The College of Law at the University of Baghdad Discusses a Dissertation on Successive Treaties Governing a Single Subject in the International Law
The College of Law at the University of Baghdad discussed a dissertation entitled “Successive Treaties Governing a Single Subject in International Law”, submitted by the student Mohammed Hafidh Hamzah, from the Department of International Law, on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at the College’s Conference Hall.
The discussion committee was composed of the following members:
- Prof. Dr. Hussam Abdul Ameer Khalaf – Chairman
- Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Khalil Jaafar – Member
- Prof. Dr. Hadi Naeem Al-Maliki – Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Salem Abd – Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Karar Saleh Hammoudi – Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Lama Abdul Baqi Mahmoud – Member and Supervisor
The dissertation aimed to examine the phenomenon of successive treaties that govern a single subject in public international law by analyzing the legal framework established by the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and assessing the adequacy of this framework in resolving conflicts between successive treaties addressing the same subject matter.
The dissertation consisted of three chapters. The first chapter defined successive treaties governing a single subject in international law. The second chapter discussed the absence of a hierarchical structure in the rules of public international law and its impact on successive treaties. The third chapter focused on the succession of treaties under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the settlement of resulting disputes.
The dissertation presented several key recommendations, including:
- Taking into account explicit conflict clauses in existing treaties, particularly Article 103 of the United Nations Charter, when drafting new treaties, and incorporating conflict clauses to safeguard pre-existing agreements.
- Addressing the shortcomings in Paragraph (5) of Article (30) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, specifically concerning the consequences of breaching treaty obligations.
- Coordinating international efforts to unify global and regional legal rules to prevent conflicts between regional obligations and international legal standards.
