The representatives of the signatory parties had their voice at a high-level dialogue held following the signing of the Convention in Hanoi on October 25.

A historic milestone for global cyber cooperation

Speaking at the function, Matt Thistlethwaite, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, thanked Vietnam for hosting the event, calling it a historic turning point in global efforts to establish a unified, binding legal framework to combat cybercrime, one of the most pressing transnational challenges of the digital age.

He noted that while technology improves people’s lives, it also enables criminals to act in increasingly sophisticated ways. In Australia alone, between 2024 and 2025, a cyberattack is reported every six minutes, costing the economy over US$12.5 billion.

Thistlethwaite stressed that cybercrime has evolved beyond borders and jurisdictions. Accordingly, a cybercrime syndicate can operate from one country, exploit forced labor from another, and target victims elsewhere.

That is why global cooperation is essential, and why Australia is proud to sign the Hanoi Convention, the first UN-endorsed treaty to address cybercrime and electronic data collection, he noted.

Delegates agreed that the Hanoi Convention embodies the success of multilateralism and reaffirms the United Nations’ role as a platform for addressing transboundary challenges.

The Convention, comprising nine chapters and 71 articles, provides a robust legal basis to strengthen cross-border investigations, harmonise national laws, and narrow the operating space for organised cybercriminal groups, while ensuring respect for human rights.

Protecting vulnerable groups online

A notable feature of the Hanoi Convention is its emphasis on protecting vulnerable groups, especially women, children, and the elderly, from online exploitation, including non-consensual sharing of private images, child sexual abuse, and digital fraud.

Ecuador’s Vice President María José Pinto González Artigas highlighted that children today learn, play, and dream online, yet are increasingly exposed to manipulation and online violence.

Cybersecurity is not just a technical or economic issue, it is a social imperative - a matter of protecting the minds and hearts of an entire generation, she said. The politician stressed that all technological development must be grounded in human rights, and that every decision should start with a single guiding question: “Is this safe for all children?”

Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technology, Samuel Nartey George, underscored that cybercrime undermines economic and social structures, threatens financial institutions, and worsens inequality in developing regions.

The Hanoi Convention is more than a legal text - it is a call to action. It offers the first truly global framework for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cybercrime while protecting fundamental freedoms in the digital space, he affirmed.

Representing Thailand, Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiyanok Chidchob acknowledged that governments have underestimated the scale of online fraud, which has now become deeply entrenched in societies worldwide.

The Hanoi Convention will serve as a beacon of hope guiding nations toward a safer, more secure, and trusted digital future, where no criminal can hide, no victim is left behind, and no country stands alone, he stated.

Hanoi Convention marks historic milestone in global cooperation against cybercrime

VOV.VN - The signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention) in Hanoi is described as not only a major diplomatic occasion but also a historic turning point in global efforts to ensure cybersecurity and strengthen multilateralism, heard a joint press briefing in Hanoi.