Building Alliances Early

Alliance-building has a tipping point. Early in committee, everyone is looking for partners — it's easy to form connections. By the second session, blocs have solidified and it becomes much harder to join or reshape groups.

The delegates who win awards are almost always the ones who anchor a coalition early and then expand it. They don't wait to be invited into someone else's bloc — they start one.

Finding Your Natural Allies

Before the conference, identify potential allies using three criteria:

1. Voting bloc alignment — If your country is in the G77, other G77 members are natural partners. EU members vote together on most issues. NAM countries share sovereignty concerns.

2. Regional proximity — ASEAN members coordinate on South China Sea issues. African Union members align on development. Latin American states share positions on drug policy.

3. Issue-specific alignment — Even unlikely pairs can be allies on specific issues. India and the US disagree on trade but align on countering China's maritime claims.

The Approach

In the first unmod, go to a potential ally and say something like: "I'm representing Brazil and our priorities are [X] and [Y]. I noticed from your country's voting record that we probably agree on [Z]. Want to coordinate?"

This works because it shows preparation, identifies common ground, and proposes concrete next steps.

Keeping Allies Engaged

Forming alliances is easy. Keeping them is the real skill.

• Include allies in authorship — don't hog the working paper. Let allies write operative clauses they care about.
• Credit allies in speeches — 'As the distinguished delegate from Nigeria and I discussed...' makes your ally look good and strengthens the bond.
• Keep allies informed — if you're negotiating with another bloc, update your core group. Nothing kills alliances faster than a partner who makes deals behind your back.
• Defend allies under attack — if someone challenges your ally's point in a moderated caucus, back them up. This builds loyalty.