Hanoi (VNA) – As of October 6, the Government of Vietnam had received confirmations from nearly 100 countries and over 100 international and regional organisations to attend the Opening for the Signature of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (the Hanoi Convention), with the participation of numerous heads of state, government leaders, and ministers.
Vietnam will host the signature opening ceremony and high-level conference of the convention, themed "Countering Cybercrime – Sharing Responsibility – Securing our Future," in the capital city on October 25 and 26.
Speaking at a press briefing for the event on the afternoon of October 8, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang said negotiations for the convention began in 2019 with the aim of developing the first-ever globally inclusive legal instrument on cybercrime. After eight formal negotiation sessions and five intersessional meetings over 30 months, the UN General Assembly adopted it by consensus on December 24, 2024. The convention is expected to become a universal legal framework for global cooperation in combating cybercrime.
Giang emphasised that this marks the first time a global multilateral convention in such a crucial area of international concern has been associated with a Vietnamese city name.
The two-day programme will include an opening and closing ceremony, a plenary session, a signing session, four high-level discussions, four roundtables, a gala dinner, and a technology exhibition co-organised by the Vietnamese Government and the UN Secretariat. Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and UN Secretary-General António Guterres are expected to deliver keynote speeches at the opening session.
In response to reporter questions, Giang noted that Vietnam consistently supported the convention’s negotiation process from the outset. The country actively contributed to key principles, including safeguarding national sovereignty in cyberspace and promoting international cooperation, while successfully coordinating negotiations on several major provisions.
Major General Le Xuan Minh, Director of the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security, stated that after the signing, Vietnam will review and amend relevant legal frameworks to enable early ratification. This includes revising the law on cybersecurity (to integrate it with the law on cyber information security), updating criminal procedure regulations, and developing mechanisms for data sharing, extradition, and asset recovery. A round-the-clock coordination mechanism in line with the convention’s requirements will also be established.
Deputy Minister Giang affirmed that hosting the Hanoi Convention’s signature opening ceremony will not only foster global cooperation in combating cybercrime but also help Vietnam strengthen institutional frameworks, enhance technical capabilities, and deepen exchanges of expertise with international partners./.
