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Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) 2021 Chair: Colin Flueck

Vice-Chair: Callum Mitchell

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Table of Contents

3. Letter from

Chair

5. Members of

Committee

6. Committee Background

8. Topic A: International Arms Trafficking

13. Topic B: Combating Cyber Warfare

18. Bibliography

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Hello delegates,

My name is Colin Flueck and I will be serving as your Chair for this year’s DISEC. I

welcome you all to LYMUN VII and I hope that we have an exciting and productive time in

committee!

I am currently a Senior at LT, have participated in MUN all 4 years of high school, and

serve as the Under-Secretary-General of GA’s and Home Gov in our Secretariat. Last year, I

served as the Chair of the Facebook Board of Directors in LYMUN VI. Outside of MUN, I play

soccer (high school and club) and run CodeX Education, which hosts a variety of coding and

robotics classes for K-8 students.

DISEC is a modern general assembly committee and we will follow typical parliamentary

procedures. In committee, we will focus on reducing the illegal arms trade or combating cyber

warfare. We will take some time to debate which topic to start with on the day of LYMUN VII,

so it is imperative that delegates are knowledgeable about both topics and write detailed position

papers. This background guide is a good starting point, but delegates are expected to conduct

additional research for each topic, especially with regards to your position.

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The committee will take place entirely online, but I’m confident we will still be able to

have an enjoyable MUN experience. I will be happy to answer any questions that come up in

committee for both new and experienced delegates. Regarding awards, I will look for a delegate

that is well informed, speaking authoritatively, authoring a detailed working paper, and

effectively collaborating within the committee.

I'm very excited to (virtually) meet all of you in committee and I hope you find these

topics interesting and intriguing! If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to

contact me at colin.flueck@gmail.com. See you at LYMUN VII!

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Members in Committee:

1. Afghanistan 19. Nigeria 2. Algeria 20. Pakistan 3. Australia 21. Peru 4. Brazil 22. Philippines 5. Canada 23. Poland 6. China 24. Portugal 7. Colombia 25. Republic of Korea (South Korea) 8. Denmark 26. Romania 9. Egypt 27. Russian Federation

10. Ethiopia 28. Saudia Arabia 11. France 29. South Africa 12. Germany 30. Spain 13. India 31. Uganda 14. Italy 32. United Kingdom 15. Japan 33. United States 16. Mexico 34. Vietnam 17. Netherlands 35. Yemen 18. Niger

A Brief History of DISEC:

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The Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) Committee, also called the First

Committee of the General Assembly, has convened since the establishment of the United Nations

following the end of World War II. DISEC focuses on international security, specifically in

regards to nuclear weapons, disarmament, and general threats to peace. When addressing any

issue, the members of DISEC strive to preserve global peace while respecting the rights and

sovereignty of countries and regional interests. Finally, although DISEC can’t mandate any

specific local action, it’s suggestions are

frequently taken into account and acted upon by

the UN Security Council.

The first resolution passed by the

General Assembly was from DISEC and

focused on nuclear energy. Resolution 1,

entitled “Establishment of a Commission to

Deal with the Problems Raised by the Discovery

of Atomic Energy,” was adopted on 24 January, 1946, in London. Since then, DISEC has

broadened its mandate from just nuclear weapons to all types of disarmament and threats to

international peace. Recently, DISEC has been focused on combating cyber warfare, limiting the

illicit arms trade, and preserving peace between various states.

DISEC has representation from all 193 member states in the UN which allows the

committee to discuss global issues in good faith and with diverse voices. While DISEC

frequently debates controversial and complicated issues, they have often made significant

progress in de-escalating situations and promoting world peace for the benefit of humanity.

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DISEC also hears from expert groups like the Disarmament Commission and the Conference on

Disarmament. These groups provide expert analysis of complex situations and help the First

Committee establish recommendations to promote greater peace. Delegates should be prepared

to respond to memos drafted by these organizations should one be presented at the conference.

Our committee takes place in

the present day so delegates can

reference any past DISEC

resolutions, current world events, or

other information in their speeches

and papers. I encourage delegates to

briefly look through past sessions of

DISEC here to get a better

understanding of how their member state stands on the issues we will be discussing.

Topic A: International Arms Trafficking

Introduction:

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Arms trafficking, also known as gun running or the illicit arms trade, is the illegal

transfer of armaments and ammunition. While arms trafficking is part of the extensive black

market of various illicit commodities, it remains exceptionally dangerous because of the benefits

and financial gain it provides to criminal organizations. Criminal organizations frequently

provide illegal arms that fuel violent conflict in many areas of the world and embolden criminals.

While measuring arms trafficking is

incredibly difficult, some estimate

that annual arms transactions amount

to over 1 billion dollars. Although

arms trafficking is a large illicit

market, individual weapons are often

fairly cheap and easily accessible. In

fact, a Kalashnikov AK-47 can be

bought through the black market for

less than $2,000 in many countries. Widespread arms trafficking has helped fuel the rise of low

intensity or localized violence which has resulted in more than a million deaths in the past

decade alone.

Current Situation: Today, there are over 1,000 deaths every day throughout the world due to low-intensity

conflicts involving illegal weapons. These conflicts often indiscriminately kill civilians and lead

to further unrest and economic deprivation. The armaments used in these conflicts are frequently

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small arms and light weapons (SALW) which are easy to smuggle and conceal. These weapons

are also fairly easy to operate allowing average civilians to use them with little training.

Arms Trafficking Process: Arms trafficking is a complex process that offers many ways for arms to be obtained,

transported, and sold. Most arms are manufactured and traded legally before entering the black

market through one of five main pathways. The first is through government transactions, where

states ship large amounts of legal firearms to embargoed countries. Second, many arms are

stolen by criminals from government arsenals that are poorly defended or looted during times of

instability. This was especially prevalent after the Cold War when smugglers stole millions of

weapons from failed states’ stockpiles. Third, firearms can be stolen from legitimate or illegal

individual gun owners. This is especially common in the US, where high rates of gun ownership

allow criminals to quickly steal legitimate guns and sell them illegally. Fourth, weapons can be

lost by the military or civilians. Surprisingly, over 300,000 firearms are stolen or lost annually,

which can easily enter the black market and be purchased by gun runners. The fifth and smallest

way is through reselling by existing gun owners. Civilians might purchase numerous guns in

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developed countries with no gun ownership limit and then illegally sell them across international

borders or locally.

After entering the illicit market, armaments enter vast networks of criminal activity that

traffic numerous illegal

commodities such as drugs,

precious stones, endangered

species, and humans. Vast and

globalized pipelines allow arms

brokers to move guns under

false pretenses. Often, they rely

on falsified documents or bribed

officials to smuggle guns disguised as other commodities and avoid suspicion. Ultimately,

illegal armaments end up in areas with frequent violent conflicts, such as civil wars in sub-

Saharan Africa or drug cartels in South America. Because of their low cost and ease of use,

insurgents, terrorists, and criminals can afford to purchase vast amounts to fuel their conflicts.

Possible Solutions: Although governments have undertaken actions to limit arms trafficking, every year 1.2

million guns enter the illicit arms trade or about 1 out of every 8 guns produced. In tackling this

problem, one must consider both the supply and demand of illegal weapons. In developed

countries with strong legislation and police enforcement, an effort can be made to limit the

supply of legal weapons entering the black market. For example, holding gun sellers to a more

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stringent registration process, increasing the security of government arsenals, or increasing the

budget for law enforcement to investigate arms robbery. Another approach is intercepting illicit

arms in transit. This can be done by increased customs enforcement, random searches, and

international tracking. However, countries with weaker governments might not have the

resources or power to reduce the supply of illegal guns. Some organizations have called for

global funding and training

programs to help developing

countries bolster their illegal

arms enforcement.

The other approach

consists of reducing the

demand for illegal weapons.

While resolving conflicts is

mostly beyond the scope of

DISEC, steps could be taken

to increase penalties for those using illegal weapons and otherwise promoting greater peace.

Reducing demand is viewed as a longer-term solution that is more complex than simply reducing

the supply of legal weapons.

Conclusion:

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International arms trafficking is a complex, multi-faceted problem to combat. Delegates should

address both the large supply of illicit weapons and the growing demand for their purchase.

Several solutions exist, but a global, enforceable plan has yet to be developed.

Questions To Consider: 1. How can we prevent legal firearms from entering the illicit trade?

2. How can we reduce the demand for illegal weapons?

3. How should our approach differ between developed and developing countries?

4. How can local police and international customs enforcement be strengthened to cut down

on arms trafficking?

5. How can DISEC support effective global policy solutions while respecting the national

sovereignty of states?

Additional resources:

The Tangled Web of Illicit Arms Trafficking

Arms Trafficking: Its Past, Present, and Future

Countering Illicit Arms Trafficking and its Links to Terrorism and Other Serious Crime

UNODC's Global Firearms Programme

Stemming the flow of illicit arms in Africa

Law Enforcement Approaches for Reducing Gun Violence

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Topic B: Combating Cyber Warfare Introduction:

Cyber warfare is a broad threat that encompasses any attack on a computer system

sanctioned by another nation. Cyber attacks can also include lone individuals or organizations,

but they must be supported by a state for it to be considered cyber warfare. Cyber warfare is also

frequently confused with cyber terrorism, which occurs when the intent or result of the attack is

bodily harm to other people. Cyber terrorism could include targeting hospitals with cyber

attacks or attempting to hack into drones or planes in order to take violent action. Unfortunately,

there are many ways to

attack a computer system

and several motivations

behind such actions, making

it difficult to prevent.

Nevertheless, cyber security

has become a fast-growing

industry as governments,

companies, and individuals

seek to protect themselves and their computers from cyber attacks.

The History and Future of Cyber Warfare:

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The first major cyber warfare offensive occurred in 2007 when a covert group shut down

nearly the entire Estonian web presence in response to an anti-Russian decision. In 2010, the

United States government used Stuxnet, a specially designed virus, to destroy equipment in

Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iran retaliated by wiping data from the computers of Saudia Arabia’s

state-owned oil corporation

and by temporarily shutting

down the websites of all major

US banks. In 2017, cyber

warfare was used in

conjunction with traditional

warfare for the first time when

Russia invaded parts of Ukraine. Russian hackers first knocked out power grids and a few

government agencies. Then, they also transmitted a virus that spread through 10% of Ukraine’s

computers, wiping their data and destroying components. Cyber warfare has continued to

escalate as North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, and other nations have honed their abilities and

engaged in more targeted, devastating attacks.

In 2016, the White House reported that malicious cyber activity cost the US economy

between $57 and $109 billion dollars. Today, by some estimates, cybercrime costs the global

economy several trillion dollars. The most targeted sectors for cyber attacks are Finance,

Healthcare, and government agencies. Cyber attacks continue to increase in severity and

number, as they target both civilian and government computers. However, experts warn that

worldwide cyber warfare, perhaps coupled with traditional war, is a growing possibility.

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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a harrowing vision of future war, one with a deadly and costly

combination of hackers and soldiers. Additionally, as the costs of cyber warfare continue to

decrease and more people gain the necessary technical skills, most experts project cyber attacks

to increase in number and intensity in the future.

Common Types of Cyber Attacks:

Malware - Includes viruses, malicious software, spyware, ransomware, etc. Malware can steal

users’ data, disrupt key functions, or even destroy components of the computer.

Denial of Service (DoS) Attack - Overwhelm target’s servers with traffic, causing their systems

to shut down.

Phishing - Emails or other communication sent to members of an organization that appears to

come from a reputable source, but includes links that will steal data or install malware.

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Social Engineering - Technique used by scammers and hackers where they pretend to be

someone in order to gain access to specific passwords or information.

Cyber Solutions: The most effective

cyber warfare

usually combines

several different types

of attacks. Because of the range of entry points and system vulnerabilities, warfare is incredibly

difficult to prevent beyond simple precautions. Additionally, governments typically have

defensive cyber teams designed to repel incoming cyber attacks and offensive teams to retaliate

against other nations. To deter future attacks, some have suggested harsher penalties for cyber

warriors or allow governments greater leeway to retaliate to attacks with force. Another

challenge of cyber warfare is that while major countries, failed nation-states, and insurgents all

participate in cyber warfare, they frequently deny partaking in an attack, even when the evidence

conclusively shows their involvement. A cyber court could help decisively adjudicate such

confusion and enforce sanctions and other penalties on governments proved to be engaging in

cyber warfare. Another option is a cyber peace agreement, where nations could agree to ban

certain types of cyber attacks in order to prevent the collective damage to the global economy.

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Any prospective solution must receive a wide range of support to be effective, and it should

address as many situations as possible.

Conclusion: Cyber warfare is a quickly escalating, complex issue that threatens the very essence of modern

society. While there are many barriers to an effective cyber solution, DISEC may be able to

provide a framework for deterring attacks, strengthen cyber security, or engage in offensive

cyber initiatives themselves, all in the name of cyber peace.

Questions To Consider: 1. How can DISEC help nations defend against cyber attacks?

2. What measures can be taken to deter or prevent cyber warfare?

3. Should DISEC encourage the UN to create an offensive cyber

team to retaliate against nations that abuse their cyber power?

4. Can DISEC enforce consequences for nations that engage in

cyber warfare without infringing on national sovereignty?

5. What steps can be taken to limit the use of cyber attacks on

civilian computers?

6. How should nations respond to cyber attacks committed during a

traditional war?

Additional resources: Cyber Warfare: Modern Front-lines

What Is Cyberwar? The Complete WIRED Guide

What is Cyberwar? Everything you need to know about the frightening future of digital conflict

Accountability in Cyberspace: The Problem of Attribution | Video

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Towards Cyberpeace: Managing Cyberwar Through International Cooperation

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Bibliography

Delay, Brian, et al. “Arms Trafficking: Its Past, Present, and Future.” American Academy of Arts

& Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, 20 Nov. 2019,

www.amacad.org/news/arms-trafficking-its-past-present-and-future.

The Council of Economic Advisers. “The Cost of Malicious Cyber Activity to the U.S.

Economy.” White House Economic Advisors, White House, Feb. 2018,

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/The-Cost-of-Malicious-Cyber-

Activity-to-the-U.S.-Economy.pdf.

Townsend, Caleb. “Cyber Warfare: Modern Front-Lines.” United States Cybersecurity

Magazine, American Publishing, LLC, 14 May 2019, www.uscybersecurity.net/cyber-

warfare/.

UNODA. “United Nations Disarmament Commission.” United Nations, United Nations, 2019,

www.un.org/disarmament/institutions/disarmament-commission/.

Vest, Jason. “Fourth-Generation Warfare.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 1 Dec. 2001,

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/12/fourth-generation-warfare/302368/.