A total of 146 nations are now party to the Convention, but 40 nations - including Indonesia, Japan and Nigeria - are not yet parties to the Genocide Convention

Article XI: "After 1 January 1950, the present Convention may be acceded to on behalf of any Member of the United Nations and of any non-member State which has received an invitation as aforesaid. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations."

Article XIII: "Any ratification or accession effected, subsequent to the latter date shall become effective on the ninetieth day following the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession."

Malta: [No Photograph] On June 6, 2014 Malta deposited instruments of ratification to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations.

Previous UN depository action concerning the Genocide Convention:

Comoros: On September 27, 2004 Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Souef Mohamed El Amine of the Republic of the Union of Comoros deposited instruments of accession to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations.

Sudan: [No Photograph] On October 13, 2003 Sudan deposited instruments of accession to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations. The Convention entered into force for Sudan on 11 January 2004 in accordance with its article XIII (see above). Reference: C.N.1204.2003.TREATIES-1 (Depositary Notification)

Trinidad and Tobago: On December 13, 2002 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago H.E. Mr. Philip Sealy deposited instruments of accession to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations.

Trinidad and Tobago had previously signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on March 23, 1999 and ratified the Statute on April 6, 1999, becoming the 2nd State Party to that treaty. Previously Trinidad and Tobago President Jacob Robinson played a crucial early role in December 1989 in early efforts toward the creation of an International Criminal Court.

The Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court are complementary treaties, which share a common definition of the crime of genocide. Both treaties are concerned with the punishment of genocide, but only the Genocide Convention addresses genocide prevention. Therefore is most important that nations become parties to both treaties. As of September 1, 2003 the Genocide Convention has 135 parties and 2 nations which have signed but not yet ratified the treaty. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has 91 State Parties and an additional 48 signatories which are not yet State parties.

Of the 91 State Parties to the Rome Statute, 18 nations have not yet become parties to the Genocide Convention, including Andorra, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Central African Republic. Djibouti, Dominica, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Samoa, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Zambia. Prevent Genocide International calls on these nations to ratify or accede to the Genocide Convention. Another 18 signatories to the Rome Statute which have not yet ratifies, have also not ratifies the Genocide Convention. [Click here for a list of Nonparties to the Genocide Convention by ICC status ]

Paraguay: On October 3, 2001 Paraguay, deposited instruments of ratification with the United Nations. Over fifty years ago Paraguay signed the Convention on December 11, 1948, the first day the Convention was open for signature.

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: On March 12, 2001 the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia deposited instruments of accession to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations. Previously the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia former had signed and ratified the Convention on 11 December 1948 and 29 August 1950, respectively. The action provoked some controversy. Yugoslavia's action with respect to the Genocide Convention occurred five months after Milosevic resigned as President on October 6, 2000 and only weeks before he was arrested on April 1, 2001. On May 12, 2001 the Government of the Republic of Croatia objected "due to the fact that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is already bound by the Convention since its emergence as one of the five equal successor states to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia." Since these events the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was dissolved on February 4, 2003 succeeded by Serbia and Montenegro.

Republic of Guinea and the Swiss Confederation:

On September 7, 2000 Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea H.E. Mr. Lamine Sidimé and President of the Swiss Confederation H.E. Mr. Adolf Ogi, deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations during the UN Millennium Summit. Guinea, a West African country north of Liberia and Sierra Leone, also signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court during the Millennium Summit on September 8, 2000. Switzerland, the only major nation not a member of the United Nations, had earlier signed the Rome Statue on July 18, 1998.

Swiss accession to the Genocide Convention was approved in December 1999 by the Swiss Federal Council. Before this action, however, a Swiss court threw out the charge of genocide on April 13, 1999 in the trial of Fulgence Niyonteze, because the crime of genocide was not then part of Swiss law. The Rwandan mayor, who took asylum in Switzerland in 1994, was tried instead for murder and incitement to murder. Along with accession to the Convention, Switzerland has since added the crime of genocide to the nation's penal code, the military penal code and the federal penal procedure.

Sao Tome and Principe: On September 6, 2000 President of Sao Tome and Principe H. E. Mr. Miguel dos Anjos da Cunha Lisboa Trovoada deposited instruments of accession to the Genocide Convention with the United Nations.

During 1999 two nations deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations: Portugal on February 9 and Uzbekistan on September 9.

During 1998 four nations deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations: Belize on March 10, Kazakhstan on August 26, Bangladesh on October 5, and South Africa on December 10.

Click here for more UN Photographs of Signature and Ratification Ceremonies

List of parties to the Convention (UN status report)
Nations NOT party to the Genocide Convention