UN Secretary-General: Hanoi Convention is the first criminal justice treaty in more than two decades

Tổng Thư ký Liên hợp quốc António Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

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".

Speaking at the ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his honor to attend this historic event and thanked the host country Vietnam for its pioneering role, spirit of connection and international organizational capacity, while affirming that Hanoi is a city that embodies the spirit of the digital age – innovative, dynamic and connected.

Tổng Thư ký LHQ: Công ước Hà Nội đặt nền móng cho không gian mạng an toàn, tôn trọng quyền con người - Ảnh 1. — Panorama of the opening ceremony.

Believing that humanity is living in a period of unprecedented technological transformation, with advances bringing the world closer together but also posing increasing risks, Mr. Guterres assessed that the Hanoi Convention is the first global criminal justice treaty in more than two decades, creating a common legal framework for countries to coordinate in the fight against cybercrime.

The Secretary-General called on countries to promptly ratify and implement the Convention, turning commitments into concrete actions to ensure global cyber security, and affirmed that the United Nations will accompany countries through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Office for Legal Affairs (OLA) to support capacity building and cooperation programs between countries.

Secretary-General Guterres stressed that today’s signing ceremony is an important milestone in our common journey towards a safer digital world. The UN Secretary-General called on Member States to build a cyberspace that respects the dignity and human rights of all people, ensuring that the digital age brings peace , security and prosperity for all.

Tổng Thư ký LHQ: Công ước Hà Nội đặt nền móng cho không gian mạng an toàn, tôn trọng quyền con người - Ảnh 2. — President Luong Cuong welcomed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to attend the signing ceremony and high-level meeting of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.

At the ceremony, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly affirmed that the adoption and signing of the Convention was a landmark achievement after five years of challenging negotiations, and expressed his gratitude to Vietnam for hosting and demonstrating its pioneering role in uniting the international community for the common goal of fighting global cybercrime.

According to the head of UNODC, a new era of cybercrime has emerged, with the strong development of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and digital technology, making threats increasingly sophisticated and cross-border in nature. She emphasized that the Hanoi Convention will create a global legal framework, unify standards, share and use electronic evidence, promote judicial cooperation and protect human rights.

Tổng Thư ký LHQ: Công ước Hà Nội đặt nền móng cho không gian mạng an toàn, tôn trọng quyền con người - Ảnh 3. — UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said.

Ms. Ghada Waly called on countries to quickly sign, ratify and implement the Convention, and invest heavily in capacity building, legal framework and international cooperation, especially supporting developing countries. She affirmed that UNODC will continue to accompany and provide technical support for countries to effectively implement the Convention, contributing to building a safer, more humane and prosperous cyberspace.

Immediately after the opening session, President Luong Cuong, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and delegates witnessed representatives of countries signing the UN Convention against Cybercrime at an official ceremony hosted by the UN Office for Legal Affairs (OLA).