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Mandated by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lounès Magramane, signed, this Saturday in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, the United Nations Convention on Combating Cyber Crime, a unique international instrument to which Algeria has largely contributed. This was stated in a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The signing ceremony, chaired by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, took place in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, as well as several high-level delegations. No less than 64 countries and regional organizations have signed their signature on this text, thus sealing a collective commitment to a safer and better regulated cyberspace.
After several years of negotiations, for the first time, the international community has a global legal framework to counter cyber crime, a constantly expanding phenomenon that threatens the security of States, institutions and citizens. If the signing of the convention constitutes a new major diplomatic step, it above all confirms the central role played by Algeria in the very development of the text.
The ministry recalled that as of May 2021, Algeria took over the presidency of the intergovernmental committee responsible for drafting the draft convention. Under his leadership, member states initiated a long process of negotiations in order to reconcile the sometimes divergent positions of the countries of the North and the South, between the imperatives of security, the protection of personal data and respect for fundamental rights.
The Algerian approach, marked by dialogue, the search for consensus and the balance between the security and legal dimensions, has been praised by the international community. This approach allowed the final adoption of the text during the 79e session of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2024, thus sealing a major diplomatic success for Algiers.
As a reminder, President Tebboune, who has made digital sovereignty and national cybersecurity priority areas of his policy, had instructed Algerian diplomacy to play a leading role in multilateral discussions around cybercrime.
This signature thus concretizes this strategic orientation, confirming Algeria’s place as an actor committed to the promotion of a fair and secure international digital order. It is also a continuation of national efforts to strengthen legislation on cybercrime, protect critical digital infrastructure and develop international cooperation in the field of information technology.
Global framework against a transnational scourge
This new convention establishes a set of rules intended to prevent, detect and punish criminal acts committed in cyberspace. It covers a wide range of offenses, ranging from digital fraud to hacking of computer systems, including the dissemination of illicit content or cyber-extortion.
Beyond repression, the text also emphasizes international cooperation, particularly in terms of exchange of information, mutual legal assistance and technical training of judicial and security actors.
For developing countries, this convention also represents an opportunity to strengthen their institutional and technological capacities, while contributing to reducing the global digital divide.
It should be noted that Algeria’s active participation in this UN initiative confirms the rise of its diplomacy in the digital and technological field. Concretely, Algiers is now positioning itself as an influential player in international digital governance, capable of defending the interests of the Global South while working to build a balanced and inclusive multilateral framework. Especially since the Hanoi signature also crowns several years of work and negotiations, while paving the way for strengthened cooperation between States in the face of cyber crime, which has become a major issue for global security. Algeria also reaffirms its desire to strengthen South-South partnerships, particularly with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, which share common concerns in terms of cybersecurity and digital sovereignty. This dynamic is also part of a broader vision advocated by President Tebboune, based on solidarity cooperation, balanced multilateralism and the defense of a fairer digital world, where each nation has the means to protect its citizens and its institutions against cyber threats.
Therefore, through its constant commitment since 2021, its leadership role in the negotiations and its official signature in Hanoi, Algeria stands out today as one of the architects of the new international legal order in matters of cybersecurity. This diplomatic and strategic achievement also reflects the country’s desire to actively participate in building tomorrow’s global standards for a fairer and more secure digital world for all.