Committees & Topics 

The Horn of Africa is facing a significant food insecurity crisis as crops fail and livestock dies. Over 54 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and South Sudan are currently experiencing acute hunger. This situation is influenced by years of conflict, instability and prolonged drought conditions, with five consecutive failed rainy seasons marking the region’s longest dry period in four decades. Additionally, both the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to supply chains due to the situation in Ukraine have contributed to rising food prices and limited access to essential imports. The combination of these issues has impeded humanitarian operations and displaced millions across the region. In response to this challenge, the UN and its agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), have made significant efforts to alleviate the crisis. However, despite these interventions, funding remains a significant constraint. Humanitarian appeals for the Horn of Africa fall short of their targets, such as the 2023 UN appeal for Somalia receiving less than half of the required $2.6 billion. To address the food insecurity crisis, ECOSOC must develop an international framework which integrates the financing of immediate food security relief with measures to enhance long-term resilience.

Sovereign debt entails the money borrowed by national governments from foreign or domestic lenders, including other governments, international financial institutions and private entities. While sovereign debt can fund public expenditures and stimulate economic growth, excessive borrowing can lead to debt distress, bank runs and asset fire sales. Sovereign debt crises have far-reaching consequences for domestic economic stability, social welfare and international relations. UN Trade and Development’s 2023 report on the global debt crisis notes that debt servicing in low-income states consumes nearly 16% of government revenue, diverting critical funds from development priorities. Although the issue is widely recognised, states are divided between debt restructuring and sweeping debt forgiveness to foster development on the one hand, and enhancing borrowing accountability and reducing reliance on external financing on the other. As such, initiatives such as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments have had limited efficacy. ECOSOC is asked to spearhead the formation of a framework allowing for an accessible global sovereign debt market, whilst ensuring that debt agreements take into account Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world, offering transformative solutions in healthcare, education and economic development. However, access to AI is unequal, because the Global South has less access to AI-benefits due to limited infrastructure and resources than the Global North. Meanwhile, the environmental toll of AI, fuelled by the immense energy demands of data centres and AI-hardware production, is largely suffered by the Global South. International actors have just started to address the intersection between AI, sustainability and social equity. For example, the 2022 UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence emphasises the importance of aligning AI-development with environmental and social equity. However, global regulatory frameworks remain fragmented, leaving significant gaps in addressing the dual challenge of equitable access and environmental sustainability in AI-development. ECOSOC is asked to strive towards a framework, which guides the use of AI towards economic development, without thereby leaving behind the Global South.