Cairo (VNA) – An international conference held in Cairo on June 14–15 looked into evolving threats, electronic evidence, and the imperative of international cooperation in combating cybercrime, aiming to promote the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime, also known as the Hanoi Convention.
The opening session saw the presence of Egyptian Minister of Justice Mahmoud Helmy El-Sherif, representatives from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union (EU), academics, legal tech experts, and judicial and law enforcement officials from various Arab and African nations.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Nguyen Nam Duong attended and addressed the opening sitting.
Participants shared insights into emerging cybercrime trends, challenges to investigating and processing electronic evidence, and the need to strengthen international cooperation and capacity-building for law enforcement agencies amid the growing scale and sophistication of cybercrime.
For his part, Ambassador Duong stated that as one of the first countries to ratify the convention, Vietnam stands ready to work with Egypt, African partners, the UNODC, and other UN member states to effectively implement the accord, contributing to a safer, more secure, and more resilient cyberspace.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Glen Prichard, Chief of the Cybercrime and Technology Section at the UNODC, said the conference was a really good opportunity for countries to take the next step in relation to the implementation of the Convention Against Cybercrime. One of its key objectives was to help countries better understand the convention's mechanisms, thereby accelerating the ratification and implementation.
Prichard perceived that Vietnam have taken the bravest and best steps in relation to supporting this convention, from hosting the signing ceremony in Hanoi last October to becoming one of the first three countries to ratify the convention.
He also spoke highly of the proposal on a regional cybercrime training centre that will be established in partnership with the UNODC in Hanoi. He considered this a great opportunity for relevant parties to do the work in relation to the convention and to build capacity throughout the region.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Duong noted the conference reflected the international community's growing awareness of emerging cyber threats, particularly the risk of artificial intelligence (AI) exploited to launch cyberattacks and conduct illicit cross-border activities.
He noted that a focus among participants was to enhance the exchange of electronic evidence to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of transnational cases.
Vietnam submitted its instrument of ratification for the convention to the UN Secretary-General on April 17, becoming the first in Southeast Asia and the third globally to ratify the treaty./.
VNA
