A UN resolution is a formal expression of the opinion or will of a UN body. Most resolutions deal with particular situations or crises. The vast majority of resolutions are binding, though some are not. Resolutions are formally published as individual documents, but may also be included in annual or sessional compilations. Resolutions may be divided into preambular clauses and operative clauses, and both are usually numbered. Decisions, a less formal expression of the will of an organ, may be issued instead of a resolution.
This resolution calls upon the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support for the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo and withdraw immediately from the territory of the DRC, and urges all parties to commit to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. It renews for six months the authority for Member States, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to inspect ships on the high seas, bound to or from Libya, that they have reason to believe are in violation of the arms embargo.
A dispute over whether a resolution is binding has to do with the language used, says international law expert Eran Sthoeger. It must clearly reference Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council the power to assess threats to international peace and security, and use language like “decides” or “requires” in order to be legally binding. Professor Ian Hurd, a law professor at Northwestern University who specialises in international law, tells RS that retroactive disputes over whether a resolution is binding reflect the US trying to interpret international law in ways that serve its political goals.