Diplomacy Dies in Debt: The United Nations Democracy Fund, 2005
The United Nations Democracy Fund was created by UN Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan in 2005 as a United Nations General Trust Fund to support democratization efforts around the world. Funding of human rights groups, civil societies, and humanitarian efforts has always been a touchy subject for policymakers internationally – so many ideas, so little money. Frequently after a crisis in a less-economically developed nation, significant and irreversible damage is already done by the time executives create a funding mechanism for aid. Ensuring equality amongst countries and preventing power politics in the UNDEF is key to changing the narrative of less-economically developed member states. In this way, UNDEF plays a novel and unique role in complementing the UN's other, more traditional work — the work with governments — to strengthen democratic governance around the world. UNDEF subsists entirely on voluntary contributions from governments, at its establishment, it already counts more than 45 countries as donors, including many middle- and low-income States in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In 15 funding rounds, UNDEF has supported over 880 two-year projects in more than 130 countries.
If that sounds too good to be true, it’s because more often than not it is. Just at its establishment, the UNDEF is a newborn organization of the UN without clarity in its operations, without clear auditing systems, and direction. The UNDEF needs to work on enforcing transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in their use of funding and implementation of projects. Delegates must work to reframe UNDEF's purpose to be distinctive and not strictly humanitarian or an attempt at imposing democratic ideals. It is a powerful yet dangerous idea; if used correctly, the world will take a substantial step, and if exploited, debt-trap diplomacy and power-hungry actors will have another lethal weapon in their pockets to enforce their domination as a global power.
You are the one to determine which one it will be. Let your diplomacy be the pillar of your creativity; the ball’s officially in your court.
Co-Chair:
Moira Christ
Co-Chair:
Ashley Sorato
Moira Christ is a member of the class of 2026 studying International Politics, German, and African Studies. She is unbelievably excited to meet you all and chair Diplomacy Dies in Debt: United Nations Democracy Fund, 2005. Moira has been involved with Georgetown MUN since stepping foot on campus, staffing both NCSC and NCSC’s sister conference NAIMUN each year (always in GAs!). Outside of MUN, Moira is president of Georgetown Students Advancing Food Equity, a Georgetown club dedicated to reducing food insecurity in the Georgetown community. She also works as a writing consultant at the Georgetown Writing Center, is an editorial assistant for the Conflict and Security section of the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, and is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon Foreign Service Sorority. She studied abroad in Germany through the US State Department’s CBYX program, as well as other study abroad programs in Tanzania and Ghana and will literally never stop talking about her experiences abroad. Moira interned for a women’s rights NGO in Tanzania in summer 2023 and will be interning at the US Department of State in summer 2024. You can typically find her buying her third coffee of the day at Tatte or exploring new DC restaurants with her friends. She can’t wait to watch you all navigate through diplomatic tensions and explore the nexus of democratization and power-hungry actors this NCSC!
Ashley Sorato is a member of the class of 2027 studying Global Business and Chinese. She is originally from Massachusetts, but unfortunately calls Florida home (yikes). She is excited to chair Diplomacy Dies in Debt: United Nations Democracy Fund, 2005, and share her passion for public speaking, diplomacy, international affairs, and NCSC. She is especially excited to see familiar faces from the collegiate circuit in this committee and hopes they see her aside from a competitive nature. Ashley has competed with the Georgetown Model UN team for about a year (and refuses to do a non-GA committee) and has traveled to conferences like BarMUN, UNCMUNC, McMUN, and ChoMUN (maybe you have seen her in one of your committees!). She is also dedicating her time to Georgetown’s high school conference, NAIMUN, serving as the Director of “The Highest of Steaks: JBS S.A. Board of Directors, 2017” contemporary crisis committee at NAIMUN LXI and Under-Secretary-General of Contemporary Crisis for NAIMUN LXII (she’s still fully devoted to GAs, don’t worry). Outside of MUN, Ashley is the Deputy Chair of the School of Foreign Service’s Community Engagement committee, teaching local high schools about current events and international affairs. She also founded the Georgetown chapter of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law professional fraternity and works at the campus gym (talk to her about the gym, she’s a certified gym rat). Some fun facts about Ashley are that she can speak 5 languages, LOVES to listen to music, and is proud of her Brazilian heritage. Ashley hopes that delegates will learn more about UNDEF’s values, considering how long it has been misused in the collegiate circuit, and that everyone steers the committee in the right direction to establish an effective UNDEF for democratization efforts worldwide. Reach out if you have any questions!
USG: Wisteria Hu
This committee is in the Assemblies & Summits Organ, and your Under-Secretary General is Wisteria Hu. Committees in this organ are General Assembly-style committees, with 50-160 delegates.
If you have any questions about your committee, please reach out to w.hu@modelun.org.