Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Anh Tuan attended the 63rd session of the Asian–African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) in Kampala, Uganda, from September 8-10.
The meeting took place took place in the context of the 70th anniversary of the 1955 Bandung Conference in Indonesia, a milestone that marked political cooperation among Asian and African nations in the post-colonial era, laying the foundation for the establishment of AALCO in 1956.
Addressing the opening session, Tuan underscored AALCO’s role as a key inter-regional legal forum amplifying the collective voice of developing countries. He reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of comprehensive international integration and strong support for multilateralism, with the UN at its core and international law as its foundation.
He also highlighted Vietnam’s active contributions to the international community, most notably its upcoming hosting of the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi this October.
This year’s agenda covered pressing legal issues including the law of the sea, marine environmental protection, the implementation of the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), environment and sustainable development, international trade and investment laws, legal issues relating to outer space, and international law on cyberspace.
The Vietnamese delegation made interventions across all agenda items, reflecting a proactive and substantive approach. Vietnam emphasised the importance of strengthening international law and promoting progressive legal development, and showed its readiness to contribute constructively to AALCO’s work.
A highlight of the 63rd session was international attention to the UN Convention against Cybercrime. Delegates from many countries stressed the significance of the UN adopting its first-ever document on crime combat in over 20 years, creating a new legal framework to strengthen international cooperation against cybercrime, and welcomed Vietnam’s role as host of the signing ceremony.
On September 9, Tuan chaired a thematic seminar with nearly 100 delegates attending in person and online, which provided updates on preparations for the October event.
Tuan emphasised that the Convention represents the international community’s commitment to multilateralism and provides a vital legal foundation to address the growing threat of cybercrime to socio-economic development. He urged countries to join the ceremony, sign, and promptly ratify the document.
Representatives from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), China, and Russia - AALCO observer - highlighted the Convention’s regional importance and expressed support for Vietnam as host. To date, nearly 70 countries have confirmed their participation in the signing ceremony, side events, and technology exhibitions showcasing achievements in digital transformation and crime prevention.
On this occasion, Tuan met Ugandan Foreign Minister General Odongo Jeje Abubakhar to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in trade and economic cooperation, and to encourage Uganda’s participation in the Hanoi signing ceremony.
The Vietnamese delegation also held bilateral exchanges with representatives from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Palestine, and Bahrain to discuss plans for joint events at the signing ceremony, while seeking support for Vietnam’s candidacy for judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026–2035 term.
Vietnam officially became an AALCO member in 2017, three years after serving as an observer./.
