The Vietnamese delegation attends the African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Trần Quốc Khánh introduced African countries to the upcoming signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hà Nội while attending the African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April 8-10.

As the first criminal justice convention in 20 years, it criminalises cybercrime and cyber-facilitated crimes; establishes international cooperation mechanisms against cybercrime, including the 24/7 communication and exchange of electronic evidence and joint investigations in addition to traditional legal assistance channels. For the convention to have practical effect, Việt Nam and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have proposed that countries, after signing the convention, should continue to ratify it.

Addressing the meeting, Khánh emphasised that the convention reflects the international community's commitment to multilateralism, creating a legal framework for international cooperation to effectively address cybercrime, a threat to the socio-economic development of both Africa and the world.

The diplomat affirmed that the signing ceremony, slated for October in the Vietnamese capital city of Hà Nội, is not merely a formal signing event, but also conveys a message of international cooperation in combating this type of crime, as well as providing an opportunity for international friends to better understand Việt Nam, and its culture, and people.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Hà, Assistant Director at the Department of International Law and Treaties under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Việt Nam and the UNODC have actively coordinated with each other to develop the signing ceremony agenda, sidelines activities and related seminars.

Representatives from many countries expressed their gratitude for Việt Nam's efforts, emphasising the impact of the convention's early entry into force in controlling cybercrime. They called on countries to sign and ratify the document as soon as possible. — VNS