Việt Nam attends session of UN commission on crime prevention, criminal Justice

As part of the event, the Vietnamese delegation held a working session with UNODC Executive Director Waly to discuss detailed preparations for the signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention, as well as explore more Việt Nam–UNODC cooperation opportunities in crime prevention.

A Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng, attended the 34th session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ34) in Vienna on Monday, outlining Việt Nam’s push to strengthen its criminal justice system and spearhead international cooperation against cybercrime.

The session served as the final preparatory meeting for the 15th UN Crime Congress set for 2026 in the United Arab Emirates.

In her opening remarks, the deputy foreign minister highlighted Việt Nam’s role in hosting the signing ceremony for the Hanoi Convention, a new UN treaty on cybercrime, scheduled for October 25-26 in Hà Nội. Co-chaired by Vietnamese State President Lương Cường and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the signing event marks a milestone as the first global legal instrument on crime prevention adopted by the UN in more than two decades.

She said through top-level diplomatic channels, Việt Nam is delivering invitations from President Cường to heads of state across all UN member countries to attend the ceremony, a milestone that underscores the country’s active role as a responsible member of the international community.

Over 1,000 delegates from UN member states reviewed reports from regional preparatory meetings held throughout 2025, finalised key documents that will form the basis for negotiations on the draft Abu Dhabi Declaration.

At a hybrid seminar attended by over 200 delegates the same day, Hằng detailed plans for the Hà Nội event, underlining close coordination with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the personal involvement of its Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly.

She stressed that the Hanoi Convention represents the international community’s commitment to multilateralism, providing a legal framework for global cooperation in addressing cybercrime, a growing threat to socio-economic development worldwide.

The signing ceremony is not merely a formal event, but a powerful call to action for countries to sign and ratify the Convention swiftly, enabling it to enter into force and strengthen the global fight against cybercrime effectively, she said.

Waly expressed his optimism about the ceremony’s success, noting its significance as a lead-up to the UN’s 80th anniversary on October 24. Representatives from Algeria and Japan underscored the convention’s regional importance and praised Việt Nam’s role as host of the signing ceremony.

As part of the CCPCJ34, the Vietnamese delegation held a working session with UNODC Executive Director Waly to discuss detailed preparations for the upcoming signing ceremony, as well as explore more Việt Nam–UNODC cooperation opportunities in crime prevention.

The delegation also met with representatives from several key countries involved in the negotiation of the Convention, including Russia, Algeria, Thailand, and Saint Kitts & Nevis.

During these meetings, Việt Nam delivered official invitation letters from President Cường to the heads of state of participating countries and exchanged views on plans for cooperation at events scheduled for this October in Hà Nội.

On the occasion, Deputy FM Hằng and her entourage had a working session with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Gross, discussing cooperation in nuclear energy and IAEA support for building Việt Nam’s legal and policy frameworks, transferring technology, and training personnel for its nascent nuclear power project, with an emphasis on safety and security.

Hằng invited Grossi to visit Việt Nam again, and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure. Grossi expressed his belief in Việt Nam’s determination to build the nuclear power plant and support for the promotion of partnerships between the private area and the IAEA.