Hanoi Convention - A historic milestone in multilateral cooperation against cybercrime

Border Guard - The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 24, 2024 and is expected to be officially signed in October 2025, in Hanoi, Vietnam. This is the first time a legally binding multilateral international treaty in the field of cybersecurity has been associated with a geographical location in Vietnam. This event not only affirms the country's position and prestige in the international arena, but also demonstrates Vietnam's active and responsible contribution in the process of negotiating, building and realizing a global tool to deal with increasingly complex challenges from cyberspace.

Representative of the Vietnamese Delegation speaks at the event to ratify the Hanoi Convention. Photo: VNA

The Hanoi Convention consists of 9 chapters with 71 articles, clearly defining acts considered cybercrimes, from illegal intrusion into computer systems, data interference, spreading malware, denial of service attacks to online fraud, property appropriation or money laundering through digital technology . In addition, the Convention also sets out principles on jurisdiction, investigation, prosecution, mechanisms for collecting and sharing electronic evidence in transnational cases. In particular, the Convention establishes an international cooperation framework with a mechanism for information exchange, technical support, human resource training and a 24/7 coordination channel to promptly handle emergency incidents. This is an important highlight, helping countries have synchronous cooperation tools in a cyberspace that is not subject to geographical borders.

The significance of the Hanoi Convention goes beyond the legal framework. The Convention opens a global cooperation mechanism, helping countries together build common standards in preventing, investigating and punishing cybercrime. In the context of increasingly sophisticated criminal activities, using high technology, penetrating all areas from economics , finance, banking to social life, the birth of the Convention is considered the first "legal shield" at the United Nations level. The fact that Hanoi was chosen as the place to sign the Convention has great symbolic significance, demonstrating international confidence in the capacity, prestige and role of Vietnam, while opening up opportunities to enhance the country's position in the process of international integration.

In preparation for the signing ceremony, Vietnam has carried out many important activities. In Vienna (Austria) and New York (USA), international seminars with the theme "Towards Hanoi" were co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), thereby informing about the process, calling for the wide participation of member countries, and demonstrating Vietnam's responsibility as host. In the country, the legal system related to cybercrime prevention has also been reviewed, supplemented and perfected to comply with international commitments. Preparations for facilities, logistics, security, multilingual interpretation services and publication of documents on the official platform of the United Nations have been carried out methodically and thoroughly. As planned, the signing ceremony will take place on October 25-26, 2025, in Hanoi, co-chaired by Politburo member, President of Vietnam Luong Cuong and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This will be Vietnam's largest international diplomatic and legal event in 2025, gathering leaders and representatives of hundreds of countries and international organizations.

Delegates attend Vietnam's introduction of the Hanoi Convention signing ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York (USA). Photo: VNA

On the occasion of the signing ceremony of the "United Nations Convention against Cybercrime", with the theme "Combating Cybercrime - Sharing Responsibility - Looking to the Future", President Luong Cuong sent a message to leaders of countries and international friends, affirming that this event is a historic milestone demonstrating the common determination of the international community in preventing and combating cybercrime. President Luong Cuong emphasized that cybercrime is a global threat, threatening security and social stability, therefore, solidarity, cooperation and respect for the law among countries are needed. President Luong Cuong affirmed that the Hanoi Convention is not only a legal procedure, but also a foundation to promote dialogue, share experiences and strengthen international cooperation, especially supporting developing countries to improve their response capacity. Vietnam is committed to working with the international community to turn the Convention into concrete actions, contributing to building a safe and fair cyberspace for the common interests of humanity today and tomorrow.

The contents of the President’s speech clearly reflect Vietnam’s viewpoint: Considering cybercrime prevention as a priority in national security policy and placing trust in international cooperation to deal with transnational challenges. The choice of Hanoi as the location for the signing is not only symbolic, but also sends a strong message about Vietnam’s commitment to leading and participating deeply in the global cooperation network.

In recent years, Vietnam has made significant progress in preventing and combating cybercrime. According to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security, in 2024, the authorities discovered more than 6,000 cases of fraud in cyberspace, with total losses of more than 12,000 billion VND. Many serious cases were solved, including the case of buying and selling nearly 56 million personal data of officials, civil servants, public employees, workers and citizens in many provinces and cities across the country, causing a stir in public opinion nationwide in February 2025, in Hue city; or a special project to eliminate a criminal gang that took advantage of cyberspace to illegally buy and sell drugs, arresting many subjects and seizing a large amount of drugs in Nghe An.

The authorities have also promptly stopped many cross-border online fraud rings with transaction values ​​up to hundreds of billions of VND, and handled money laundering cases via cryptocurrencies related to underground trading floors. In parallel with the fight, the authorities have stepped up propaganda and community education programs. Many online campaigns have also been deployed to encourage people to raise their vigilance, proactively protect personal data and promptly report cybercrime.

These achievements not only affirm Vietnam’s initiative and determination in responding to cybercrime, but also demonstrate the practical capacity of the country hosting such an important international event. However, with the rapid development of technology and the increasing sophistication of crime, Vietnam, like many other countries, still faces many challenges. Completing the legal framework, improving technical capacity, training specialized human resources, and ensuring a balance between cybersecurity and human rights in the digital environment are urgent requirements in the coming time.

The Hanoi Convention is expected to be a turning point in global cooperation against cybercrime. Not only contributing to protecting the security, economic and social interests of each country, the Convention also aims to build a safe, healthy, fair cyberspace serving sustainable development. As the host, Vietnam once again affirms its image as a responsible, proactive country, ready to accompany the international community in efforts to respond to new security challenges of the digital age.

Thu Minh

Source: https://www.bienphong.com.vn/cong-uoc-ha-noi-dau-moc-lich-su-trong-hop-tac-da-phuong-chong-toi-pham-mang-post495398.html