A Vietnamese inter-agency delegation led by Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu attended the Octopus Conference on combating cybercrime, held at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg, France on June 4-5.

The conference brought together representatives from more than 100 countries that are parties or observers to the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), including several ministerial-level delegations from countries such as Malta, Guatemala and Ghana. Also present were international experts, researchers in cybercrime prevention, and relevant international and non-governmental organizations.

At the opening plenary session, the Vietnamese delegation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) co-hosted a side event regarding international conventions on cybercrime, the new UN Convention on countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes and its linkages with the Budapest Convention.

In his remarks, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu shared updates on the upcoming United Nations Convention on countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes (Hanoi Convention), and its signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Hanoi on October 25–26, 2025.

He underscored the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly for the Asia–Pacific region as a response to the growing legal gaps in international cooperation to combat cybercrime. The Convention is expected to provide a unified legal framework for responsible behavior in cyberspace and promote deeper international coordination in dealing with high-tech crime. It also complements the Budapest Convention as an alternative yet compatible international instrument open to all countries, including Council of Europe members.

In addition to its legal significance, the signing ceremony will feature high-level discussions, side events and exhibitions, serving as a platform for dialogue, sharing best practices, and creating impetus for the Convention’s early implementation and effectiveness.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Ambassador Vu extended an official invitation to all signatories of the Budapest Convention, regional and international organizations, and relevant NGOs to attend the signing event in October, demonstrating a shared commitment to a safe, fair and rules-based digital future.

During discussions, experts from UNODC, the European Commission and Microsoft affirmed that the Hanoi Convention is highly compatible with the Budapest Convention, which will allow countries to carry out both frameworks in parallel and coordinate efforts in areas such as capacity building and 24/7 cooperation mechanisms.

Drawing on their experience with the Budapest Convention, the experts also emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships between competent agencies and tech firms in preventing and combating cybercrime.

On the sidelines of the conference, Ambassador Vu and the Vietnamese delegation met with the Minister of Information Technology and Innovation of Ghana, the Deputy Minister of the Interior of Guatemala, the Deputy Director General of Malaysia’s National Cyber Security Agency, and heads of delegations from Nigeria, Australia, and France to discuss cybercrime issues and extend invitations for the Hanoi Convention signing ceremony. Overall, the countries expressed strong interest and indicated that internal procedures are underway to send delegations to Vietnam for the event.

UN, Vietnam step up efforts on cybercrime convention

VOV.VN - UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Fathi Waly has affirmed that the agency will work closely with Vietnam to ensure the successful organization of the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime also known as the Hanoi Convention, and to encourage its swift ratification and effective implementation.