United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Global action against terrorism

(Click here for high resolution) (pdf)

Terrorism has been of concern to the international community since 1937 when the League of Nations elaborated the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Terrorism. Subsequently, the United Nations and other international and regional inter-governmental organizations have dealt with terrorism from a legal and political perspective. Since 1963, the international community has elaborated universal legal instruments related to the prevention and suppression of international terrorism, which constitute the universal legal regime against terrorism.

In addition, the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council have adopted several resolutions pertaining to terrorism. In particular, and in response to the attacks of 11 September 2001, the Security Council adopted resolution 1373 (2001) (pdf) on 28 September (2001) which declared that:

"...acts, methods and practices of terrorism are contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations". It called upon Member States to "become parties as soon as possible to the relevant international conventions and protocols" and "to increase cooperation and fully implement the relevant international conventions and protocol".

This resolution also established the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) of the Security Council to monitor the implementation of the resolution by all States and increase the capability of States to fight terrorism, including bringing Member States to an acceptable level of compliance with the terrorism-related conventions and protocols. The CTC has since become the United Nations' leading body to promote collective action against international terrorism. In carrying out its functions, the Committee is supported by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) (See also " Working closely with the Security Council's CTC and CTED".)

In the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document (pdf), the Heads of State and Government mandated the General Assembly to develop a counter-terrorism strategy to promote comprehensive and coordinated responses to one of humanity's major threats. In April 2006, the Secretary-General issued recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy ( 60/825) (pdf), which led to the unanimous adoption by the General Assembly, on 8 September 2006, of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy ( 60 /288) (pdf). The strategy marks the first time that countries around the world agree on a common strategic approach to fight terrorism. The strategy contains a plan of action: to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; to prevent and combat terrorism; to take measures to build state capacity to fight terrorism; to strengthen the role of the United Nations in combating terrorism; and to ensure the respect of human rights while countering terrorism.