Dilemma: The Port at Sevastopol - World."
Haaretz.com. Haretz, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
"Chechnya Profile - Overview." BBC News. BBC, 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
"Crimea Profile - Overview." BBC News. BBC, 13 Mar. 2015. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
"Crude Oil Price History Chart | MacroTrends." Crude Oil Price History Chart |
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Dobczansky, Markian. "Russia's Domestic and Foreign Policy Challenges | Wilson
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Ferris, Sarah. "Dem Senator: Russia, China Would Prevent Renegotiating of Iran
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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
Gabriela Baczynska, Gabriela, and Darya Korsunskaya. "Syria Gets Russian Arms
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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
Ad-Hoc
"Russia's Olympian Abuses | Human Rights Watch." Russia's Olympian Abuses |
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Limited. World Politics Review, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
TechMUN at Stuart
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School
Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015