Public International Law

Public International Law refers to the body of legal rules and principles which determine the international rights and obligations of nation-states and regulate the operations of international organizations.

According to Article 38 of its Statute, the International Court of Justice 'whose function is to decide in accordance with international law such disputes as are submitted to it,' has to apply, inter alia, 'international custom.' This source of public international law is described, in t

While the origins of the modern system of international law can be traced back 400 years, the development of the concepts and practises that would underpin that system can be traced back to ancient historical politics and relationships thousands of years old.

Treaties play a fundamental role in international relations. They are recognized as a  source of  international law in Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. Therefore, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties was adopted in 1969.