February 28 – March 11, 2022 in New York under the chairmanship of F.Mebarki (Algeria) hosted the first substantive session of the UN Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee on the Development of a Comprehensive International convention on countering the Use of Information and Communication Technologies for Criminal Purposes. This negotiation mechanism was established on the initiative of Russia and with the co-authorship of 46 states by UN General Assembly Resolution 74/247 and is aimed at creating the world community’s first ever legally binding instrument to combat cybercriminal.
The first session, held in a hybrid format, was attended by specialized experts from more than 160 States and 200 non-governmental organizations representing political and law enforcement structures, as well as the academic, scientific and business community. The Russian interdepartmental delegation was represented by experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Investigative Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Digital Development and the FSB.
One of the first in the general political discussions was the welcoming address of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov to the participants of the Special Committee. It emphasized the creative role of Russia in the creation of this negotiating platform and set a constructive tone for further professional discussion with an eye to achieving the elaboration of a much-needed convention in full compliance with the mandate and deadlines established by the UN General Assembly.
In accordance with the approved agenda, the Ad Hoc Committee has consistently considered the objectives and scope of the future universal Convention. Its structure consisting of 8 chapters was approved by consensus.
The modalities of the work of the Special Committee for 2022-2024 have been agreed. According to the plan, it is planned to hold six substantive sessions in Vienna and New York, as well as inter-sessional consultations, including with the participation of officially registered NGOs and the private sector.
There was a rich exchange of views on the key elements of the project. According to the participating States, the issues of protecting sovereignty, jurisdiction, developing a universal conceptual framework, strengthening international cooperation in solving cross-border crimes, as well as technical assistance and training have acquired the greatest relevance.
As a national contribution, the Russian Federation once again drew the attention of the participants of the first substantive session to its own draft universal convention on combating information crime, co-sponsored by China and a number of other States. Most of its elements were widely reflected in the speeches of various delegations and included in the final documents of the first session of the Ad Hoc Committee.
The main outcome of the first session can be considered a full-fledged launch of practical work on a universal convention, which has been postponed for a long time for various reasons. Excessive politicization and attempts to impose one-sided rules have given way to multilateral and constructive diplomacy with the close involvement of leading experts from around the world. The open, inclusive and transparent negotiation process proposed by Russia on a comprehensive fight against cybercriminal under the auspices of the UN has started working. The Special Committee sets new guidelines by combining the most advanced experience in the field of countering information crime.
The second session is scheduled for May 30 – June 10, 2022 in Vienna. The final text of the convention should be submitted by the Special Committee to the UN General Assembly during its 78th session (in 2024).
