It was the first moderated caucus of the session when the delegate of the United Arab Emirates stood up and said something that made every delegate laugh: ” Spiderman needed multiple movies to find home… and it takes refugees just as long.”
ECOFIN voted for a moderated caucus on forest immigration and trade, during which the UAE said this witty, yet clever line. She was able to insert a little humor into what was an otherwise serious topic. Now that she had the attention of every delegate in the room, she went on to discuss the harsh and unjust condition that refugees face when leaving for a new home, and how large countries often categorize countries based off of their geographical locations.
The moderated caucus was slightly successful, but many delegates had the same opinions, making the debate quite circular. Nonetheless, numerous strong points were made by delegates.
The delegate of Sweden started off by claiming that large countries were the root cause of the refugee crisis. He explained how large countries do not like accepting refugees and immigrants even, they are the ones who escalate armed conflict, even when it’s not their place to do so. Similarly, Denmark spoke about how smaller nations need to stand up and protect refugees through organizations such as the UNHCR.
Additionally, Jamaica touched on the economic impacts that mass immigration has on a country’s economy, stating that all parties involved will be negatively impacted, and that economic turmoil is inevitable.
No blocs have been formed thus far, but Sweden and Denmark will likely work together throughout the coming sessions.