Committee Description:

The Security Council started actions on January 17, 1946. It is responsible, according to the UN charter, of maintaining the peace and security of the international community and is the one who takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat or aggression against peace. This Council counts with five permanent members and ten more that are constantly changing for other members of the United Nations. One of the main tasks of the Security Council is to be a mediator between states in conflict in order to maintain peace.

 

Description of the Topic:

Eastern African countries have been suffering terrorist attacks by Al-Shaabab terrorist group. Since 2011, there have been at least 17 terrorist attacks involving grenades or explosive devices in Kenya. Also, in countries where Al-Shaabab has control, people are suffering from a food crisis, while the group denies the presence of famine and keeps food away from civilians. Alarmed by the situation that this population is suffering, how would it be possible to guarantee the safety of citizens living in East Africa from the rising violence by Al-Shaabab terrorist group?

 

History of the topic:

Al-Shaabab terrorist group, also known as “The Youth”, took control over most of the southern part of Somalia during endings of 2006. The Somali government and other forces tried to defeat the terrorist group during a two week war in December 2006 and January 2007, but the group has continued its terrorist attacks and violence in most part of Somalia and other neighbor countries. The group is affiliated to Al-Qaeda since 2012.

 

Present Situation:

The Al-Shaabab terrorist group wants to fight for creating an Islamic State in Somalia. The African Union’s military campaigned has weakened the terrorist group by far but it is still considered the biggest threat of political violence. This group has mainly focused on attacks within Somalia but still there have been reported attacks near the region like in Nairobi in may 2013. The group has recruited many Somali-American members which make the United States of America fear any strikes on the U.S. soil.

 

Conclusion:

Terrorist groups affect the world in many ways, especially the civilians. One of the Security Council’s main objectives is to maintain peace and to provide security to the countries that are having conflicts, as terrorist groups affect civilians it is Security Council’s responsibility to start actions against this situation.

 

References:

 

Al-Shaabab terrorist group. (2013 ). Retrieved from National Counterterrorism center : http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/al_shabaab.html

News desk. (2013 , September 23). What is Al-Shaabab? Retrieved from PBS newshour : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/09/what-is-al-shabaab.html

 

RNW African desk. (2011, October 28). Al-Shabaab to retaliate in Kenya with “huge blasts”. Retrieved from Radio Netherlands Worlwide Africa : http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/al-shabaab-retaliate-kenya-%E2%80%9Chuge-blasts%E2%80%9D

 

UN Web Services Section. (2013). Security Council. Retrieved from The United Nations : http://www.un.org/en/sc/

 

Splett, C. (2013). The terrorists think that their attacks will have an immediate influence on politics. Retrieved 21/10/13 from: http://www.swp-berlin.org/en/publications/point-of-view/the-terrorists-think-that-their-attacks-will-have-an-immediate-influence-on-politics.html

Masters, J. (2013). Al-Shabab. Retrieved 21/10/13 from: http://www.cfr.org/somalia/al-shabab/p18650