Tips for Double Delegating: Surviving and Thriving with a Partner

Overview

Double delegating, or more commonly known as being a double del, is unique as you and one of your fellow delegates work as a team representing a single country in a General Assembly or in a Specialized Agency committee. 

Separation of Partners Frontroom and Backroom

After the primary speakers list is concluded and the topic has been chosen you and your partner will split. One delegate will remain inside the committee room to continue debate, give speeches and orient debate towards your talking points. This delegate is referred to as being in the ‘front room’. The other del will make their way outside the committee room into the hallway to meet the bloc and begin drafting your resolution. This del should be referred to as being in the backroom.

At all times, the two should be in constant communication texting each other as to what policy is being discussed both inside and outside, what seems to be important to other blocs and seeing if you can get agreements with other blocs to merge before the inevitable pain of merging arrives. 

Another good reason to be in good communication is so if the front room delegate needs information, stats, historical precedence or anything else, they can simply ask that back room del to search it up for them. 

Most importantly, the best reason for good communication is to ensure both of you have the same policy. The worst thing that could happen is the front room del saying one thing, while the backroom del writes something completely different. 

If you ever have a situation where either a topic being debated in the front room is one that the backroom delegate knows better or there’s a policy topic being written in the backroom that the front room delegate knows better, feel free to switch. It’s not uncommon to see this practice, so be sure to make best use of your strengths and cover for your partner’s weaknesses.