Resolution Drafting

Presentation by GA officials28.07.2009

Table of contents• Overview of drafting process• General structure of resolution• Preamble

– general purpose– language – content

• Operative part– general purpose– language– content

• Numbering• Handy tips• Summary

OverviewResolutions are the channel by which Member

States organise and implement their workRESOLUTIONS DECISIONS

Content must be structured Without structure

Used to implement new decisions or developments

Used to recall or remind Member States of past action

Used for important matters that need powerful structures

Used for light issues or issues that have past

1. General structure

• Divided into 3 main parts1. Name of organ e.g. General Assembly2. Preamble 3. Operative part

1. Name of organ

• Ends with comma • Italics

e.g. The General Assembly,• General Assembly only body that can adopt

resolutions in GMUN• In the UN, can also be Security Council , Economic

and Social Council (ECOSOC), Human Rights Council and other principal councils

2. Preamble- general purpose

• Sets overall tone of resolution and rationale for action in operative part

• Outlines situation at hand• Hints at the action without mention of the

specific action to be takene.g. “Considering that the Security Council is developing joint

activities with...”

2. Preamble- language

• Starts with present participle or other word or phrase

e.g. Recalling Considering Aware of• Must be italicised• Points are not numbered- Referred to as “the

first preambular paragraph...” etc.• Every paragraph ends with comma,

2. Preamble- content• Recommend including reference to Charter

e.g. “Recalling Chapter 11 of the Charter of the United Nations...”

• After first reference to document, may say just “charter” without “of the United Nations”

• May make references to past resolutions of GA, principle organs, or other organs e.g. if from GA- “Recalling its resolution 59/12 of 13 June 2007...”• After first reference, can just say “resolution 59/12”

without date

NB. Order of reference to the Charter and resolutions will depend on the importance they have to current resolution (but recommended to begin with Charter)

2. Preamble- content• Refer to GA’s resolution as “its” resolution• If resolution from other organs, mention name, e.g.

“Recalling Security Council resolution 63/10 of 19 January 2006...”

• Never abbreviate in resolutionse.g. Cannot write ECOSOC, must write Economic and Social Council

• If reports of SG are mentioned, number of report not included in text, instead given as a footnote

2. Preamble- content

• Can end preamble by taking note of reports e.g. “Taking note of the Secretary General’s report on HIV

and AIDS in...”

• OR if you consider the report VERY important, include it as paragraph 1 of operative part e.g. “Takes note of the Secretary General’s report on the

progress taken on Millennium Development Goal 6...”

3. Operative part- general purpose

• Outlines specific action to be taken• Stronger the better- lays the ground for future

resolutions• Most significant actions at beginning

3. Operative part- language• Each paragraph begins with verb- 3rd person indicative

(present tense). Must be italicised e.g. Urges Suggests Decides

• Could also begin with an expression or phrase. If so, whole expression or phrase must be italicised e.g. Takes note with satisfaction

• Paragraphs must be numberede.g. referred to as “paragraph 2 of the draft resolution...”

• Every paragraph ends with semicolon; except the last one which ends with full stop.

3. Operative part- language

• Key words, often used: Declares, Requests, Decides

• Key words, less frequent: Affirms, Notes, Welcomes, Notes with satisfaction, Notes with

regret, Notes with deep regret, Expresses its appreciation, Expresses its deep concern

• Infrequent, used mainly by SC: Deplores, Condemns

3. Operative part- content

• Sets precedent for future resolutions • End operative part must include follow-up paragraph

e.g. “Requests the Secretary General to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution”

OR “Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-fifth

session an item entitled ‘Cooperation of...’” etc.• Wording of new title of agenda item can affect the future

focus of resolution

Numbering

• Numbering must be in following order:

3. Proposes that the Fund be governed by and Executive Committee which shall be:(a) Comprised of 21 Member States;

(i) To be proposed by the General Assembly;(ii) To serve for a term of two years;

Handy tips• Capitals must be used for:• Member States• Secretary-General (with hyphen-)• The Secretariat• UN organs (General Assembly)

• Numbers are written in letters, digits only used for very high numbers or dates

• “Sixty-fifth” must also be written in letters• Percentages – 10 per cent• Resolution MUST have operative part, whereas it may

not have to have preamble (rare cases)

Handy tips-

• Order of strength of terms in operative part– Invites less strong- can still be declined– Calls upon- even stronger– Appeals- stronger still!– Urges/strongly urges- stronger...– Demands- strongest!

NB. If you want another organ to do something, must use Requests – it is a request, not an order! E.g. “Requests the Secretary General...”

Summary

• Resolution must include 3 main parts• Preamble- sets tone and rationale for action• Operative part- outlines specific action• Stronger the better! –Resolutions set

precedent for following year’s work(Could be specific and focused ,or broad and wide-ranging- will depend on

the issue at hand and its current progress)