The Compulsory Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice on Territorial Disputes

The Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is important in the context of maintaining international peace and security. This is also the primary purpose of the United Nations (UN). The ICJ is the principal judicial institution of the UN which has jurisdiction to settle disputes between States that have consented to such jurisdiction. Therefore, this paper aims to shed light on the legally-binding character of the ICJ’s jurisdiction. In addition, it examines the role of the state’s consent in relation with ICJ’s jurisdiction. This research also explains the ICJ’s approach to the principle of uti possidetis as one of the nine categories on which the ICJ bases its arguments in its decisions for the recognition of a new independent state. By applying this approach, this paper analyzes the case of Kosovo in the light of the principle of uti possidetis.