As many as 72 countries from around the world signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (also known as Hanoi Convention) at the Signing Ceremony and High-Level Conference held in Hanoi on October 25–26.
This was one of the most outstanding outcomes of the event, Senior Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, told the press in Hanoi on October 26.
He noted the two-day event welcomed more than 2,500 delegates from 110 national delegations, 150 international, regional and private organisations, and more than 50 research institutions.
The event also attracted the participation of more than 400 reporters from 189 domestic and foreign press agencies.
In particular, the signing ceremony was broadcast live on the United Nations Web TV system in six official languages.
"This is the first time Vietnam has organised an international event broadcast in all languages of the United Nations," Tung said.
This widespread response demonstrates the global influence of the Convention, covering all geographical areas, from 19 Asia-Pacific countries, 21 African countries, 19 European Union countries to 12 Latin American countries, he stated.
According to the United Nations, this is also one of the largest convention signing ceremonies in the past 10 years.
In addition to professional activities, heads of international delegations also held high-level meetings with leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam, including a meeting with Party General Secretary To Lam, a state banquet hosted by President Luong Cuong, and an international press conference chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed that the most important result of the event is that Vietnam, together with member countries, has ensured the conditions for the Convention to be implemented soon.
He noted that, according to regulations, the Convention will take effect once it secures at least 40 signatures for ratification, but it has already garnered 72 signatories.
This is a remarkable step forward, laying an important foundation for the Convention to soon take effect and be implemented in practice, thereby contributing to the establishment of a stronger global cooperation mechanism in preventing and combating cybercrime, he emphasized.
Responding to the question of the Vietnam News Agency about challenges in implementing the Hanoi Convention, the official said during the implementation of the Convention, a key challenge lies in strengthening enforcement capacity, especially for developing countries.
The Convention therefore includes clear provisions on capacity-building support - not only for law enforcement agencies but also for individuals to raise awareness and protect themselves in cyberspace.
The selection of Vietnam as the host of the event demonstrates the country’s courage and strong commitment as a developing nation to stand at the forefront of global cybersecurity efforts, he said, adding that it sends a powerful message that Vietnam is ready to work with others to build a safe and inclusive digital environment./.
