A UN resolution is a formal expression of the will of a body within the United Nations, such as the Security Council. Resolutions follow a common, relatively strict format and are approved (or rejected) in a complex process involving multiple drafts and countries.
The vast majority of resolutions address particular situations or crises, as a glance at this year’s resolutions will quickly show. The name of the body issuing the resolution appears at the top of the document and a list of the countries that contributed to it (sponsors) follows. The text of the resolution itself begins with preambular clauses that describe the issue and end with the operative clause, which sets out what is being done or called for. The operative clauses often start with verbs, though some are more descriptive and use adjectives, while the preambular clauses don’t.
As for whether or not a resolution is binding, the Charter of the United Nations stipulates that all members are bound to accept and carry out “decisions of the Security Council.” But the U.S.’s retroactive disputes about the binding nature of a resolution are reflective of its attempts to interpret international law in ways that advance its own interests, Hurd said. He added that it’s important for the Security Council to be able to take up issues in a way that allows all members to cooperate, but it should also be able to resolve conflicts when there are disagreements.