Canisius College Model UN - Zack Kier

Zack Kier

An advocate for educating the general public on global events and how the UN helps those in need, Zack Kier is another Model UN topic guide writer whose work is read by participants in order for them to gain a greater understanding of the crisis at hand. Below are the overviews of his pieces. Links to the full piece are given below each overview.

The Global Migration Crisis Overview:

Since 2015, migration into Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean region has reached unprecedented levels. Spurred on by the rise of violence across the globe, and increasing destitute economic conditions, the migration crisis stresses both the refugees and the countries who receive them. Countries and international organizations around the world have recognized this challenge and responded with a series of conferences and changes in legislation at the state level. Recently, the United Nations ratified the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, And Regular Migration on July 11th, 2018, but the United States, Hungary, and Australia have refused to ratify this agreement. Clearly, the issue has not been resolved. In addition, migration is not limited to only Europe, as The United States has struggled recently with its Mexican border and changing immigration policies. Migration is also an issue in large nations such as China which undergoes massive internal migration each

year with hundreds of million of people traveling from the cities back to their villages in rural

China. Migration is a multifaceted issue that influences states across the world.

To read more, click here.

The Kashmir Conflict Overview:

The Kashmir conflict is a long standing border dispute that involves three of the world’s nuclear powers, India, Pakistan, and China. This conflict was born out of the 1947

partition of India into India and Pakistan and the conflicts between Hindus and Muslims. The conflict saw a dramatic increase in violence in 1989 when a Kashmir insurgency group caused violence between India and Pakistan. Although an official “Line of Control” is

drawn and tentatively recognized by both nations, border skirmishes and crossings are common. Further complicating the matter is the slew of various ethnic groups that live in the Kashmir region who are not unified as to what their future should be. Numerous United Nations resolutions have attempted to solve this problem, yet India and Pakistan continue to fight over the region. The portion that China controls remains largely undisputed, as it was captured during the Sino-Indian war of 1962, but China tends to ally with Pakistan in many matters, putting more pressure on India, the world’s largest democracy. This conflict has cyclical periods of violence in which they are years of relative peace followed by near war-like episodes. Several people were killed in 2017, prompting fears of a return to more serious and prolonged fighting.

To read more, click here.

The Destabilization of Venezuela Overview:

The once powerful and oil rich nation of Venezuela is in a freefall. Falling oil prices globally, combined with lavish spending by the state to fulfill promised social services emerging

from the Hugo Chavez era, and a restless population has resulted in huge humanitarian crises ranging from mass migration to empty supermarkets. As the government, led by autocrat Nicolas Maduro, continues its march to failed statehood, crime and violence have taken over the streets. Never known for being a particularly safe country, the situation has worsened as the economy continues to collapse, as highlighted in a Gallup survey that ranked Venezuela as the most dangerous country in the world for the second year in a row, falling below nations such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Sudan in terms of safety. Venezuela has not been in a secure position for years, but the government managed to placate the people with their extensive, yet costly social services programs. However, when Venezuela defaulted on their international loans in 2017, the crisis worsened and

thousands of people took to the streets in protest against the Maduro government. In response, the military and police were activated to quell the riots, leaving hundreds dead and thousands more injured. With the highest inflation rate in the world, some estimates claiming as much as 18,000%, Venezuela will continue to slip further and further into economic crisis that will produce civil unrest. Recent elections in April of 2018 resulted in a narrow and contested win for Nicolas Maduro, and the people continue to protest. The UN security council should step in and offer assistance to the people of Venezuela to prevent further conflict.

To read more, click here.