An important turning point in international efforts to address crimes perpetrated using information and communications technologies has been reached with the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime by 72 Member States. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Vietnamese government held the signing ceremony in Hanoi.
Viet Nam, as the host country, was the first to sign the Convention. The Russian Federation, which initiated the negotiation process, also joined as a signatory, alongside China and several co-sponsors of the original resolution that launched the treaty — including Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and Nicaragua. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which played an active role during the negotiations, likewise signed the Convention.
Several countries that participated actively in the negotiation process have not yet signed. These include members of the “Five Eyes” alliance — the United States, Canada, and New Zealand — as well as Japan, Mexico, India, and Israel. Some of these States are expected to join in due course. Canada and New Zealand were among the strongest advocates for reinforcing human rights safeguards within the treaty. Australia and the United Kingdom, their counterparts in the alliance, have signed the Convention, describing it as a means to strengthen international cooperation and to contribute to the treaty’s implementation from within.
The European Union, after initial reservations, became a vocal supporter and signed the Convention, along with thirteen of its Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Greece, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Ukraine abstained from the negotiation process for political reasons.
The new Convention will coexist with the Budapest Convention of the Council of Europe, remaining the most significant regional instrument in this field. In addition to the EU Member States, several parties to the Budapest Convention have signed the new UN treaty, including Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Türkiye, as well as observer States Mozambique, South Africa, and Uruguay.
African States were strongly represented among the signatories, reflecting their early and continued support for the Convention’s development. Signatories from the continent include Algeria, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Togo.
Within the Asia-Pacific region, ASEAN members Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, and Thailand signed the Convention. Qatar — which last year hosted the opening of the UNODC Cybercrime Capacity-Building Centre in Doha — also signed, as did the State of Palestine. From the Caribbean region, Jamaica joined as a signatory, continuing CARICOM’s active engagement throughout the negotiation process.
The initial General Assembly resolution that launched the process was adopted with 79 votes in favour, 60 against, and 33 abstentions. Despite limited initial support, the subsequent negotiations were marked by broad participation and constructive engagement, resulting in a balanced and consensus-based final text.
Signing the Convention indicates a State’s intention to become a party to the treaty. It will enter into force following ratification and the deposit of the required instruments with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
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