SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism

The SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism which was signed on 4th November 1987 came into force on 22nd August 1988 following its ratification by all Member States The Standing Committee at its Twenty Eighth Session (Kathmandu, 19-20 August 2002) recommended that Legal Advisers of SAARC Member States prepare a draft of an Additional Protocol to the SAARC Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism.

This is in recognition of the need to update the Convention on account of the obligations devolving on Member States in terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and the International Convention for Suppression of Financing of Terrorism.

Given the priority accorded by the SAARC Heads of State/Government at the Eleventh Summit to global initiatives to combat terrorism and organized criminal activities, the Standing Committee recommended that a Ministerial level meeting be convened to deal with the issues.

The SAARC Council of Ministers at their Twenty-Third Session, (Kathmandu, 21-22 August 2002) endorsed the Standing Committee›s recommendations to mandate the Senior Officials assisted by Legal Experts of SAARC Member States to prepare an Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism, recognizing the importance of updating the Convention in order to meet obligations devolving on Member States in terms of Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and the international Convention for Suppression of Financing of Terrorism.

The Council of Ministers called for the convening of a Ministerial Meeting to discuss these issues, following careful preparation, including its agenda, through intergovernmental consultations.

Pursuant to their mandate, the Senior Officials assisted by Legal Experts met in Colombo (27-29 August 2003) to prepare a draft Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism.

During the Twelfth SAARC Summit (Islamabad, 4-6 January 2004) the Council of Ministers signed the Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism.

The purpose of this Additional Protocol is to strengthen the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism, particularly by criminalizing the provision, collection or acquisition of funds for the purpose of committing terrorist acts and taking further measures to prevent and suppress financing of such acts.

Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism came into force on 12th January 2006 following its ratification by all Member States.

The First Meeting of SAARC Ministers of Interior/Home (Dhaka, 11 May, 2006) and the Second Meeting of SAARC Ministers of Interior/Home (New Delhi, 25 October 2007 reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Convention and its Additional Protocol.

At the Fourteenth SAARC Summit (New Delhi, 3-4 April 2007), the Heads of State or Government agreed to work on the modalities to implement the provisions of the existing SAARC Conventions to combat terrorism, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, trafficking in women and children and other transnational crimes.