Resolution is the term for formal expressions of opinion or will of UN organs, such as the Security Council and General Assembly. Resolutions may be binding or non-binding. Both types of resolutions are recorded as official documents, and numbered in order of adoption. A resolution has two parts: an unnumbered preamble sets the context, including references to previous actions and other relevant facts, while the operative paragraphs include the action requested by the Council. Some operative paragraphs are binding and can lead to sanctions such as arms embargoes, financial penalties, travel bans, severing of diplomatic ties and blockades.
A draft resolution is first discussed by a small group of members, who meet on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council. If a draft is agreed upon, it goes to the full Council for approval. A resolution is either adopted or rejected, with a majority of the Council’s five permanent members required for a vote. The result is read out, and if adopted, it is incorporated into the official UN document system. A rejected resolution is not formally published, but draft resolutions that are not adopted are included in one of the Resolutions by number lists.
The process of drafting a resolution is complex, with back-and-forth negotiations often taking place off the premises. In some cases, drafts are not circulated at all but sent to the home countries of the delegations involved, where the penholders will then attempt to negotiate a compromise.
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