Name(s): Cao Jingyu, Isaac Ong Zi En
Name of Committee : Press Corps, The Associated Press
The more economically developed countries (MEDCs) seemed to form a bloc, leaving out the less economically developed countries (LEDCs) from their discussion on cyber-warfare.
“This bloc is not for manipulation, but for sharing information and knowledge,” stressed the delegate of France.
However, when the delegate of Cambodia voiced out her concern over the threats that the sharing of defensive information may impose on LEDCs, she was intentionally ignored by the overpowering voice of other delegates of MEDCs. As the US delegate brutally highlighted this, saying " You can think I am helping you, but I am actually not”. This comes after the aforementioned statements made by France, marking a certain contradiction amongst the affluent nations.
While the delegates were striving to gain more advantages for their own countries, they did not take the socio-economic woes of other nations into account, thus putting the efficacy of discussions at risk.
The awkward departure of the delegate of Cambodia
As the delegate France was expounding upon his strategy, the delegate of the US suddenly pointed out the unexpected presence of the delegate of Cambodia, who was obviously not welcomed by the bloc due to her previous disapproving attitude against solutions brought forth by member states of the bloc.
“Wait, I entered the wrong room”, Apologized the delegate of Cambodia, who quickly left soon after. The AP correspondent later found the delegate in another breakout room with delegates of Myanmar, South Africa, Nigeria, Switzerland, where the silence was deafening.
“ Maybe I will go and see what the other blocs are doing” said the delegate of Cambodia before switching breakout rooms shortly after.
Worrying polarisation during the DISEC session
It was apparent that the session had been divided into two major blocs, manifesting a clear cut between MEDCs and LEDCs. While being questioned by the delegate of Cambodia for excluding LEDCs from their bloc’s draft resolution, the delegate of the US took a hardliner approach, firmly reiterated his stand. He underlined that after taking account of what the LEDCs can bring to the table, MEDCs agreed that there was little reason for LEDCs to be considered in discussion since they possessed little global influence or power.
“We have gone through proper discussion and made the decision based on our bloc’s common interests and for the sake of our own nations.” the delegate of the USA remarked.