It encouraged efforts to form a representative government to afford equal rights and justice to all Iraqi citizens, and recalled Resolution 1325 (2000) on women to that effect.

Furthermore, the Council determined that the United Nations should play a vital role in humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts and the development of institutions in Iraq.

[3] It welcomed the resumption of humanitarian efforts and the appointment of a Special Adviser by the Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The resolution, adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, resolved many of the legal and governmental ambiguities that resulted from the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the U.S. and U.K.-led "coalition of the willing".

Its three most important features are that it recognized the US-UK coalition's responsibilities under applicable international law as occupying powers; recognised the creation of a transitional governing council of Iraqis; and removed all sanctions against Iraq that were placed upon the former regime of Saddam Hussein under resolutions 661 (1991), 778 (1992) and others.