A UN treaty adopted in 1999 to criminalize terrorism financing, now ratified by 191 states, making it one of the most widely accepted anti-terrorism instruments.
Key Facts
- Adoption date
- 9 December 1999
- UN General Assembly resolution
- Resolution 54/109
- States ratified (as of May 2026)
- 191 states
- Preceded by UNGA resolution
- Resolution 51/210 (1996)
- Adopted by
- Consensus at UN General Assembly, 54th session
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Growing international concern over terrorism financing in the 1990s prompted the UN General Assembly to pass Resolution 51/210 in 1996, calling for a new legal instrument. A parallel G-8 counter-terrorism initiative reinforced the push for a binding multilateral treaty to close legal gaps allowing terrorist networks to raise and move funds.
On 9 December 1999, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus Resolution 54/109, formally establishing the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The convention obligates signatory states to criminalize the financing of terrorist acts and to cooperate through police and judicial channels to prevent, investigate, and prosecute such conduct.
The convention became one of the most widely ratified anti-terrorism treaties in history, with 191 states party as of 2026. It established a global legal baseline obliging states to enact domestic legislation against terrorism financing and to cooperate internationally, forming a cornerstone of the post-9/11 counter-terrorism legal framework.
Political Outcome
Treaty adopted by consensus; 191 states ratified, criminalizing terrorism financing and requiring international police and judicial cooperation.