[MUNUC 35] Organization of African Unity OAU
TOPIC A Congo Crisis (1960)
EXECUTIVES
- Derek Chan (He/Him/His)
- Andersen Eudaimon (He/Him/His)
- Ricky Shi (He/Him/His)
In the present, the African Union, or the AU, is a continental union and comprises 55 African countries united under the principle of providing a platform for them to come together and resolve regional conflicts and crises. The AU also serves to promote economic, social, and cultural development and a greater integration of economies on the African continent. The union’s mission of international cooperation is also based on the UN Charter, which provides the foundation for the AU’s goals in international outreach and diplomacy.
At MUNUC 35, the AU will take the form of its historical predecessor, the Organization of African Unity. Established in 1963, it took on a similar role, but at a smaller scale with only 32 signatory governments. This committee will also run as a regional body with traditional Model UN elements. That being said, “topic updates” will still be incorporated into committee sessions. These updates will not entail other crisis elements (such as crisis arcs or directives), but will help to maintain engagement with committee topics and give delegates new material for debate.
This historical committee will be debating on the Congo Crisis of 1960, where a myriad of parties in the politically fragmented Republic of Congo fought vigorously for control of the nation as an aftermath of the power vacuum left behind by colonial Belgium. This Cold War proxy conflict epitomizes the projection of NATO and Warsaw Pact interests and ideals onto puppet states and the political friction created as a result.