Hanoi, Vietnam – Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector at the League of Arab States, commended the importance of signing the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, considering it a historic milestone in international cooperation and a qualitative step toward establishing a comprehensive, effective, and proactive global system to combat the use of information and communications technology in cybercrime.
This came during a speech he delivered at the signing ceremony in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, where he expressed the Arab League’s appreciation for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, commending its excellent organization and high-level reception for this international event.
Khattabi stated that the Arab League has engaged in the negotiating process of the agreement from its inception in a constructive spirit, believing in the need for collective action to contain the growing risks of cybercrime. This crime takes many forms, such as cyberterrorism, fraud, breach of personal data, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and the illicit trafficking of weapons, drugs, and cultural property.
He explained that these crimes inflict heavy losses on countries and cast a negative shadow over security, stability, and economic and social development. He emphasized that the new agreement reflects the collective will to build the foundations of digital security, achieve criminal justice, and protect the rights of individuals and institutions.
The Assistant Secretary-General added that the League of Arab States was a pioneer in this field by adopting the Arab Convention on Combating Information Technology Crimes in 2010. He emphasized that the League will continue, with a renewed vision, to enhance regional cooperation in line with the provisions of the Hanoi Convention.
He also called for intensified international efforts to build a secure and cohesive global digital space. This space limits the cancerous spread of cybercrime and contributes to promoting peace and security.
