RULES OF
PROCEDURE
i) GENERAL RULES
The medium of debate
is the English language. This includes aspects
of the debates which occur in writing, as well
as the speeches themselves.
Delegations are only
granted the right to speak at The Chairman’s
discretion. The Chairman’s decision is final
in all matters. Delegations may raise their placard
at any time in order to gain the Chairman’s
attention, but do not have the right to speak
until the Chairman invites them to do so.
Delegations may choose
to send messages in writing to other delegations
at any time during the course of the debate. Delegates
should not leave their seats, except during times
of recess.
Any delegate wishing
to speak must begin with the words, “Mr
Chairman, Honourable Delegates . . . ” In
the interests of saving time, delegates should
not normally applaud other delegations, unless
a point is exceptionally well made.
Delegates must treat
all other delegations with courtesy and respect
at all times, remembering that they are arguing
against ideas, and not against individuals. Any
delegate who fails to behave with respect will
be asked to leave the assembly.
Please note that
the MUNGA is not a competition. Delegates should
of course do their best to speak professionally,
but there will be no declaration of winners at
the end.
ii) STRUCTURE
OF DEBATES
Each debate is expected
to follow the sequence below, though The Chairman
may use his discretion to vary the procedure at
any time if it proves expedient to do so.
1) Establishing the
Speaker’s List
2) Presentation by leading delegation
3) Points of Information and Rights of Reply
4) Speeches from the Floor and Proposal of Amendments
5) Recess for direct lobbying of delegations
6) Closing Speech and Acceptance of Amendments
7) Vote
iii) ESTABLISHING THE SPEAKER’S
LIST
At the start of each
debate, the Chairman will ask those delegations
who plan to speak to raise their placard so that
a speaker’s list can be established. Other
delegations may be added to the speaker’s
list later in the debate if time allows.
iv) PRESENTING
A RESOLUTION
Each delegation was
invited to submit a draft resolution to The Resolutions
Committee by the end of December 2004, and the
three resolutions for debate today were selected
from those submitted. The three leading delegations
will have five minutes in which to present their
resolution to The General Assembly at the start
of each debate.
v) POINTS OF
INFORMATION AND RIGHTS OF REPLY
At any point during
the debate, any delegation may raise their placard
and, when invited to do so by the Chairman, request
either a Point of Information or a Right of Reply.
• A Point of Information involves requesting
or providing relevant factual information.
• A Right of Reply involves responding directly
to a comment which has been made about your country,
region or alliance.
At the Chairman’s discretion, Points of
Information and Rights of Reply may be over-ruled
if time is running out.
vi) POINTS OF
ORDER
At any point during
the debate, any delegation may raise their placard
and, when invited to do so by the Chairman, request
a Point of Order.
• A Point of Order involves bringing to
the Chairman’s attention the fact that the
rules of procedure have not been correctly followed.
vii) SPEECHES
FROM THE FLOOR AND PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENTS
When the resolution
has been presented and any relevant Points of
Information and Rights of Reply have been granted,
delegations who have indicated that they wish
to be on the speakers list are invited to address
the assembly. Speeches from the floor are normally
limited to three minutes. At the Chairman’s
discretion, this time allocation may be reduced
at any point if time is running out.
The order of speeches
from the floor is at the Chairman’s discretion.
Delegations who are low down the speaker’s
list will be asked to avoid repeating points that
have been made earlier in the debate. It follows
that delegations must be ready to amend, adapt
or reduce their prepared speeches as each debate
progresses.
Many delegations
may wish to propose an amendment to the resolution
being amended. The reasons for such amendments
should not only be outlined in delegates speeches
from the floor, but also forwarded in writing
to the delegation proposing the debate, who have
the right to make the final decision concerning
whether or not an amendment is accepted.
viii) RECESS FOR DIRECT
LOBBYING OF DELEGATIONS
Delegations are not
normally permitted to leave their seats during
the course of the debate. However, once the speakers
list is closed, the Chairman will declare a recess
to allow delegates to speak with other delegates
face to face. The amount of time available for
this will depend on how quickly the speaker’s
list is closed.
For the last five
minutes of this recess, delegates are not permitted
to speak to the delegation proposing the resolution.
This is to give them the opportunity to make final
decisions concerning any amendments which have
been proposed.
ix) CLOSING
SPEECH AND ACCEPTANCE OF AMENDMENTS
At the end of the
debate, the delegation who proposed the resolution
has the right to address the General Assembly
for three minutes. During this time, they may
reiterate briefly the reasons in favour of the
resolution, and should also indicate which, if
any, amendments they have decided to accept. The
Chairman will confirm the precise wording of any
such amendments to the General Assembly.
x) VOTE
Finally, a vote is
taken on the resolution, taking into account any
amendments which the proposing delegation have
decided to accept.
- Delegations wishing to vote in favour of the
resolution should declare YES.
- Delegations wishing to vote against the resolution
should declare NO.
- Delegations who are unable to decide should
declare ABSTENTION.
Yes and No votes are then counted – Abstentions
are discounted – and the Chairman will declare
whether or not the resolution has been passed.
In the event of a tie, a second vote is taken.
If there is still a tie, the resolution is passed.
|
