The debate, which was a simulation of the United Nations Security Council, forms an integral part of the second-year International Relations curriculum, and counts towards formal assessment of IPL 210.

The theme this year was: Legitimacy versus Efficiency of Global Governance in the 21st Century: Transformation of the United Nations Security Council.

The debate was vibrant and lively. Students reflected their understanding of the structure of this powerful body, which still mirrors the political realities of the world in 1945, when the UN was founded. During the debate, students stressed the fact that various regions, notably Africa (which has a larger number of UN member states than any other region) has no permanent representation on the Council. They echoed calls for the transformation of the structure of the Council and presented possible scenarios for the restructuring of the Council on behalf of their assigned states.

The year 2011 marks the unprecedented and overlapping presence of the member states of emerging power blocs such as BRICS, IBSA and BASIC; and countries such as Nigeria and Germany. All of these states have in the past declared their candidacies for permanent membership of a transformed Council. The students’ enactment of this confluence of power constellations in the 2011 Security Council revealed the complex power dynamics in the current global order.

The countries represented in the debate were:

• Permanent members (those with veto powers over decisions of the Council):  China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Non-permanent members during 2011: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Colombia, Gabon, Germany, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, Portugal and South Africa.

Congratulations to the following winners:

• Best team: Nigeria
• 1st runner-up: Germany
• 2nd runner-up: South Africa
• Best team spirit: Lebanon
• Best speaker: Ms Laura Stewart

To view pictures of the event, visit our gallery page.