Dear Delegates,

Welcome to ILMUNC XLI's Joint Crisis Committee: Operation Ocean Shield. My name is Justin Yip and I will be serving as the chair of the Pirate Council. 

In August 2009, NATO launched Operation Ocean Shield, an attempt to combat Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and enhance maritime security in the region. This operation was in response to the significant threat that Somali pirates posed to international shipping, including the frequent hijacking of commercial vessels for ransom off the Gulf of Aden. The operation's main objectives were to deter pirate activities, protect vital sea lanes, and improve the capabilities of regional navies to secure their own waters. 

As the Pirate Council, it is your job to make sure that Operation Ocean Shield does not succeed. United by the common interests of protecting your livelihood and expelling foreign influence from your territories, you must work together to re-establish dominance over the High Seas. Beware, as the interests of all pirates do not necessarily align and pirates are not particularly reputable for their trustworthiness or loyalty. 

A little bit about myself, I am a current Sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a B.A. in Health and Societies with intended minors in Healthcare Management and Data Science. Outside of being a senior staffer for ILMUNC, I am the Events Chair for Penn Common Cents, a Consultant with the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, and the Vice President of Penn’s Club Judo Team. In my free time, I enjoy restaurant hopping, backpacking, cooking, and playing soccer. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or the other members of this committee. We look forward to meeting all of you. 

Justin Yip 

Chair, Joint Crisis Committee: Operation Ocean Shield – Pirate Council

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Pirate Council! My name is Achint Das, and I am honored to be your crisis director for ILMUNC XLI. Justin and I have been preparing extensively for this committee over the past several months, and we’re incredibly excited to see you all soon! 

I’m currently a junior at Wharton majoring in Healthcare Management from New Jersey, and I have staffed ILMUNC since my freshman year at Penn. On Penn’s campus, I joined Intercol, Penn’s Model U.N. competition team, during my freshman year. The community has given me some of my closest friends on campus and allowed me to travel and compete at national conferences alongside some of the best delegates I’ve ever met. These experiences have made me incredibly interested in international affairs and led to my involvement in ILMUNC, where I’m now on the other side! Outside of school, I love traveling, trying new foods, hearing new music recs, and playing soccer and basketball. 

I’m very excited to get the chance to know each and every one of you in this Joint Crisis Committee! This style of committee really allows you to get creative and ambitious, so dream big and be prepared to wear many different hats. I hope this experience will not only hone your creativity, diplomacy, and debating skills, but also be incredibly fun. It’s not every day you get a chance to be a Somali Pirate, so make the most of it. I hope you have an amazing weekend at ILMUNC, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of you! 

Cheers, 
Achint Das 

Crisis Director, Joint Crisis Committee: Operation Ocean Shield – Pirate Council