Int’l community hails adoption of UN Convention against Cybercrime
The international community on December 24 welcomed the unanimous adoption of the United Nations (UN) Convention against Cybercrime by the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
According to Article 64 of the Convention, this document will be open for signature in Hanoi in 2025, and titled the “Hanoi Convention”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the adoption, stressing that it is the first legally binding document to be negotiated in over two decades.
He described the convention as a testament to multilateralism moving in the right direction during challenging times and a reflection of the UN member states’ collective will to foster international cooperation in crime prevention and combat.
Once in effect, the new convention will help ensure a safer cyberspace, Guterres believed, urging all nations to join it.
Echoing views on the significance of the “Hanoi Convention”, President of the 79th session of the UNGA Philemon Yang described it as a vital tool to safeguard people in a world where information technology and cyberspace offer immense potential but also harbour numerous threats.
Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), hailed the adoption as a meaningful victory of multilateralism and a major step forward in the international community's efforts to combat cybercrimes such as child sexual exploitation, online fraud, and money laundering. She reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting all member states in signing, ratifying, and implementing the convention, as well as providing the necessary tools and assistance to protect economies and ensure cybersecurity.
The same day, the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) also commended the adoption, calling it a milestone in the global fight against the threats posed by cybercrimes.
