Maldives signs convention against cybercrime

The Maldives today signed the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime.

At a ceremony held in Hanoi, Vietnam, the agreement was signed on behalf of the Maldives by Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Khaleel.

Delivering a speech at the event following the signing, Khaleel stated that the Convention is a crucial pillar of the Maldives' National Digital Strategy.

He highlighted that the government has set a goal for the digital sector to account for 15 percent of the Maldivian economy by 2030. The Minister also noted that the government’s "Maldives 2.0" vision aims to establish a digital ecosystem focused on the citizens.

Khaleel acknowledged that despite the increased risk of cybercrime due to the limited technical capabilities of small island developing states (SIDS), these challenges will not deter the Maldives' efforts.

He explained that signing the Convention offers an opportunity to enhance cooperation with international partners in defining, investigating, and prosecuting crimes in line with international standards to combat cybercrime. He also pointed out that joining the Convention will open doors for training opportunities and technical assistance in the field.

The international treaty on preventing cybercrime, the "UN Convention on Cybercrime," was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December last year. The proposal to create this convention was initiated by Russia in 2017.

The primary commitment of countries signing the Convention is to standardize laws and enhance cooperation to collectively combat crimes committed via the internet. Specifically, signatory nations are required to criminalize various harms delivered through the internet. For instance, classifying things like IT fraud and unauthorized access to people's devices as criminal offenses.

The Parliament gave its consent for the Maldives to join the Convention on the 15th of this month.