What is the purpose of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)? A) To settle disputes between countries B) To provide economic aid to struggling countries C) To try war criminals for crimes against humanity D) To provide a place where citizens can sue governments

What you are being asked

You need to identify what the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is designed to do within the United Nations system, then match that role to the best answer choice.

What the ICJ actually does

The ICJ is a court for states (countries), not for individual people. Its main jobs are:

• Deciding legal disputes submitted by countries (for example, border disputes or treaty interpretation)
• Issuing advisory opinions on legal questions when asked by UN organs and specialized agencies

Why choice A is correct

Choice A matches the ICJ’s core purpose: it settles disputes between countries under international law.

Why the other choices are not the ICJ

• B (economic aid): that is handled by organizations like the World Bank, IMF, and UN development agencies, not the ICJ.
• C (trying war criminals): that is the role of courts like the International Criminal Court (ICC) or special tribunals, not the ICJ.
• D (citizens suing governments): individuals generally cannot sue states in the ICJ; the parties are states.