General Considerations and Denationalization
General Considerations and Denationalization
General Considerations
The Chair works to ensure that the business of the conference is conducted in an orderly and efficient manner, and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. In many such Rules of Procedure, the exact functions and powers of the presiding officers are listed under a distinct heading. However, additional functions and powers are also often found elsewhere in the Rules.
In practice, the role, responsibilities, and powers of the Chair are even broader. For example, the Chair can represent the conference, thank the host country, congratulate individuals, and express condolences on behalf of the conference. The Chair may also hold a press conference, or otherwise communicate with audiences outside the conference on behalf of the conference.
More crucially, the Chair also has a key role in the conference’s decision-making process. Typical Rules of Procedure require the Chair to ask questions and announce all decisions. When the Chair have made a decision, the Chair speak on behalf of the conference.
Indeed, the Chair has a structural role in the conference. Not only is the seating arranged so that all delegates face the Chair, but also all statements intended to be heard by the whole Committee must be addressed to the Chair. Once more, the Chair personifies the Committee as a whole.
These three ways in which the Chair represents and acts on behalf of the Model UN conference point to the position’s central responsibility: they are called upon to embody the goals or ideas of the whole conference, not just certain nations or individuals.
In other words, the Chair acts for the conference and only with its consent. This relationship is often expressed in the words, “The Chair is the servant of the conference.”
However, this description should not suggest that the Chair’s role is passive or reactive. The Chair must remain alert. It is up to the Chair to understand what needs to be done, and to take appropriate initiatives to ensure it happens. The Chair acts for the good of the conference, and in the belief that their actions help produce the results desired by the conference participants.
Denationalization
Because the Chair represents the whole conference, they cannot simultaneously represent one of the participating delegations.
Most Rules of Procedure specify that the Chair shall not vote. Yet logic, tradition, and some recent Rules of Procedure are far more constraining. Chairs are expected to cease operating as a member of their national delegations. If, as is often the case, they are delegation leader, another member of that delegation must take over the role of speaking and voting on behalf of the delegation. The Chair should speak and act impartially on behalf of the conference as a whole, and not seek to promote any national or personal views.
At all times, the Chair must:
- Treat all delegates equally
- Be seen to behave impartially
- Not appear to favour any party
- Not appear to favour any side of a contentious issue