Substantive Role of the Chair

Substantive Role of the Chair

The Chair is responsible for managing the Committee meetings so that they operate smoothly. Yet the Chair is also responsible for seeing that the Committee produces a result that is immediately acceptable to all—or at least an overwhelming majority of delegates.

The Chair acts as a representative of the entire Committee, and their actions must be acceptable to it. That support is likely to be forthcoming, as long as the Chair reflects a good understanding of the wishes of delegations.

In some Model UN conferences, the Chair plays mostly a procedural role, and the substantive role is overlooked. Emphasizing the substantive role of this key leadership position in Model UN conferences can greatly enhance the negotiation process, and lead to more decisions being adopted by consensus.

Key Tasks

One of the important responsibilities of the Chair is to be interested in the substantive outcome of the conference. However, the Chair must carry out this responsibility in an impartial, or unbiased, manner.

Planning and Agenda Setting

The Chair must have a clear idea of what outcome is possible and desirable. In addition, the Chair must have a plan as to how this outcome can be achieved. Both of these will be subject to constant monitoring and possible revision as the conference unfolds. The evolution of the conference will be strongly affected by the Chair’s monitoring of the debate and negotiations, and what they will hear in consultations with delegates. But the desirable outcome is more than the sum of the wishes of all delegates. It is also an outcome that is legally and technically correct—and sustainable.

Implementation

The Chair’s responsibility is to facilitate the course of the conference. However, if the conference shows signs of stalling or losing its way, the Chair should take an even more active role. This role may include encouraging delegations to act in a manner helpful to the conference resuming its progress. As a final resort, the Chair may have to act more directly. For example, the Chair may have to convene a consultative group, drawing the conference’s attention to options or making suggestions, based on his/her knowledge and understanding of delegations’ wishes, and the applicable technical and legal considerations.

The Resources and Tools Available to the Chair

The Chair needs to manage and draw upon a range of resources.

Rules of Procedure

These support the extensive powers of the Chair. (See the section on Rules of Procedure, pages 35 – 36, where this is discussed in detail.)

Keeping a Positive Atmosphere

The Committee’s atmosphere, or mood, is another factor the Chair should manage. A positive and constructive atmosphere can help a conference achieve its objectives.

Time

The Chair needs to manage the available time, which can affect both procedures and outcomes. Thus, they may see a need to provide more time for consultation. If possible, the Chair may need to request that debate or negotiations continue into the evening.

Prestige

The Chair is the acknowledged leader and representative of the whole Committee. As long as the Chair retains the confidence of delegations, the prestige of the position has considerable potential influence.

Assistance

As noted above, all constructively minded delegations will tend to support the Chair. Likewise, the conference Secretariat should assist the Chair.

For most conferences, the Secretariat prepares a scenario, with suggested words for the Chair to use.

Methods

The Chair has a wide range of methods for securing the final acceptance of an outcome. Some examples of these methods are:

1. The Chair provides time in order to facilitate discussion and negotiation. If necessary, the Chair can:
1. Suggest consultations
2. Appoint a Friend of the Chair, or facilitator, to conduct consultations
3. Hold series of separate consultations
4. The Chair will often influence the course of debate, and thus the conference outcome, by ensuring delegates fully understand the purpose, context, and history of an issue. They can also influence the outcome by making suggestions as to how the conference or its delegates should approach their work.
5. The Chair can also broker agreements between delegations that are at odds, in order to help them find a satisfactory solution to their differences. The Chair can do this by:

• Carrying messages between the delegations
• Offering explanations for their respective positions
• Urging understanding and a willingness to compromise
• Making suggestions to both parties as to how they can advance their objectives—and what is realistically achievable
• Likewise, the Chair can take an escalating role in ensuring that constructive texts appear on time. This can take the form of a compilation of agreed texts and square bracketed alternatives proposed by delegations, or what is called a “Chair’s text.” A “Chair’s text” is a proposal by the Chair based on their assessment of what may be acceptable to the conference in light of the foregoing debate and negotiation, supplemented by the Chair’s consultations.

Matters for careful judgment include decisions on whether to produce such documents. If documents are to be produced, the Chair should consider the timing, the extent of prior consultation or forewarning before producing the documents, and the degree to which the Chair advances their own proposals.

In all these activities, the Chair continues to act on behalf of the Committee as a whole and with its consent. This means the Chair must have a very good sense of what the conference collectively wants and will approve, or at least accept.