Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Somali Cabinet at the twenty-sixth session of ILMUNC! My name is Julia Luscombe and I will be chairing what I am sure will be a fascinating committee. I am a senior at Penn majoring in International Studies and Business. I have been involved in Model UN since high school. I love traveling, learning languages, and spending time in my wonderful home city of Chicago. I also studied abroad in Senegal, and I am particularly interested in African politics and development.

The Somali Cabinet will challenge you, the leaders and ministers, to deal with a difficult issue from a perspective that is not conventional for Model UN. Your mission: lead the Somali Transitional Federal Government in finally solidifying their power throughout Somalia. The TFG will be meeting in Djibouti, where hopefully conditions will be secure and productive debate can take place. You will have to pay close attention to the limited resources and influence available to the TFG. A myriad of issues complicate the matter, among them terrorism and managing the involvement of neighboring countries and the UN.

I look forward to hearing the creative and informed solutions you develop to bring stability to a region that has long dealt with unrest and humanitarian crises.

Finally, I hope you will take time outside of committee session to discover Philadelphia. The staff, who has been working incredibly hard to bring this committee to life, is also here as a resource for you. Please do not hesitate at any time to ask us questions about the conference or about things to see and do in Philadelphia.

All the best,

Julia Luscombe 
Chair, Somali Cabinet
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVI

Dearest Delegates,

Welcome to the Somali Cabinet!  My name is Nathan Watkins, and I am Crisis Director for your committee.  The Somali Cabinet is blessed with an incredible Chair and Crisis Staff, and I hope you are as optimistic as I am about ILMUNC. 

I am a sophomore at Penn studying Economics, Mathematics, and German, although these plans remain tentative until major declaration time comes.  Foreign languages and traveling are among my interests, but I am content anywhere where I can read and swing dance.

You, delegates, are the leaders of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia.  Many hurdles lie ahead of you, as the TFG is a body that struggles daily to maintain a grip on its nation.  At the Somali Cabinet meeting in Djibouti, you will attempt to best use your limited resources to solidify and strengthen your power in Somalia.  Issues such as terrorism, international intervention, and even pirates may interfere, but, ultimately, the future of Somalia rests in your hands.

I guarantee you challenging and fruitful committee sessions and encourage you to dive into research.   Please stay informed on the situation in Somalia until the conference because, as you know, the happenings there can often be unpredictable.

Enjoy your time at ILMUNC, explore the city, and make the most of your time on the Somali Cabinet!  I am certainly eager to answer any questions you may have.

Best regards,

Nathan Watkins
Crisis Director, Somali Cabinet
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference XXVI