- formal binding agreement between two or more sovereign entities under international law
- types
- bilateral: between two states (trade agreements, border settlements)
- multilateral: among many states (UN Charter, Paris Agreement, Geneva Conventions)
- peace treaties: end armed conflicts, redraw borders, set reparations
- process: negotiation, signature, ratification, entry into force
- pacta sunt servanda: treaties must be honored in good faith (Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969)
- enforcement relies on reciprocity, reputation, and international institutions rather than centralized coercion
- network state diplomacy: digital communities forming agreements with legacy states for legal recognition
- inter-chain protocols as treaties between sovereign blockchains: IBC, bridges, shared security agreements
- cyberia may establish treaties with host jurisdictions for physical territory and legal standing
- see also diplomacy, sovereignty, federation, international law