Cybercrime has become a pressing global issue and is growing faster than ever. (Photo: VNA)
A turning point in global cooperation.
On October 25-26, the Hanoi Convention will be officially launched in Hanoi with the theme “Combating Cybercrime – Sharing Responsibility – Towards the Future”. The event will bring together the UN Secretary-General, heads of state and leaders from over 100 countries, along with dozens of international delegations, reflecting the scale of a new global cooperation initiative in the digital age.
The Hanoi Convention, adopted at the UN General Assembly nearly a year ago, aims to create a unified legal framework for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cross-border cybercrime; promoting the sharing of electronic evidence, coordinating investigations, and establishing a network of training and technical support among countries. This is the first UN document on combating cybercrime in over 20 years since the Budapest Convention (2001) – a symbol of the global effort to build a safe, stable, and humane cyberspace.
Reliable bridge
Dr. Vu Viet Anh, from the Centre for Cybercrime at the University of Cambridge (UK), answers an interview with VNA (Vietnam News Agency) on the occasion of Vietnam hosting the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. Photo: Huu Tien/VNA correspondent in the UK.
According to Dr. Vu Viet Anh, a researcher at the Centre for Cybercrime at the University of Cambridge (UK), the adoption of the Hanoi Convention "has great symbolic significance as Vietnam becomes a reliable bridge between developed and developing countries, promoting dialogue based on the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty, and mutual benefit." He believes that in the context of many differences among countries regarding legal and regulatory frameworks for cyberspace, Vietnam's flexible mediating role clearly demonstrates its increasingly mature multilateral diplomatic capacity, as Vietnam not only participates but also actively contributes to shaping new international norms.
Sharing the same view, Professor Carl Thayer (Australian Defence College, University of New South Wales, Australia) commented that Vietnam's selection to host the signing ceremony reflects its increasingly high position and cybersecurity capabilities. He cited that Vietnam currently ranks 17th out of 194 countries in global cybersecurity capabilities. Vietnam has achieved many successes in multilateralizing and diversifying international relations, which have been recognized and highly appreciated by the international community.
Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Duc Son - currently working at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematical Sciences at Curtin University (Australia), and also the President of the IEEE Computing Association branch in Western Australia. Photo: VNA.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Duc Son (Curtin University, Australia), this event also underscores Vietnam's growing influence in shaping global digital governance. Vietnam not only participates but also fosters international consensus, helping nations collectively address one of the most complex challenges of our time: cybercrime. In many respects, the Hanoi Convention will bear Vietnam's name as a symbol of peace, trust, and shared responsibility in the digital age.
Legal "shield"
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Duc Son, the Hanoi Convention inherits and elevates the effectiveness of cooperation from the Budapest Convention to a global scale, helping countries – regardless of their level of development – to share information, support investigations, and standardize legal procedures in handling cross-border cybercrime. This is a universal and comprehensive cooperation platform, ensuring that all countries have a voice in building global digital security.
Sharing this view, the Algerian newspaper Cresus called the Hanoi Convention not only a legal instrument but also a humanistic vision for the digital future, placing human rights and privacy at the center. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), emphasized: “This is a historic milestone paving the way for unprecedented global cooperation in the fight against cybercrime.”
According to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 report, total global cybercrime losses in 2024 exceeded $1 trillion, with some countries experiencing losses exceeding 3% of their GDP. Differences in national legal frameworks are creating loopholes for cybercriminals to exploit, making the need for a common legal framework urgent. The Hanoi Convention is expected to fill this gap, creating an effective coordination mechanism among countries while increasing the capacity to trace and protect global users.
Beyond its global scope, the Hanoi Convention also provides impetus for deeper regional cooperation. At the regional level, Thong Mengdavid, a geopolitical analyst at the Institute for International and Public Policy Studies, Royal University of Phnom Penh (Cambodia), believes the Hanoi Convention will help accelerate the integration of ASEAN's cybersecurity legal framework, especially in the management and sharing of electronic evidence and legal cooperation. He argues that ASEAN can establish a common framework standard and coordination system, building trust among investors and citizens, while promoting the safe and sustainable development of e-commerce, fintech, and cross-border digital trade.
At the national level, for Vietnam, the Hanoi Convention opens opportunities to strengthen cooperation in investigation, technology transfer, and specialized training, thereby expanding the domestic cybersecurity services market and enhancing digital autonomy. Vietnam has proactively enacted the Cybersecurity Law since 2019 – a strategic step to protect citizens and businesses from sophisticated forms of cybercrime such as ransomware, online fraud, data theft, terrorism, and attacks on critical infrastructure. As a result, Vietnam has risen to the top 20 leading countries in global cybersecurity by 2024, with over 80% of its population participating in the digital space.
Speaking about the upcoming event, President Luong Cuong affirmed: "Vietnam has always considered combating cybercrime as one of the priorities in its national security policy, and actively participates with the international community in the fight against cybercrime. Vietnam clearly understands that, given the borderless nature of cyberspace, effective combating cybercrime requires solidarity, cooperation among nations, and the rule of law."
The Hanoi Convention, therefore, is not only a legal "shield" protecting global cyberspace, but also a symbol of Vietnam's increasingly proactive, responsible, and innovative role in the effort to create a safe, reliable, and humane digital environment for all of humanity, towards a safe and sustainable digital era. Hanoi, as the place where this convention was signed, affirms Vietnam's role as a responsible and reliable partner in the joint effort to build a safe and transparent cyberspace. This is also a concrete step contributing to the effective implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on scientific breakthroughs, technological innovation, and national digital transformation, paving the way for the country's strong development in the new era.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tam-khien-trong-the-gioi-so-20251023071904353.htm
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