A UN resolution is a formal expression of the will or opinion of a body such as the General Assembly, Security Council or Economic and Social Council. Resolutions are formal documents that follow a relatively strict format and are published on the official website of a given organ once adopted.
A resolution can be either substantive or procedural, and it may address both specific issues and broader questions of policy. Substantive resolutions are the most common and often take on highly politicized issues like genocide, human rights abuses or peacekeeping operations. Procedural resolutions – also known as decisions or recommendations – deal with procedural matters and are less politically charged.
The United Nations Charter stipulates that UN member states will “accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with its Charter.” In practice, however, the Security Council’s most powerful mechanism – the so-called veto – is frequently used to thwart resolutions. The veto is granted exclusively to the Security Council’s five permanent members (also known as the P5): the United States, China, France, Russia and Britain.
The United Nations is a global community, and it should be able to resolve its disputes without resorting to violence. But this can be difficult when the veto is wielded as a political weapon in an increasingly competitive geopolitical world. The UNSC’s vote on Haiti is a welcome step towards this goal, but the road to a successful outcome remains long and difficult.