Vietnam will host the official signing ceremony and high-level summit for the United Nations Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes, commonly known as the Hanoi Convention, on October 25–26.

This marks a historic milestone in Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy and celebrates 47 years of Vietnam-UN partnership.

The announcement was made at a press conference co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security on October 8.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang emphasized that the UN-led negotiations for the convention began in 2019 to create a comprehensive and globally applicable legal framework for fighting cybercrime.

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Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang speaks at the press conference. 

Vietnam has actively supported the drafting process since its inception and contributed significantly to key principles such as safeguarding national sovereignty in cyberspace and ensuring effective international cooperation.

According to Giang, the naming of the “Hanoi Convention” in the treaty’s text acknowledges Vietnam’s vital role in the negotiation process and underscores the country's rising diplomatic influence and commitment to global cybersecurity initiatives.

He highlighted that this is the first time a global multilateral convention in a highly sensitive and urgent area of international cooperation is being associated with a Vietnamese location, reflecting the international community’s trust in Vietnam.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to attend and speak at the opening ceremony, alongside Vietnamese President Luong Cuong.

As of October 6, nearly 100 countries and over 100 international and regional organizations have confirmed their attendance. The scale of participation is expected to be extensive, with the presence of heads of state, prime ministers, and ministers from around the world.

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Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang responds to reporters. 

The event will include an opening and closing ceremony, one plenary session, a formal signing session, four high-level panels, four roundtable discussions, a gala dinner, and a technology exhibition co-organized by the Vietnamese government and the UN Secretariat.

General Le Xuan Minh, Director of the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security, reported that cybercrime in Vietnam is becoming increasingly organized and transnational.

Criminals are shifting from isolated attacks to targeting critical national infrastructure and large enterprises. Online fraud, particularly schemes involving international cooperation among criminals, remains a serious and growing threat.

“Such cyber fraud poses a significant danger to nations around the world,” said General Minh.

Deputy Minister Giang stated that hosting the Hanoi Convention not only strengthens international cooperation in combating cybercrime but also allows Vietnam to enhance its legal framework, regulatory capacity, and technical expertise in the field.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a decision to establish the Steering Committee for the Hanoi Convention Signing Ceremony, led by Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Permanent Deputy Head is Senior Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Public Security. Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang also serves as a co-deputy head. The committee includes senior officials from multiple ministries and agencies.

In addition, a standing secretariat and six subcommittees were formed to support the organization of the event, covering content, finance and logistics, security and health (led by the Ministry of Public Security), and high-level diplomatic outreach, protocol, and communications (led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Tran Thuong