Resolution Guideline

Resolutions & Declarations

The main objective of a committee’s work is to elaborate and pass a resolution or a declaration about their topics. Resolutions are the UN’s official documents elaborated, negotiated and voted by the delegates.
Declarations are the official documents created, negotiated and voted by delegates in the Ibero-American Summit. Their main purpose is to provide guidelines and recommendations to the UN member nations or the Ibero-American community, nevertheless the only resolutions that are binding are the ones that come from the Security Council.
In order to achieve a resolution, there are a couple of steps that a delegate must accomplish.

- Position Papers
- Draft Resolutions

What differentiates a draft resolution from a resolution is that the delegates of a committee or of the General Assembly have not voted on the former.
Any delegate may elaborate a draft resolution about the topics subject of debate in each committee. The guidelines of MUNUSAL state that a draft resolution must be submitted by at least  three sponsors and two signatories, or two sponsors and three signatories.

Sponsors are the authors of the draft resolution, while signatories are delegates from the same committee who fully support the ideas depicted in such document, even though this does not mean that such signator may modify the content of the proposed resolution via an amendment. A delegate can only be a signator of maximum two draft resolutions.

Draft resolutions consist of three parts: the head, the preamble and the operative section. The head states the committee in which the resolution will be debated, the topic of the resolution, the names of the countries of the delegates sponsoring it and the names of the countries that are signatories.

The preamble is the introduction of the draft resolution. It should state and explain the problem, its history and the reasons why the delegates of the assembly or committee have decided to discuss it. It is written in clauses and each clause must begin with a preambulatory phrase and end with a comma. It is advised for a preamble to include the following:

• References to the UN charter or any UN resolution or International Treaty that discusses the topic.
• General statements about the topic, its significance and impact
• Mentions of efforts made by any nongovernmental or international organization.

The operative section should state no longer discuss the problem but state possible solutions for it. It is also divided in clauses, which should begin with an operative phrase and end with a semicolon. If the clause needs further explanation, numbered lists presided by roman numerals or letters should lead to further sub-clauses. Finally, the last operative clause should end with a period.

- Amendments

During the debating process of a draft resolution, delegates have the opportunity to modify any part of it. An amendment may add, delete or revise a preambulatory or operative clause in a draft resolution.
There are two types of amendments:
1. Friendly Amendments → A change that all sponsors agree with and does not need to be subdued to a voting process, only the approval of the presiding officer.
2. Unfriendly Amendments → Changes which the authors of the resolution do not completely agree upon. Anyone who decides to submit an unfriendly amendment needs the signatures of three sponsors. The amendment will be subject to debate and undergo a voting process. It may only pass with absolute majority.

- Resolution Phrases

Preambulatory Phrases Affirming Alarmed by Approving Aware of Bearing in mind Believing Confident Contemplating Convinced Declaring Deeply concerned Deeply disturbed Deeply regretting Desiring Emphasizing Expecting Expressing its appreciation Expressing its satisfaction Fulfilling Fully alarmed Fully aware Fully believing Further deploring Further recalling Guided by Having adopted Having considered Having devoted Having heard Having received Having Studied Further attention Keeping in mind Noting with deep concern Noting with regret Noting with satisfaction Noting further Noting with approval Observing Reaffirming Realizing Recalling Recognizing Referring Seeking Taking into account Taking into consideration Taking note Viewing with Appreciating Welcoming

Operative Phrases Accepts Affirms Approves Authorizes Calls Calls upon Condemns Confirms Congratulates Considers Declares accordingly Deplores Designates Draws the attention Emphasizes Encourages Endorses Expresses appreciation Expresses its hope Further invites Further proclaims Further reminds Further recommends Further requests Further resolves Has resolved Notes Proclaims Reaffirms Recommends Regrets Reminds Request Solemnly affirms Strongly condemns Supports Takes note of Transmits Trust