Overview
- Delegations from the European Union, the United States and Canada joined the signing, which the United Nations hosted in Vietnam’s capital.
- U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the convention a powerful, legally binding tool against cybercrime, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said it includes safeguards and protects legitimate research.
- The treaty seeks to streamline cross-border cooperation and evidence-sharing for offences ranging from phishing and ransomware to online trafficking and hate speech, with the U.N. citing multi‑trillion‑dollar global harm.
- Rights groups and a coalition of major tech firms led by the Cybersecurity Tech Accord declined to attend and warn the text could expand state surveillance, compel data sharing and criminalise ethical security research.
- Critics also note Russia first proposed the pact in 2017 and question Vietnam’s role as host given documented crackdowns on online dissent.