Novice - Wassoulou Empire (1878)

Committee Profile

Samori Ture founded an empire that would last just 20 years, but have a profound impact on the region of West Africa. From 1878-1898, the Wassoulou Empire occupied what is now Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Mali, fending off neighboring states, European colonialists, and internal rebellions to be a prosperous and dynamic empire. At the height of its rule, the empire ruled over 10 different provinces and 300,000 people. The Wassoulou government held regular councils in times of crisis that brought together significant dignitaries of the empire to discuss and address the issues they faced. This committee will emulate these councils, and address the issues of French imperialism and invasion, power and succession of the empire, and exploring ethical means of bolstering the Wassoulou economy. The Wassoulou empire first encountered French intervention in 1882, with Samori having to choose whether or not to fight them, or submit. Delegates will have to take advantage of the limited military capabilities of the empire, as well as peaceful diplomacy to handle issues involving foreign leaders and conflicts. Issues with the French were responded to in several ways, and it is up to you all as the council to make the best decisions possible. Another question mark to be addressed in this committee is how the empire will continue, or not continue, if Samori were to disappear from leadership. How would this power vacuum be filled? Finally, the economy of West Africa during this time was diverse, yet still relied on slave trade as a source of income. Delegates will have to address this issue, and how to eliminate unethical means of sustaining the Wassoulou economy, so as to not leave a stain on the legacy of this great empire.

Chair Letter

Welcome to the Wassoulou Empire!

My name is Sophie Kogan and I am excited to present to you BruinMUN 32’s Wassoulou Empire! I am currently a third year student at UCLA studying Applied Math and Chemistry and am in a Computational Chemistry Lab (so policsi right?). I am a Los Angeles native and true valley girl from the San Fernando Valley.

Beginning my MUN stint in high school, I joined MUN at UCLA as a freshman and served as USG of Crisis and now USG for our college conference LAMUN. When people ask why I continued Model UN as a STEM major, I always give my cliche answer that it is the people and friends in this club that make it worthwhile; and so I hope to return the favor by creating an incredible adventure through the forests of West Africa.

Outside of the club, I enjoy reading philosophy, hosting a good watercolor/craft night, taking a lovely day at one of our many LA museums, or trying a new fun food place. I did dance for over a decade and the sport still holds a special place in my heart, however, I recently took up golf and have been loving it.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to chair this committee with Andre and see the creative ways in which you delegates will secure the Wassoulou Empire. From external tension to internal prosperity, it will be your duty to secure the fate of this new state. We cannot wait to see you all in November!!

Sincerely,

Sophie Kogan | Chair, Wassoulou Empire | BruinMUN 32

wassoulou@bruinmun.org

CD Letter

Dear Delegates,

My name is Andre Kfouri (he/him) and I will be your Crisis Director for the Wassoulou Empire! I am a second year Political Science/Arabic double major. I plan on concentrating in International Relations, with the hope of going to law school before working in foreign service. As well as being a member in Model UN here at UCLA, I’m a part of several intramural sports teams including futsal, soccer, flag-football. I’m also a member of the photography club and enjoy taking photos when I have the time!

This past year was my first in Model UN and I’m so excited to be a part of this club once again this year! I didn’t have the chance to be a part of MUN in high school, so the first thing I did was sign up to be a member of this club the moment I stepped foot on campus. Last year at BruinMun I staffed the Medici Crisis Committee as a backroom note respondent, traveled to Montreal as a delegate to compete in CONMUN, and staffed a Louis Vuitton Board of Directors at LAMUN XIX. I can’t wait to put all the skills and experiences I gained last year to good use at this coming BruinMUN!

Given my interest in international politics and history, I’m really excited to be a part of a committee that incorporates both. The Wassoulou Empire took place at a pivotal moment in African history, and I look forward to seeing how it will handle the issues of colonial pressures and internal power divisions. I also think African history is often overlooked in high school curriculums, so I think it’s awesome you all get to learn about something you might not get to in the classroom.

When I joined Model UN this past year, I joined an ever growing community of welcoming and supportive peers who challenge me to be a better version of myself everyday. Getting the chance to help lead this committee provides me with the exciting opportunity to extend that community towards you all. I can’t wait to see where you take this committee and see you all hopefully add to your catalog of great Model UN memories!

Best,

Andre Kfouri | Crisis Director, Wassoulou | BruinMUN 32

wassoulou@bruinmun.org