Among the six principal organs of the United Nations, the International Court for Justice serves as the judiciary body responsible for upholding the power of international law. Composed of 15 judges and its administrative secretariat, known as the Registry, the ICJ is the only permanent court in the world that is granted the ability to rule upon and settle disputes between nations in a legally binding manner. It is also capable of providing advisory opinions on important legal issues to other UN agencies, such as the Security Council.

All signatories of the UN Charter are parties to the ICJ, meaning that any member state has the right to open up a case against another state, if they believe that it has breached its legal obligations. The ICJ will then evaluate the case, and determine accordingly whether it fits the court’s jurisdiction. If so, both parties are called upon to submit evidence and witness testimonies to defend their own position, the culmination of which is used by the court to reach a final verdict- an enforceable declaration of whether the defendant has violated international law, and what reparations must be made if that is the case.

For this year’s JMUN, the court will be looking at the case of Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda). Judges will need to evaluate the credibility and importance of evidence provided to them, while critically analyzing the narratives set forth by both sides. On the contrary, advocates will need to carefully craft memoranda, prepare everything they will present to the judges and ensure that the court reaches a favorable verdict. The burden of proof may be on the applicant party, but the defendant party will have to disprove all of the claims made against them just as firmly.