The United Nations General Assembly passed an important treaty on cybercrime
The agreement on the legally binding treaty marks the culmination of a five-year effort by United Nations Member States, with input from civil society, security experts and news, academia and the private sector.
UN Secretary General António Guterres welcomes its adoption convention – the first international criminal justice treaty negotiated in more than 20 years.
“This Treaty is testament to the success of multilateralism in difficult times and reflects the collective will of Member States to promote international cooperation to prevent and combat cybercrime. .,” his spokesman said in one declare.
The statement added that the Convention “creates an unprecedented platform for cooperation” in the exchange of evidence, victim protection and prevention, and the protection of human rights online.
“The Secretary-General is confident that the new treaty will promote a secure cyberspace and calls on all States to accede to the Convention and implement it in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.”
New tools to protect people
Philemon Yang, Chairman of the General Assembly, tick the importance of the new Convention.
He said: “We live in a digital world, a world where information and communications technology has enormous potential for the development of society but also increases the potential threat of crime. violate the network”.
“With the adoption of this Convention, the States Parties have the tools and means to strengthen international cooperation in preventing and combating cybercrime, protecting people and their rights online.”
The resolution containing the Convention was adopted by the 193-member General Assembly without a vote.
A victory for multilateralism
Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also described the treaty’s adoption as a “huge victory” for multilateralism.
“This is an important step forward in our efforts to tackle crimes such as online child sexual abuse, sophisticated online fraud and money laundering.,” she speak.
Ms. Waly reiterated the UN agency’s commitment to support all countries in signing, ratifying and implementing the new treaty, as well as providing them with the necessary tools and support to protect its economy and protect the digital sector from cybercrime.
Convention
The Cybercrime Convention recognizes the significant risks posed by the misuse of information and communications technology (ICT), which enables criminal activities to take place at an unprecedented scale, speed and scope.
It highlights the adverse effects such crimes can have on countries, businesses and the well-being of individuals and societies, and focuses on protecting them from criminals. such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling and online financial crimes.
It also recognizes the growing impact of cybercrime on victims and prioritizes justice, especially for vulnerable groups. It further emphasizes the need for technical assistance, capacity building and cooperation between countries and other stakeholders.
Read more about why the Cybercrime Convention is important in This explainer.
Next steps
The Cybercrime Convention will be open for signature at an official ceremony to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2025. The Convention will enter into force 90 days after ratification by the 40th signatory.
