Ground broken for Asia-Pacific Regional Cybercrime Centre

Present at the ceremony were Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Truong Viet Dung and Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Delphine Schantz.

The commencement of construction on the Asia-Pacific Regional Cybercrime Centre is a strategic move that demonstrates Vietnam's proactive approach to shaping regional and global cooperation mechanisms for combating cybercrime. This initiative contributes to safeguarding the nation early on, from afar, and across cyberspace.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan expressed confidence that the Centre would serve as a vital platform for knowledge sharing and international cooperation in combating cybercrime. He noted it would strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities, and policymakers to respond to increasingly complex cyber threats, while promoting the development and protection of the lawful rights and interests of citizens and businesses in the digital environment.

In her remarks, UNODC Representative Delphine Schantz emphasized that UNODC highly commends the determination and strong leadership demonstrated by the Government of Vietnam in advancing this initiative. She reaffirmed UNODC's readiness to support, accompany, and cooperate closely with the Vietnamese Government throughout the establishment and development of the Centre, ensuring that the initiative realizes its full potential and creates positive, lasting impacts across the Asia-Pacific region.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Pham The Tung stressed that today's groundbreaking ceremony marks only the beginning. The Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam looks forward to collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNODC, and relevant functional units to develop the Centre along five core strategic pillars:

First, the Centre will serve as a focal point to drive the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. It will assist nations in domesticating the Convention, enhancing enforcement capacity, and strengthening international cooperation in combating cybercrime, thereby bringing the Convention into practical effect rapidly.

Second, it will become a hub for connectivity, information sharing, research, analysis, and early warnings on emerging cybercrime trends, methods, and tactics. It will also enhance investigative coordination and support the handling of transnational cases, thereby improving regional law enforcement effectiveness.

Third, it will develop into a premier center for training, research, and high-quality human resource development in cybersecurity, digital forensics, data science, and the application of artificial intelligence to counter cybercrime. It will connect experts, scientists, and law enforcement officers from various nations to share knowledge and experience, elevating their collective capacity to handle emerging challenges.

Fourth, it will function as a multilateral cooperation forum uniting law enforcement agencies, international organizations, technology enterprises, and research and academic institutions. This will foster experience sharing, technology transfer, and the development of innovative initiatives and solutions to guarantee cybersecurity and build digital trust.

Fifth, it will stand as a symbol of solidarity, responsibility, and international cooperation in addressing non-traditional security challenges. This affirms Vietnam's ironclad commitment to working alongside the international community to build a peaceful, safe, secure, trustworthy, and sustainably developing cyberspace for the benefit of all nations and people.