position paper syria

POSITION PAPER

Committee: Economic and Social council
Topic: Labour Migration
Country: Arabic Republic of Syria
Delegate: Arushi Chopra
No two countries are the same. They have different backgrounds, economies, political systems, cultures, geography. So how can all countries have the same set of rules dealing with migration? Syria proposes the division of countries on the basis of development and type of population for the application of the following rule.
1) Developed nations: there should be no caps on migration. This is because the economy is stable and can afford to lose some workers and create space for more coming in. these economies can work on the principle of efficiency. For eg- USA, UK, Scandinavian countries.
2) Developing nation with substantial manpower and brainpower: there should be no caps on emigration but caps on immigration these countries can afford to lose some workers due to their surplus, but can’t accommodate more people, considering scarce resources and overpopulation. These economies strive to achieve efficiency with equality. For eg- India, China
3) Developing nations with inadequate manpower and brainpower: there should be strict caps on migration. But other forms of international aid should be provided. They can’t afford the entry of more unskilled labour, skilled labour won’t be interested in coming to these countries and they can’t send their people abroad because they are required in their own countries. The priorities of these economies lie in equality. After that is achieved, these countries can lift the caps on migration. For eg- middle eastern countries, African countries.
Clearly, Syria falls in the third category.

Syria has hosted migrants and refugees of various nationalities in the past. But the ugly truth is that it’s trying to gain internal political stability first. 8% of the population (IMF statistics) in Syria constitutes refugees. The direct consequences are, public services are deteriorating, state-run hospitals, inundated by tens of thousands of Iraqis seeking free medical care, are short on staff and medical supplies. At public schools across Damascus, overwhelmed teachers are forced to work double shifts to accommodate Iraqis pushing class sizes to as high as 70 students. Meanwhile, power blackouts blanket the city for up to five hours a day because the country's electrical grid can't meet increasing energy demands during one of the warmest summers on record. Evidently, the Syrian economy doesn't have the resources to sustain current subsidies for food and energy. Keeping in mind the strategy suggested above, Syria plans to introduce a cap (to 5000 refugees a day) on the number of refugees who can enter. It also would like to float the idea of a ‘middle-east refugee rehabilitation treaty’ (MRRT), wherein other countries, apart from Syria can step forward and provide shelter to refugees.

Syria boasts of a literacy rate of about 80%, but still doesn’t feature on the list of developed nations. Syria believes that this is because most of the skilled labour migrates to other parts of the world, thus leading to severe brain drain. Education in Syria is highly subsidised, and the beneficiaries are clearly the host countries of these migrants. Thus Syria would like to strengthen its norms of emigration. Syria intends to get all students who pass out after gaining higher education to sign a bond to work for at least 8 years in Syria even if they wish to leave. Thus, Syria wants to impose restrictions on emigration of skilled workers. In light of the suggestions made above, Syria urges the international community to step forward and support Syria financially and by setting up more institutions of higher learning. (As Germany is doing). Syria also hopes to receive foreign investment to boost economic development and create job opportunity.
Syria also faces the problem of illegal immigration of young girls to work as house maids through illegitimate recruitment agencies. The Syrian government is deeply disturbed by this movement and intends to legalise and register these recruitment agencies so that this movement can be monitored and Human Rights’ violation can be checked.
Syria sincerely hopes that its country-specific recommendations are taken into consideration for the establishment of a new labour migration system in the world.

POSITION PAPER

Committee: Economic and Social council
Topic: Global warming and the economy
Country: Syrian Arab Republic
Delegate: Arushi Chopra

Syria is sensitive to the issue of Global Warming, and the Syrian Cabinet has signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Syria feels that the developed countries that have overcome the basic problems of food, clothing and shelter should take up the responsibility of saving mankind from Global Warming, as a) they have made a greater contribution to the problem and b) they are better equipped to deal with it. Syria recognizes the fact that developing nations too, should monitor their emission levels and not exploit Mother Nature, so Syria is willing to cooperate with the international community. Though, due to its internal problems, Syria would seek international aid in the form of funds and technology to take any action.

Syria faces severe economic consequences of Global warming. River Euphrates, which is a major source of drinking water and irrigation, may dry up due to the brutal Syrian sun. As more than one fourth of the Syrian population relies on agriculture as its livelihood, this might come as a major blow to them. Also, the food security of Syria can be threatened by the same. Further, Syria, being an oil rich country has several pipelines running through it. Frequent temperature fluctuations can cause catastrophic pipeline bursts. Syria, due to its location is already dealing with frequent heat waves. For example, a heat wave in July, 2007 caused a bomb to explode in the city of Aleppo, killing 15 and injuring many. Recently, the temperature in Syria hit a staggering 50 degree Celsius.

To deal with the problem of global warming, Syria has undertaken a National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) for sustainable development. It seeks to check deforestation, monitor carbon emission and conserve natural resources. Syria also hopes to increase its forest cover from 5% to 15%. Syria’s current green house gas emission is 68,420 thousand metric tones, which constitutes .03% of the global emissions. Being an Annexure II member of the Kyoto Protocol, Syria intends to monitor them. Syria also sees itself getting into Carbon trading. Syrian firms see the Carbon market booming and endeavor to associate with it soon. Syria, in collaboration with UNDP has already started looking for alternatives to non renewable and polluting sources of energy in the form of nuclear power generation. Wind energy and hydroelectricity are also in the pipeline.

In his recent speech addressed to the people of Syria, President Bashar al-Assad said “The Greenhouse effect is a global problem. All countries in the world should tackle it in unison”. Thus, Syria hopes to join hands with the rest of the world to mitigate global warming.