Since the ownership of international rivers often does not lie with a single state, their exploitation and use frequently give rise to disputes among riparian countries. The historical approaches to river utilization in international law differ, with customary international law predating treaty-based regulations. The treaty-making process in this field began with the establishment of the International Law Association and the International Law Institute in the 1870s. The central issue addressed in this research is the legal framework governing the utilization of international rivers by the countries through which they flow. This study, considering relevant principles, theories, multilateral treaties, and United Nations conventions, concludes that states may utilize the waters of international rivers in accordance with four key principles: (1) equitable and reasonable use, (2) avoidance of significant harm to other states, (3) notification of other states regarding new projects, and (4) prohibition of altering the river’s course or flow within a state’s territory without prior agreement. These principles are reflected in international instruments such as the Helsinki Rules (1966), the Berlin Rules (2004), the European Water Convention (1992), and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997), which collectively constitute the current legal framework for the use of International rivers. Keywords: International Rivers, International Water Law, Equitable and Reasonable Utilization, No Significant Harm Principle
Darmani et al. (Wed,) studied this question.