Model UNSC conference to mull cyber security in Baku

By AzerNews

The first International Model UN Security Council Conference, co-organized by the Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Ministry and UNDP and due October 21-25 in Baku, will discuss issues of cyber security.

The conference will be held within a joint project of the ministry and UNDP on "Youth Participation in Decision Making and Policy Implementation," which has been implemented in the country since last year.

The conference will be attended by officials of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, ministers, committee heads, representatives of diplomatic missions, international organizations, as well as youth organizations.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will address the conference participants via a video message.

The president of the conference Hannah Moosa, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, has highlighted the importance of the event, which will be held in the country for the first time.

She said the conference is of great importance as it is related to the empowerment of youth, which constitutes 30 percent of the country's population.

Moosa said that in order to respond to national and international calls on youth empowerment UNDP and the Ministry of Youth and Sports signed on March 2012 a memorandum of understanding launching a first-ever partnership between these two organizations aimed at youth empowerment.

She said one of the areas of cooperation under this MOU calls for giving youth "ample opportunity to prepare for international events through critical/analytical research, assessment and formulation of a national position on global policy issues" through a range of various activities and simulation exercises.

Moosa also said UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports supported last year a youth camp titled "Azerbaijan 2020," where selected young people were given an opportunity and platform to discuss the country's long-term development vision through 2020.

She said youths shared their points of view through a simulation exercise where they were given the role of different national agencies that will shape the country's future development agenda.

According to Moosa, the conference will bring together international participants from 15 countries currently serving as members of the UN Security Council, including Azerbaijan.

Moosa said that the conference coincides with Azerbaijan's chairing the UN Security Council.

She said the UN Secretary General's Envoy on Youth Ahmad Alhendawi will visit Azerbaijan on October 19 to attend the conference.

Selected candidates will participate in a two-day pre-conference training workshop to be organized in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information (UNDPI), which will feature former and current diplomats with extensive experience in global security issues, followed by a simulated session of the UN Security Council on cyber terrorism.

Azerbaijan acts as a non-permanent member of the UNSC since January 1, 2012 and its membership will continue until December 31, 2013. Azerbaijan chaired the Security Council in May 2012 and is heading it for a month-long period in October again.