UNODC and Terrorism Prevention

Terrorism has been of concern to the international community since 1937 when the League of Nations adopted 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, along with relevant Resolutions adopted by the UN, constitute the universal legal regime against terrorism. In September 2006, UN Member States unanimously agreed to coordinate their counter-terrorism efforts by gathering the broad array of UN programmes, offices and agencies of the UN engaged in counterterrorism activities under the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which provides a common strategic and operational framework to fight terrorism.

For over a decade, the UNODC, through its Terrorism Prevention Branch, manages and implements the rolling Global Project on "Strengthening the Legal Regime against Terrorism", thereby making a critical contribution to the fight against international terrorism and enhancing Member States' capacity for international cooperation in this field. More on the role of UNODC>