A UN resolution is a formal expression of a collective decision by a United Nations body. Resolutions are typically issued by the Security Council or the General Assembly, though any UN body can produce one. The decisions of a resolution are binding on UN member states, who are bound to carry out “decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations”.
A Resolution is a document that includes an unnumbered preamble that establishes context, and numbered operative paragraphs that contain a Security Council opinion or requested action. The operative paragraphs can be either non-binding (urges, invites or calls upon) or binding (defines legal obligations, such as an arms embargo). In many cases the operative paragraphs are followed by a list of enforcement measures that could range from recommendations on peace arrangements and investigations to appointments of special envoys and establishing missions, to sanctions such as travel bans, financial penalties and the severing of diplomatic ties.
When a draft resolution is ready, it is sent to all members of the Security Council, or, when relevant, to the entire membership of a specific UN body. The penholder may also invite comments on the draft in the capitals of some or all Member States. The draft is then circulated back and forth for comment, often in an iterative fashion. After a round or two of back-and-forth, the draft is finalised, given a document number and published in blue for email distribution to the Council. Eventually, the draft is either adopted or rejected.
