What is the relationship between treaties and international law?
Treaties are one of the more important sources of international law, which comprises the rules and norms that govern relations between nations. As formal written declarations, treaties define specific terms and conditions of international law that nations have agreed to recognize. In the case of multilateral treaties, widespread agreement among nations to a treaty’s terms helps to establish international consensus on the law governing the issues addressed by the treaty. The United Nations actively promotes the codification of international law through multilateral treaties.