A UN resolution is a formal expression of the opinion or will of a UN body. The Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and Human Rights Council each have their own resolutions that follow a standard and relatively strict format. These resolutions are passed by a process of collaboration between multiple countries.
Resolutions are usually divided into preambular and operative clauses. The preambular clauses are historic justifications for taking action, often citing previous resolutions or other relevant sources of information, while the operative clauses set out the specific actions that the committee intends to take to address the issue at hand. They almost always start with verbs and end with semicolons (or periods).
This draft, initiated by the council’s ten elected members (E10), demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza; the immediate and dignified release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups in the territory; and guaranteed humanitarian access to address basic needs of the population. It was adopted last week with 14 votes in favour and one abstention by the US.
France argues that “The fact that the current composition of the Council no longer corresponds to the reality of power in the contemporary world is another reason why we need to consider pragmatic intermediate reforms.” These could include expanding the number of non-permanent seats and introducing a new category of membership that would allow for two-year terms while providing future potential eligibility for permanent membership.
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