Arab League Praises UN Cybercrime Convention as Milestone for Global Digital Security

The League of Arab States hailed the signing of the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime as a “historic milestone” in international cooperation to combat the growing threat of digital crimes, Assistant Secretary-General Ahmed Rashid Khattabi said Sunday in Hanoi.

Representing the Arab League at the signing ceremony, Khattabi commended the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for its warm hospitality and the effective organization of the event. He emphasized that the convention establishes a “comprehensive, effective, and forward-looking framework” to prevent the misuse of information and communication technologies for criminal purposes.

“The Arab Group recognizes the growing risks posed by cross-border crimes, including terrorism, fraud, data breaches, human trafficking, and illicit trafficking of weapons and cultural property,” Khattabi said. “This legal achievement reflects the collective will to lay the foundations of digital security, criminal justice, and the protection of individual and institutional rights.”

He recalled that the League of Arab States was among the first regional organizations to adopt its own Arab Convention on Combating Cybercrime in 2010, paving the way for coordinated regional action.

Khattabi also called for strengthening cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in areas such as capacity building, legal and technical assistance, and legislative support for developing countries, stressing the importance of safeguarding the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.