Vietnam announces date for signing ceremony of UN Convention against Cybercrime

On May 19, a Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, together with representatives from the Government Office, the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, and Justice; the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria attended the 34th Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ34) in Vienna, Austria.

With the participation of more than 1,000 delegates from United Nations (UN) member states, CCPCJ34 is the final session before the 15th UN High-Level Conference on Crime Prevention and Control (Crime Congress) held in the UAE in 2026, focusing on discussing the results of the regional preparatory conferences held in 2025, completing and approving the preparatory documents for the 15th High-Level Conference, and getting ready to negotiate the draft Abu Dhabi Declaration.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang speaks at the opening session. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The highlight of this year's session was the international attention paid to the UN's consensus to adopt the Convention against Cybercrime ( Hanoi Convention), the first UN document on crime prevention in more than 20 years, establishing a new international legal framework, with tools to promote international cooperation in preventing and combating cybercrime.

Speaking at the opening session, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang informed the Conference about the Vietnamese Government 's efforts in perfecting the legal framework on criminal justice, enhancing international cooperation in crime prevention and control, including the initiative of Vietnam hosting the signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention, which is a testament to Vietnam's commitment to being an active member of the international community.

The Vietnamese delegation attended the 34th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ34) in Vienna, Austria. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

At the conference, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang also officially announced the date of the opening ceremony for the Convention in Hanoi on October 25 and 26, 2025. President Luong Cuong and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are expected to co-chair the event. Through the highest diplomatic channels, Vietnam is sending the President's invitation to all Heads of State of the UN member states to attend the opening ceremony in Hanoi.

* Specific information about the signing ceremony was introduced by Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and the Vietnamese delegation at the seminar "Road to Hanoi: Signing Ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime", taking place at 3:00 p.m. on May 19, with the online and in-person participation of more than 200 delegates.

The seminar “Road to Hanoi: Opening Ceremony for the Signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime” co-chaired by Vietnam and UNODC. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Speaking at the seminar, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that the Convention demonstrates the international community's commitment to multilateralism, creating a legal framework for international cooperation to effectively address cybercrime - a threat to socio-economic development. The Deputy Minister affirmed that the signing ceremony of this Convention is not only a simple signing event, but also conveys a message about international cooperation in preventing and combating cybercrime, calling on countries to attend the Conference, sign and soon ratify the Convention so that it can take effect, promoting effective international cooperation in the field of preventing and combating cybercrime.

In her opening remarks, UNODC Director General Gada Fathi Waly pledged to support Vietnam in organizing the signing ceremony, expressing her belief that this will be a successful event, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations on October 24. Representatives from Africa (Algeria) and Asia (Japan) also highlighted the role of the Convention in the region and emphasized their support for Vietnam as the host country of the signing ceremony. Regarding the preparation for the signing ceremony, the Vietnamese side said that Vietnam and UNODC are actively coordinating to develop the program for the signing ceremony, sideline activities and discussions related to the Convention.

* Also within the framework of the conference, the delegation had a private meeting with the UNODC Director General to discuss preparations for the signing ceremony, as well as initiatives to promote Vietnam - UNODC cooperation in crime prevention. The delegation also met and discussed with delegations from a number of countries that have actively participated in the negotiation process of the Convention such as Russia, Algeria, Thailand, Saint Kitts & Nevis, presented invitations from the President to the Heads of State of the countries, and discussed plans to cooperate in organizing events in Hanoi next October.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang works with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

* On the occasion of working at the UN Office in Vienna, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and the delegation had a working session with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi.

The two sides discussed the cooperation situation between Vietnam and the IAEA in the field of nuclear energy and a number of proposals to support Vietnam in building a legal framework, providing policy advice, transferring technology, sharing experiences and training human resources to help Vietnam enhance its capacity for research, development and application of nuclear technology in general and in successfully implementing the first nuclear power plant project in particular, ensuring nuclear security and safety at the highest standards.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang invited Director General Grossi to visit Vietnam again in the near future. Mr. Grossi happily accepted the invitation, believing in Vietnam's determination to build a nuclear power plant and supporting the direction of promoting private sector cooperation with the IAEA.

NGOC MINH

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-te/tin-tuc/viet-nam-cong-bo-ngay-to-chuc-le-mo-ky-cong-uoc-cua-lien-hop-quoc-ve-chong-toi-pham-mang-829134