UN Adopts Historic Cybercrime Convention After Five Years of Negotiations
The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a groundbreaking convention to prevent and combat cybercrime, marking the end of a five-year negotiation process.
This new treaty, known as the UN Convention against Cybercrime, aims to tackle online threats by fostering international cooperation and providing technical and capacity-building support, particularly to developing countries.
General Assembly President Philémon Yang emphasized the importance of the agreement, stating, “We live in a digital world where information technologies have immense potential but also pose increasing cybercrime risks. This Convention equips Member States with the tools needed to protect people and their rights online.”
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which facilitated the negotiations, called the convention a major victory for multilateralism and the first international anti-crime treaty in two decades.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly highlighted its significance in addressing crimes like online child exploitation, sophisticated scams, and money laundering, noting that cybercrime costs global economies trillions annually.
The treaty, adopted without a vote, will be open for signature at a formal ceremony in Viet Nam in 2025 and will enter into force 90 days after ratification by 40 signatories. UNODC will continue its role in supporting Member States through the implementation phase and in drafting supplementary protocols to the convention.
