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Rules of Procedure for QUBMUN II

DEBATING PROCEDURE

The debating procedure is fairly strict in the Model United Nations. Resolutions will generally be given 20 minutes of time for a motion, and 20 minutes of time against the motion.
  1. The Chair will begin by calling upon the submitter of the resolution to read out the operative clauses of the resolution, that country will normally then be the first speaker for the motion.
  2. This delegate can then speak in favour of the resolution for up to five minutes. At any time within the five minutes, the delegate may open the floor to points of information. If they do choose to accept points of information, countries may pose short questions to the speaker, which they then have the choice to answer or ignore (although it is generally a good idea to answer points of information). Countries must not air their points of view during a point of information.
  3. When delegates have finished speaking, and replying to points of information, they may hand the floor either to another speaker or back to the Chair. If the floor is returned to the Chair, the Chair will ask for further speakers in favour of the motion. If a delegate hands the floor to another country, this country may speak, take points of information, but cannot then pass it on to another delegate: it must be returned to the Chair.
  4. This procedure continues until the time for the motion elapses. If, however, there are no further countries wishing to speak for the motion, the debate moves into the time against the motion. Time against the motion then proceeds in a similar fashion. When this time has elapsed, a vote on the motion will be called.
Please do not attempt to take the floor to speak against the motion in the time used for speaking for the motion, or vice versa. Note that this does not apply to Points of Information, which are questions to speakers for or against the motion. Please remember that you must represent your country's stated policies rather than your own opinions or what you may personally believe your country's policies to be.


AMENDMENTS

We strongly recommend that delegates submit amendments to a resolution, rather than simply vote against it, as this leads to a more interesting debate. Any country may submit an amendment at any time, and all amendments the chair has received by the end of time for the motion will be debated at the beginning of time against. Amendments will generally be given one minute for and one minute against (this time is reasonably flexible, depending upon the length of and interest in the amendment). This time is spent outside of the actual motion time.

Amendments must be submitted to the Chair. Write down which country you represent and exactly what you wish to change and pass the note to the Chair, who will read it aloud, and open debate on it.

A separate sheet must be used for each amendment, or for an amendment to an amendment (which is also allowed, though amendments to amendments to amendments are not!)

Amendments must state clearly:
  a) The clauses which are affected by the amendment;
  b) The kind of amendment. You may strike, add or insert words, phrases, or whole clauses.

It is not customary to amend preambulatory clauses, as they are simply an introduction, unless it is a friendly amendment (one which the submitter accepts).


DUTIES OF DELEGATES

Each delegate has the duty to:
  • respect the decision of the Chair at all times;
  • obtain the floor before speaking;
  • stand before speaking;
  • yield the floor when required to do so by the Chair;
  • be courteous at all times.
It is unacceptable to declare war on another delegation during QUBMUN (unless the country you represent does so in real life during the MUN!). Any delegation that does declare war may be suspended by the chairs.


LOBBYING

Before resolutions are debated, you will need to raise support for them from other countries. Each resolution must be submitted by one country and co-submitted by at least two others before it can be debated. Co-submitters may be called upon by the Chair to speak for the resolution, and must be seen to give their full support to it. It is thus imperative that you read any resolution you are asked to co-submit carefully before pledging your support. If you wish to withdraw your co-submission, you must formally announce it during committee or GA (and you should be able to give a reason for doing so). You are encouraged to make deals with other countries, and to involve yourself in diplomatic negotiations. This should gain you enough support to be able to pass your resolution. Note passing and written communications can help this process of gathering support.


MODES OF ADDRESS

All references to other speakers should be in the third person, e.g. Points of Information should begin with a phrase such as: "Is the Speaker aware that...", and not "Do you think..."

Other phrases to be used include:
 Mr/Madam Chairman...
 I request the floor...
 Is the Chair/the Speaker (not) aware that...
 I yield the floor to points of information/to the Chair / to another delegate
 Does the Speaker (not) agree that
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