The Ad Hoc Committee established by the UN General Assembly to negotiate a new convention on cybercrime have agreed on the draft United Nations Convention on Cybercrime which will be presented to the General Assembly for adoption.

The Ad Hoc Committee which was formed to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes was chaired by Algeria, an African Union Member State and currently one of the A3 (African Three) Member States representing the continent in the UN Security Council.

The adoption of this important international instrument echoes the vision of the African Union on the need to develop a legal framework on cybersecurity at a global level. Recognising the future impact of emerging technologies on the development of an information society for Africa’s, as well as the need to ensure that these emerging technologies are anchored on regulatory frameworks on cyber-security and personal data protection that ensure the rights of citizens, guaranteed under the fundamental texts of domestic law and protected by international human rights Conventions and Treaties, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples'Rights; the African Union adopted the African Union Convention on CyberSecurity and Personal Data Protection on 27 June 2014 and Cyber Security was adopted as one of the Flagship Projects of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

In 2024, several key instruments and frameworks have been adopted by the African Union including:- the African Common Position on the application of International law to use the ICTs in Cyberspace which was adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council in January 2024 and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government during their37^th Ordinary Session; and in June 2024, The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact were endorsed by the STC on Communication and ICT and both of which will constitute Africa’s contribution to the Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024. The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact are anchored on The Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa.

The various initiatives undertaken by Africa demonstrates the forward thinking that has been in place as relates to Africa’s developing legal instruments and strategies on matters ICT; and the agreement on the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime drafted while being chaired by an African Union member State is a reflection of actions being taken to ensure that Africa’s voice and common position is heard at a global level and a mark of working towards achieving Aspiration 7 of Agenda 2063.

Learn more :

• Draft United Nations convention against cybercrimeThe Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa
• The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy The African Digital Compact
• African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal DataProtection