Solemn opening ceremony of the signing of the Hanoi Convention on Cybercrime

President Luong Cuong chaired the opening ceremony with the participation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders and high-level representatives of about 110 countries and international organizations.

President Luong Cuong presided over the official welcoming ceremony and took a group photo with the Heads of Delegations attending the signing ceremony. Photo: Phung Anh

On the morning of October 25, the signing ceremony and the High-level Conference of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime ( Hanoi Convention) were solemnly held at the National Convention Center with the theme "Fighting cybercrime, sharing responsibility, looking towards the future".

Taking place from October 25-26, the Program is expected to include, in addition to the opening and closing sessions, the Signing Ceremony and the Summit, 1 plenary discussion session, 1 signing session, 4 high-level discussions and 4 roundtable sessions, 1 Gala dinner, and a Technology Exhibition jointly organized by the Government of Vietnam and the United Nations Secretariat.

This is the first time a Vietnamese location – the capital city of Hanoi – has been linked to a global multilateral treaty in a field of international importance. This choice underscores Vietnam’s international standing, reflecting the international community’s recognition of Vietnam’s contributions to the development of the Convention.

President Luong Cuong chaired the ceremony with the participation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders and high-level representatives of about 110 countries and many international organizations, including agencies of the United Nations system, regional organizations, financial institutions, and many experts and scholars in the fields of cybersecurity and international law.

Before the opening session, President Luong Cuong took a group photo with the Heads of delegations attending the signing ceremony and the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; and with delegates visited the photo exhibition organized by the Vietnam News Agency introducing the country, people and development achievements of Vietnam, Vietnam's positive contributions to the activities of the United Nations, as well as the Vietnam-United Nations relationship.

President Luong Cuong took a photo with the Heads of Delegations attending the signing ceremony and the High-Level Conference of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. Photo: Phung Anh

President Luong Cuong and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will deliver opening speeches, followed by representatives of 60 countries signing the Hanoi Convention at an official ceremony hosted by the UN Office for Legal Affairs (OLA).

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime was initiated by the United Nations in 2019, stemming from the urgent need to build a comprehensive legal framework to address global challenges of non-traditional security, climate change and sustainable development. After 5 years of negotiations, the United Nations General Assembly officially approved it by consensus on December 24, 2024.

The Convention, consisting of nine chapters and 71 articles, provides a comprehensive approach to preventing and combating the global scourge of cybercrime and upholding human rights principles. It addresses technical and legal challenges by adapting traditional criminal investigation methods to the information and communications technology environment, while enhancing international cooperation.

Throughout the process of developing the Convention, Vietnam has played a proactive role, demonstrated through the organization of many international workshops, gathering experts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to shape the content of the Convention, focusing on areas such as cybersecurity, environmental protection and hunger eradication and poverty reduction. Initiatives proposed by Vietnam such as support mechanisms for less developed countries and the integration of climate change content have received strong support from the international community, contributing to the formation of a global document.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son welcomed the Heads of Delegations attending the signing ceremony.

The United Nations' selection of Hanoi as the venue for the signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention is an important milestone in Vietnam's multilateral diplomacy history and nearly 50 years of Vietnam-United Nations partnership. For the first time, a Vietnamese location has been listed and associated with a global multilateral treaty related to a field of great interest to the international community. This choice reflects the country's increasingly high international position and prestige in actively promoting multilateralism, participating in leading the process of building and shaping global digital governance frameworks, ensuring cybersecurity and national sovereignty in cyberspace, creating a premise for successfully implementing the digital transformation strategy to prepare the country to enter a new era, an era of strong and prosperous development of the Vietnamese people.

Within the framework of the signing ceremony and the High-level Conference on the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime - "Hanoi Convention", there will be a Plenary Discussion co-chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres; along with high-level bilateral meetings, a series of sideline discussion events on the topics "Protecting citizens in the digital era"; "Global cooperation to prevent and combat online fraud"; "Implementing the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime: Capacity building is a pillar of global cooperation"; "Sharing experiences in investigating and collecting electronic evidence in cases related to virtual assets and money laundering", and many other activities.

Source: https://vtv.vn/khai-mac-trong-the-le-mo-ky-cong-uoc-ha-noi-ve-chong-toi-pham-mang-10025102509273418.htm