Committee: ESCAP

Topic: Water and Sanitation

Country: United Kingdom
Background
A village in rural Southeast Asia consists of only certain means of obtaining water. A couple of
these sources may be a well or a pump from which they pump out the water which lies in underground
water-tables. However many times, this water is not purified enough for the people to drink it. This lack
of purity often leads to many complications which include: contraptions of diseases and other incurable
sicknesses. Similarly the main cause of this lack of potable water is due to the pollution and lack of
sanitation in this part of Asia. For example, how can a village in the heart of Vietnam dispose of its
garbage or human waste? The only option they have is to either burn it or recycle the feces to use as
part of manure for the crops that they grow. Reaching out to such areas of Southeast Asia has been a
struggle and we have often neglected the availability of potable water and a sanitary environment in
such parts of the world, so it is time we look deeper into such problems which we often bypass.

UN Involvement
The United Nations has started many water sanitation projects in Easter Asia and these
all strive to improve the conditions by providing with a better sewage system so that the
problem of sanitation can be solved. Approximately 2.5 billion people around the world still do
not have access to a clean and sanitary environment. Since 1990 approximately 1.9 billion
people had gained access to a better sanitized environment. Similarly the United Nations has
strived to provide a cleaner source of water by implementing the idea of water straws and
improving the waterway systems so that more fresh water is pumped to such areas.
Country Policy and Involvement
To further alleviate these two problems, the United Kingdom proposed the 2030 project
which analyzes the current climate changes and is striving to provide a clear picture of the
water situation in the future. Although this project looks into the future it is very important that
such programs be well funded because the change in global temperatures are very likely to
influence the chances of rain in various part of the world. The United Kingdom which is fairly
developed with respect to Southeast Asian countries has been committed to providing a better
and more sanitary environment and they have also recognized that not only do we need the
help of other nations but they have also seen that in order to develop such services it requires
an extended period of time.

Possible Solutions
To immediately reach out to those who are lacking the basic facility of fresh water, we
can build water lines from nearby cities. This solution mainly targets those villages and towns
near large cities because those villages are the easiest to reach out to. The proximity and ease
with which we can install the lines allows us to easily implement such measures. The next step
we can take is to implement water pumps which are better equipped with reaching fresh water
sources. Destroying wells which are fed my impure sources of water can also reduce the
problem of non-drinkable water. Finally, educating those who are near impure water bodies is
also a very important aspect of providing the people with a better environment. With regards
to sanitation, in order to improve living conditions, regular trash pick-ups should be
implemented so that the people can live in tolerable conditions. Better compost techniques will
also provide an environment free of disease and impurities.
Works Cited
http://www.wateraid.org/uk/what-we-do/the-crisis/sanitation
http://www.unescap.org/
http://www.watercentre.org/resources/publications/attachments/sanitation_water_challenge.pdf
http://www.wssinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/resources/1251452757A_Snapshot_of_Drinking_Water_in_SEA_Pacific_Final.pdf
http://www.wsp.org/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/Sanitation_Impact_Synthesis_2.pdf

Committee: ESCAP
Topic: Transportation and Infrastructure
Country: United Kingdom
Background
In a region which has incurred a large deficit due to prolonged war and corrupt
politicians, the countries of Southeast Asia lack the basic infrastructure. Roads are not properly
maintained, pollution is not controlled, and transportation systems are unreliable. The poor
roads are also the cause of many accidents which are fatal in nature because the lack of proper
roads also effects the response time of medical assistance which is key when it comes to a fatal
incident such as an accident. Similarly the pollution prevalent in nations such as Vietnam,
Philippines, Cambodia, and Laos is due to the lack of regulatory measure which the government
is responsible for. However the lack of regulations by certain countries affects the entire world
when it comes to the environment. It is important that such key problems be immediately
resolved.
UN Involvement
The UN ESCAP has strived to create an Asian Highway system which helps the people
commute between countries and also between states within the country. This project has
allowed people to travel on safe roads which are regulated and maintained by the government
and through the tax payers money. Additionally this highway system also unifies the country in
a way where in the future it will be very useful to have a system through which aide can be
provided in times of need and when natural disasters occur. The infrastructure had been aided
through the development of commerce between the countries but it does not really take into
consideration the various economies which are in different points of development.
Country Policy and Involvement
United Kingdom believes that the betterment of roads and other means of
transportation are very important. We have seen a large lack of proper means of
transportation. Especially in the more archipelago nations such as the Philippines and Indonesia
we see that water transportation is the only way for people to get from one island to the other
so it is very important that we develop better means of transportation. We have recognized this
problem and have helped in the monetary funding of local companies which are improving the
transportation situation in such nations. Our geographical location does not really allow us to
do much more than provide funding. Regarding the infrastructure we are more able to offer
commerce.

Possible Solutions
In order to provide a better infrastructure for Southeast Asian nations we need to
globally provide support through the form of economical deals. Because these nations are in
such a poor situation nobody wants to diligently try to improve the economy. Besides globally
influencing the infrastructure we can also further develop companies based in these nations so
the economy will boost when they sell their products abroad. In the aspect of transportation,
we should better map out the numerous islands which compose nations such as the Philippines.
Doing so will improve travel and also prevent any vessels from going off the grid. Additionally
mainly improving the road systems will greatly improve the transportation system because
people will be able to reach their destinations faster and more safely.
Works Cited
http://unohrlls.org/UserFiles/File/LLDC%20Documents/MTR/Toward%20integrated%20highwa
y.pdf
http://www.unescap.org/our-work/transport
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1266
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/04/business/international/strained-infrastructure-inphilippines-erodes-the-nations-growth-prospects.html?_r=0