Hanoi Convention: Vietnam's strong commitment

The Hanoi Convention was officially opened for signature in Hanoi, marking a historic milestone in efforts to build a global framework to respond to growing threats in cyberspace.

On the morning of October 25, the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime - also known as the " Hanoi Convention" - was officially opened for signing in Hanoi, marking a historic turning point in efforts to build a global framework to respond to increasing threats in cyberspace.

Geopolitical analysis website Geopolitical Monitor (based in Toronto, Canada) published a commentary titled “UN Cybercrime Pact Hopes to Curb Rise of Transnational Criminal Networks” evaluating this event.

In the article, author James Borton commented that choosing Hanoi as the place to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime shows Vietnam's increasingly prominent role in multilateral cooperation, a special mark after 48 years of Vietnam joining the United Nations, and at the same time demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment to shaping the global digital governance framework.

Being the host of a prestigious international event, according to the article, is a sign of Vietnam’s rising diplomatic status as well as its aspiration to rise in the digital age. With great expectations from the international community, Vietnam has the responsibility to lead and promote an open and fair global cyberspace, while balancing national security requirements.

The article also cited a statement from the United Nations, affirming that the Hanoi Convention is the first international treaty on cybercrime, creating a common legal basis to accelerate and strengthen global cooperation in investigating, prosecuting and preventing cybercrime - an area that causes trillions of dollars in damage to the world economy every year. In 2023 alone, global losses due to cybercrime are estimated to reach 8,000 billion USD and could increase to 10,500 billion USD by 2025.

The signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention took place under the co-chair of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, with the participation of leaders and high-level representatives from about 110 countries, many international organizations, financial institutions and cybersecurity experts. All parties emphasized that the Hanoi Convention fully covers human rights guarantees and complies with international law.

The Convention, which consists of nine chapters and 71 articles, provides for unified definitions of cybercrime, electronic evidence transfer mechanisms, 24/7 contact points, and common investigative tools between countries. Once ratified by at least 40 countries, the Convention will officially enter into force, becoming a “global handbook” for countries in the fight against cross-border crime.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the lead negotiating body, the Convention covers a wide range of cybercrimes such as online fraud, ransomware, data trafficking and incitement to hate online.

The Convention also encourages countries to facilitate legitimate cybersecurity research, contributing to promoting technological innovation and building secure and sustainable information systems.

The United Nations expects the Hanoi Convention to establish a transparent and effective cross-border cooperation mechanism, strengthening trust between countries in data sharing, investigation and response to cyber incidents. Experts say this is a foundation for global cooperation in the digital age, demonstrating the international community's common determination to build a safe, trustworthy and humane cyberspace./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cong-uoc-ha-noi-cam-ket-manh-me-cua-viet-nam-post1072609.vnp