SPECPOL (GA Fourth Committee) in Model UN

SPECPOL is short for the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, the fourth of the General Assembly's six Main Committees. It covers decolonization, peacekeeping, Palestine refugees (UNRWA), Israeli practices in the occupied territories, outer space and atomic radiation. Conferences numbering committees call it GA4, and its Model UN topics run from decolonization and border disputes to peacekeeping missions.

  • 21 open now
  • 62 upcoming conferences
  • about 26 delegations
Find a SPECPOL conference

Similar: UN · DISEC · SOCHUM · UN

  • 3 countries: on 92 to 93% of seat lists
  • 23 more seats in a typical simulation of 26

SPECPOL applications closing soon

10 conferences close applications in the next 30 days. These close first.

  • Munich Diplomacy Summit

    Apr 8–11, 2027 · Munich, Germany

    Apply now

  • Universidad Rey Juan Carlos MUN

    Feb 3–6, 2027 · Madrid, Spain ·

    Apply now

  • ErasMUN

    Jan 23–24, 2027 · Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Apply now

More SPECPOL conferences

56 more upcoming

Show 9 more

Browse all Model UN conferences

Where and when SPECPOL conferences run

The United States, the Netherlands and Greece host the most. February is the busiest month.

In 20 countries and online

Upcoming by month

14 in February 20274 open for applications now

38 of the 62 are for school students only and 8 for university students only; 22 are free. See all high school MUN conferences or university MUN conferences.

Most SPECPOL conferences are in the United States, the Netherlands and Greece.

SPECPOL topics in Model UN

Of 462 SPECPOL topics on mymun, 18% are about decolonization and self-determination, 8% about maritime and border disputes and 8% about peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

ThemeShare of topics
  1. Decolonization and self-determination 18%

    Example: Evaluating the Greenland Dispute as an Affair Pertaining to Colonial Legacy Worldwide, Struer Model United Nations

  2. Maritime and border disputes 8%

    Example: The Territorial Dispute between Egypt and Sudan over the Halayeb Triangle, Galabov Model United Nations

  3. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding 8%

    Example: Bridging the Gap Between Peacekeeping and Long-term Civil Stability, The English College in Prague MUN

  4. Armed conflicts 7%

    Example: Addressing Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Independent Prague Model United Nations

  5. Outer space 6%

    Example: Establishing guidelines to ensure peaceful uses of Outer Space, Perrott Hill British School Model United Nations

Places named in SPECPOL topics

  1. Western Sahara 4%
  2. Palestine 3%
  3. Israel 3%
  4. Arctic 2%
  5. China 2%
  6. Middle East 2%
  7. South China Sea 2%
  8. Syria 2%

Recent SPECPOL topics

  1. Addressing the use of artificial migration routes as instruments of political coercion

    Warsaw Model United Nations
    Refugees and migration

  2. Regulating the Use of Private Military and Security Companies in Armed Conflicts and Strengthening International Accountability Mechanisms

    MUN@DPSD
    Armed conflicts

  3. Evaluating the Greenland Dispute as an Affair Pertaining to Colonial Legacy Worldwide

    Struer Model United Nations
    Decolonization and self-determination

  4. Addressing the protection of rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees persisting in Central African Nations

    GSMUN Cyprus
    Refugees and migration

SPECPOL countries in Model UN

China, France and the United States appear on 92 to 93% of SPECPOL seat lists on mymun, and the United Kingdom and Russia on 87 to 89%.

  • 3 countries: on 92 to 93% of seat lists
  • 23 more seats in a typical simulation of 26

Most often seated

CountryShare of seat lists
  1. 1China93%
  2. 2France92%
  3. 3United States92%
  4. 4United Kingdom89%
  5. 5Russia87%
  6. 6India79%
  7. 7Germany74%
  8. 8Japan73%
  9. 9Brazil72%
  10. 10South Africa66%
  11. 11Iran63%
  12. 12Canada62%

Most requested

CountryShare of applicants
  1. 1France9%
  2. 2United States7%
  3. 3China6%
  4. 4United Kingdom6%
  5. 5Russia6%
  6. 6India4%
  7. 7Canada3%
  8. 8Australia3%
  9. 9Germany3%
  10. 10Türkiye3%
  11. 11Spain2%
  12. 12Indonesia2%

How SPECPOL compares

Its rooms seat about 26, against 30 in SOCHUM.

CommitteeUpcomingOpen nowRoom sizeSchool onlyMost debated
SPECPOL (GA Fourth Committee)62212661%Decolonization and self-determination
UN General Assembly (UNGA)90372849%Economy and development
DISEC (GA First Committee)160712448%Arms control and disarmament
SOCHUM (GA Third Committee)71303069%Human rights
UN Security Council (UNSC)3601901539%Armed conflicts

SPECPOL in Model UN: questions and answers

How many delegates are in a SPECPOL committee?

In the real Fourth Committee all 193 UN member states have a seat. SPECPOL simulations on mymun seated about 26 delegations.

What does decolonization mean in SPECPOL?

The UN still lists 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories, from Western Sahara to island territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The Fourth Committee takes them up in five decolonization agenda items.

Is SPECPOL a good committee for beginners?

It depends on the agenda: SPECPOL can jump from one territory's status to peacekeeping or outer space, so each topic needs its own background reading.

What topics does SPECPOL debate in Model UN?

Top themes in 462 SPECPOL topics on mymun: decolonization and self-determination (18%), maritime and border disputes (8%) and peacekeeping and peacebuilding (8%). Places named most often: Western Sahara, Palestine, Israel, the Arctic and China.

Can school students join a SPECPOL?

Yes. 54 of the 62 upcoming conferences with a SPECPOL take high school delegates, and 38 are for school students only.

Prepare for your SPECPOL committee

Updated Nov 13, 2026