The first session of the UN Ad Hoc Committee on drafting a comprehensive convention on countering cybercrime
12 March 2022 10:47
492-12-03-2022
On February 28 through March 11, 2022, New York hosted the first substantive session of the UN Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee on drafting a Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes. The session was chaired by Faouzia Mebarki (Algeria).
This negotiating mechanism was established at Russia's initiative with 46 co-authors by UN General Assembly Resolution 74/247. By adopting this resolution, the international community intends to create the first legally binding document on combatting cybercrime.
The first session, held in a hybrid format, was attended by experts from over 160 states and 200 NGOs representing political and law-enforcement agencies, as well as the academic, scientific and business communities. The Russian interdepartmental delegation included experts from the Foreign Ministry, the Prosecutor-General's Office, the Investigative Committee, the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, and the Federal Security Service.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's welcome address to those on the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee was one of the first read out during the general political discussion. It emphasised Russia's major role in creating this negotiating venue and set a constructive tone for further professional discussion with a view to drafting the badly needed convention in full conformity with the mandate and time frame established by the UN General Assembly.
In accordance with the approved agenda, the ad hoc committee reviewed the goals and scope of this future universal convention. An eight-chapter format was approved by consensus.
The participants agreed on the modalities of the Ad Hoc Committee's work in 2022-2024. Under the plan, it is to hold six substantive sessions in Vienna and New York, as well as intersession consultations involving officially registered NGOs and the private sector.
The participants held an intensive exchange of views on the key elements of the convention. In their opinion, the most important issues are protection of sovereignty, jurisdiction, development of universal definitions, stronger international cooperation in identifying cross-border crime, technical assistance and personnel training.
By way of its national contribution, the Russian Federation again drew the attention of the session participants to its own draft universal convention on countering cybercrime that was co-authored by China and other countries. Most of the elements were broadly reflected in the speeches of the various delegations and were included in the final documents of this first session of the Ad Hoc Committee.
The main result of the first session was the full-scale beginning of practical work on a universal convention, something that has always been postponed for various reasons. Excessive politicisation and attempts to impose one-sided rules on others gave way to multilateral constructive diplomacy with the close participation of the world's leading experts. The Russia-proposed open, inclusive and transparent talks finally got underway. These talks represent comprehensive efforts to counter cybercrime under UN aegis. The Ad Hoc Committee sets new goals, uniting cutting-edge experience on countering the use of information technology for criminal purposes.
The second session is scheduled for May 30 - June 10, 2022 in Vienna. The Ad Hoc Committee must present the final text of the convention to the 78th UN General Assembly in 2024.
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