Draft Resolution

Guide
What is a resolution?

Resolution is a final document written and drafted by delegations of countries comprising of

solutions and planned actions to address a specific issue or problem that has been debated
during the conference.

There's a long step before you can write a resolution. Along with the dynamic of the debate
during the conference, you will draft different kind of documents before actually moving on to
resolution. First, you have to write out a working paper. Working paper is a paper which
consists of important points that is drafted by a country or alliance of countries related to the
issue debated during the conference. The working paper is usually drafted along the
conference, especially during the lobbying and negotiation process among the countries in
unmoderated caucus. The working paper is technically different with draft resolution,
especially on the format. There need to be a voting procedure for a working paper to be passed
and thus, the working paper could be used as a basis to work on a draft resolution.

Now, after debating and voting on working papers, it's time to move on to work on a draft
resolution. Draft resolution is all resolution that have not been voted by the committee. The
drafting process of draft resolution might take several time, because a draft resolution is
written in a format based on a official format that is used by the United Nations in its
resolutions.

Resolutions have many capacities; keep the following points in mind when drafting a
resolution:

• Once a resolution is passed it is the official policy of the body that passed it.
• While most resolutions are a statement of policy, some may include an entire treaty,
declaration or convention.
• Resolutions can be either general statements or directives to specific organizations, UN
bodies, or States.
• Resolutions can condemn actions of states, call for collective actions, or as is the case
of the Security Council, require economic or military sanctions.
Points to Consider in Writing Draft Resolutions
The following list includes important points to consider when writing a draft resolution. This is
by no means an exhaustive list, but should provide a good starting point to make your draft
resolutions as realistic as possible. Points to consider include:
• In the perambulatory clauses, describe the recent history of the situation and the issue
as it currently exists;
• Reference past United Nations actions and previous resolutions passed on the topic,
when available;
• In the operative clauses, include actions or recommendations which will solve the
problem, not just make a statement;

Draft Resolution Guide

• Do not be blatantly political in the content of the draft resolution − this may damage
efforts to reach a consensus on the issue;
• Take into account the points of view of other nations whenever possible;
• Write the draft resolution from your country’s side of the international or United
Nations perspective, not just from your country’s individual point of view;
• Consider whether the substance is within the purview of your Committee, and refer
relevant parts to other bodies where appropriate;
• Refer issues which need further discussion to appropriate, existing bodies;
• Do not create new committees/commissions/working groups/etc. without
considering funding for these groups, or if other, similar bodies already exist;
• Always consider previous UN resolutions on the topic − do not duplicate what other
resolutions have done without referencing the appropriate sources.

Draft Resolution Format

The following format must be used for all draft resolutions submitted to the IUMUN
Conference. Draft resolutions not submitted in this format will not be accepted. The
standard format is as follows:

• Single spaced throughout, with double spacing between clauses;

• Clauses must begin with proper introductory words/phrases, in italics;
• Preamble clauses end with commas and operative clauses end with semi-colons;
• Sub-clauses end with a semi-colon;
• Each operative clause must be numbered and indented;
• The final operative clause ends with a period;
• Please do not number lines in the margin of the resolution.
Structure of a Draft Resolution

A draft resolution is usually consists of three main bodies, which are: heading, pre- ambulatory
clauses and operative clauses. Below are the explanations for this three main bodies of a draft
resolution.

1) Heading

Heading is a first body of a draft resolution. It is usually contains main information, such as the
committee name, the sponsors, the signatories, and the topic discussed.

The sponsors of a resolution is parties which draft the substance of the draft resolution and
agree with the content of it.

In a MUN, sponsors is consisting of a group of countries which allied to make their draft
resolution to be passed. Meanwhile;

the signatories of a resolution is parties which may or may not agree with the substance of
the draft resolution but would like to debate on it and thus could propose an amendment on
the draft resolution.

2) Pre-ambulatory clauses

Pre-ambulatory clauses is clauses which explains the causes of the committee to actually
resolve the issue. Often, pre-ambulatory clauses includes past international actions and
measures that has been taken by the UN. Pre-ambulatory clauses usually include:

• Past UN resolutions, treaties, conventions that is related to the conference topic

• National, regional, and non-governmental actions to solve the problem
• Link back toward the UN Charter or another international laws or international norms
• Statements by UN Secretary-General or another bodies in the UN
• General background, reasons, and significance of the topic to be solved
• There are plenty of words that are usually used as pre-ambulatory clauses in a draft
resolution. Here are the example of pre-ambulatory clause phrases:
Affirming Expecting Noting with deep
Alarmed by Expressing its appreciation Noting with satisfaction
Approving Fulfilling Noting further
Aware of Fully alarmed Noting with approval
Bearing in mind Fully aware Observing
Believing Further deploring Reaffirming
Confident Further recalling Realizing
Contemplating Guided by Recalling
Convinced Having adopted Recognizing
Declaring Having considered Referring
Deeply concerned Having examined Seeking
Deeply conscious Having heard Taking into account
Deeply convinced Having received Taking into consideration
Deeply regretting Having studied Taking note
Desiring Keeping in mind Viewing with appreciation
Emphasizing Noting with regret Welcoming

3) Operative clauses
Operative clause states clause of solutions and measures that will be taken into action by the
committee to actually resolve the issue. The operative clause is numbered, followed by
detailed solutions that ends with semicolon. The different between the operative clause and
pre-ambulatory cause is that the operative clause has a clear progression between each
points.

These are the example of operative clause phrases:

Accepts Further invites Supports

Affirms Further proclaims Takes note of

Approves Further reminds Transmits

Authorizes Further recommends Trusts

Calls upon Further requests Endorses Solemnly

Condemns Further resolves affirms Expresses its
Congratulates Has resolved appreciation Strongly
Considers Notes condemns
Declares accordingly Proclaims
Deplores Reaffirms
Designates Recommends
Draws the attention Regrets
Emphasizes Reminds
Encourages Requests
After a draft resolution is composed, the committee will read, review and thus offering it to
the council to be debated. During the debate, often critics are emerged from block of countries
on the technical issue that is wrongly addressed or not yet addressed by in the draft resolution.
Thus, in this stage, there will be several amendments that will be proposed by alliance of
countries in the council. The amendments process is a 'consensus-based' process to
strengthen the resolution and make the resolution more favorable toward all countries in the
committee.

There are actually two kinds of amendments, which are:

1) Friendly amendments

Friendly amendments is a change that all of the sponsors would agree to include the change
on the draft resolution. After the amendments is signed by all of the draft resolution's
sponsors and approved by the chairs, the amendments will be included automatically in the
draft resolution.

2) Unfriendly amendments

Unfriendly amendments is a change that some or all of the sponsors of the draft resolution
are not supporting with and should be voted before actually included in the draft resolution.
The proposing party of the amendments should obtain several numbers of signatories before
introducing the amendments to the committee. Before voting on draft resolution, the
committee should settle and vote on the unfriendly amendments first.

After series of debates and amendments accepted, then a draft resolution must undergo a
voting process before actually passed as a resolution. Simple majority win is enough in
ordinary councils, such as General Assembly and Arab League. But in the UNSC, a draft
resolution could be rejected by the veto rights owned by P-5 countries.

It is important for you to be familiar with these kind of process, because the drafting process
of working paper and draft resolution is the most essential part in an MUN; that the
objective is to formulate solutions that is applicable to solve global problems.
 Sample Draft Resolution

Draft Resolution 1.1

Committee: Security Council
Topic Area: Situation in North Korea
Signatory: Austria, Brazil, Bosnia, China, Gabon, Japan, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, UK,
Uganda

The Security Council,

Emphasizing the need for the United Nations and the international community to support
consolidation of mutual trust between the two parties,

Reaffirming Resolution 1927 of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which tackle the
explosion incident in Pyongyang on 5th June 2010,

Noting with deep concern the ongoing violence and consequent deterioration of the
humanitarian aid situation and humanitarian access to populations in need, and reiterating its
deep concern about the security of civilians and humanitarian aid workers, and calling upon
both parties in Korea Peninsula to cease offensive actions immediately and to refrain from
further violent attacks,

Recalling relevant resolutions that has been made, including Resolution 825(1993),
Resolution 1540 (2004) and Resolution 1695 (2006) and Resolution 1874(2009), especially
with the part that recalls Statement underlined the need for all Member States to resolve
peacefully in accordance with the Charter any problems in that context threatening or disrupting
the maintenance of regional and global stability,

Bearing in mind the collective support of the NPT and the commitment given in the Treaty,
DPRK cannot have a status as a nuclear-weapon state in all aspects in accordance to the NPT,
Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of
the DPRK and to the cause of peace, stability, and security throughout the region,

1. Stresses its deep concern, condolence and denunciation of the recent security event
concerning the attacks of the Cheonan naval ship of the Republic of Korea navy, and
that the attack has brutally violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea, and the party in charge of the hustle movement shall be strictly condemned by the
international society;

2. Authorizes neutral surveillance team to survey inspection report of several national

governments on the Cheonan naval ship incident, as well as the obligation
clarification and negotiation of the incident, which:

a. be directly responsible to the Security Council (UNSC) by reports every 10 days

to the council about the incident,
b. includes representatives of the Security Council,
c. includes representatives of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee
of the General Assembly (SPECPOL) and other relevant committees of the UN,
 d. includes professionals from International Maritime Organization (IMO) and
other responsible UN agencies,
e. includes representatives of relevant states including Democratic People
Republic of Korea (DPRK), Russian Federation (RF), People Republic of
China (PRC), Japan and the United States of America (USA),
f. invites concerning NGOs as consultants and witnesses such as the Council for
Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP);

3. Demands the government of DPRK and RoK to comply with the resolution 1927 of the
UNSC on solving the dispute and tension caused by the explosion incident in Pyongyang
on 5th June 2010;

4. Reiterates the demand stressed in previous resolution 1874 to DPRK to return to the
Six Party Talks immediately without preconditions;

5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

 Sample Draft Resolution

Draft Resolution 1.2

Topic: Sierra Leone
Committee: Special Political and Decolonization Committee
Signatories: Austria, Brazil, Bosnia, China, Gabon, Japan, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, UK,
United States, Uganda

The General Assembly,

Reaffirming the United Nations role to set the standard in the area of human rights,

Guided by Chapter 7 of United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
which calls for the basic rights of people regardless of origin, nationality and gender, and
General Assembly Resolution 46/37 B,

Deeply concerned by the number and consistency of human rights violations in Sierra Leone,

Reaffirming the United Nations commitment to exploring and exhausting peaceful means of
dispute settlement,

Recognizing that conflict resolution through regional organizations such as ECOWAS and the
OAU has been successful in the past,

Bearing in mind that the UN currently has 37, 400 UN military and personnel provided by 89
countries engaged in 15 operations around the world,

Taking into consideration that the UN was unable to meet its initial deployment goal of 13,
000 for the UNAMSIL mission,

1. Condemns human rights violations;

2. Reaffirms the necessity for peacekeeping forces to remain neutral and objective in the
involvement of interstate and intrastate conflicts;

3. Emphasizes the need for the United Nations to sustain its efforts as a peacekeeper and
humanitarian observer in the UNAMSIL mission;

4. Calls upon member nations to enforce an arms embargo against the country of Sierra
Leone;

5. Authorizes UNAMSIL to execute its mission of peacekeeping once the cease-fire is

under observance;
6. Requests increased assistance to organizations such as ECOWAS and the OAU which
are committed to providing meaningful solutions to regional problems in order to
promote durable peace;

7. Further recommends that the United Nations employ the objectives of preventive
diplomacy as defined by former Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali in his
‘Agenda for Peace’ pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 46/37 B;

8. Further resolves to stay committed to the peaceful resolution of conflict in the country
of Sierra Leone.