Disarmament and International Security Committee

Greetings Delegate,
Namaste
I am Deetya Dhakad, and it is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the United Nations General Assembly
First Committee- DISEC.
Ad unguem et ad fontes is a motto I find myself returning to often, and it probably says more about me than I
intend it to. To the nail, to the source. Do it thoroughly; understand it completely. That saying pretty much
defines the way I approach everything. I'm fastidious, particular to a fault, and I don't really have an 'off' switch
when something interests me. It could be falling down a research rabbit hole for an MUN, preparing for an
examination, or deciding that for the next three weeks I'm only listening to Ice Spice. The commitment is the
same. I know that sounds a bit much, but it's just how I'm wired.
And it's with this same commitment and mindset that I’ve approached this committee.
“Deliberating the Role of Private Military Companies in Africa”; I genuinely think we've landed one of the most
interesting agendas DISEC could have asked for because this isn't a committee where every country walks in
knowing who's right and who's wrong. You'll spend three days debating companies that call themselves private
but answer to governments, governments that invite foreign armed groups in the name of sovereignty, and
international laws that somehow manage to leave some of the most powerful military actors in the world in a
legal grey area. If that sounds messy, it is. That's exactly what makes it worth debating.
So what am I hoping for?
The same thing I expect of myself: depth.
Read beyond the study guide. Go back to the source. Understand the why before the what. If you're going to
argue a position, understand it well enough to defend it when it's tested, and have the intellectual honesty to
change it if someone presents a better argument. And perhaps, selfishly, I hope one of you proves me wrong.No
matter how much I've researched this agenda, I know there are perspectives I haven't considered yet. One of the
parts I look forward to is walking away having learned something from a delegate. If that happens, every late
night spent building this committee will have been worth it.
One final thing: please don't hesitate to approach the Dais. Whether you have a procedural question, want to
discuss an aspect of the agenda, or simply need reassurance before your first speech, my vice-chairs and I are
always happy to help. I'd much rather answer what you think is a silly question than watch you spend an entire
committee doubting yourself.
May the odds be ever in your favour.