In December 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime — the first international treaty on criminal justice in more than two decades.
The adoption of the document was the result of five years of negotiations among UN Member States, with the participation of experts, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the adoption of the Convention “a decisive step” in global efforts to ensure safety online.
On 25 October, the Convention will be opened for signature at an official ceremony in Hanoi, Viet Nam. It will enter into force 90 days after ratification by 40 States.
Global response to global threat
The new document establishes a common international framework for combating cybercrime. It introduces unified definitions, investigation standards, and mechanisms for assisting victims — including compensation, restitution, and removal of illegal content.
States will implement these measures in accordance with their national legislation but within agreed international principles. And perhaps, with this Convention, a new era will begin — one in which a single wrong letter in a website address will no longer cost you everything.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) leads the UN response to cybercrime with training and support to countries across the world.
The Vienna-based agency draws upon its specialized expertise on criminal justice systems to provide technical assistance in prevention and awareness-raising, legislative reform, revamping of law enforcement capabilities, international cooperation, forensic support as well as in data collection, research and analysis on cybercrime.
That’s nice to hear.
