A comment on speech is a short procedural device employed in certain Model UN rule sets—most notably THIMUN procedure and many European-style conferences—allowing delegates to respond directly to the substance of a speech that has just concluded on the General Speakers' List or during debate on a working paper or draft resolution.
After a speaker finishes and yields any remaining time to the chair, the chair may entertain one or more comments. Each comment is typically limited to 30 seconds, though exact durations vary by conference (some allow 60 seconds, others 20). Comments must address the content of the preceding speech, not introduce wholly new topics, and they are not questions—the original speaker does not respond. This distinguishes them from points of information, where the speaker must answer.
Procedurally, delegates raise their placards when the chair calls for comments. The chair recognizes one or two delegations at their discretion. The commenter may agree, rebut, expand upon, or critique the prior speaker's arguments. Once the comment ends, debate returns to the speakers' list.
Comments serve several purposes: they break up long speakers' lists, encourage genuine engagement between delegations, surface disagreements that might otherwise be lost, and reward delegates who listen actively. Conferences using Harvard/North American procedure generally do not use comments, relying instead on yields, points of information, and moderated caucuses.
Delegates should remember that a comment is substantive, not procedural, so it cannot be used to raise a point of order or motion. Misuse—such as launching personal attacks or speaking on unrelated matters—usually prompts the chair to cut the delegate off and move on.
Example
At THIMUN 2023, after the delegate of France delivered a speech defending nuclear deterrence, the chair recognized the delegate of Austria for a 30-second comment rebutting the proliferation risks.