Russian motivations behind the “Hanoi Convention” against cybercrime

Later this month, governments from around the world will be invited to sign a new international treaty: On Oct. 25, in Hanoi, Vietnam, the “United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes” is to be opened for signature. The treaty is being branded as the “Hanoi Convention.”

The cause for its bulky official title is Russia. The lengthy name represents a compromise after Russia objected to using the term “cybercrime.” Russia is also the reason why the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2019 decided to launch the process that led to this treaty. Russia had introduced UNGA Resolution A/RES/74/247, which established an “Ad Hoc Committee” tasked with negotiating the draft text of a convention. For Russia, the Hanoi Convention is its “baby.”

This series of events raises a number of questions: Why would Russia, known as a major source of cybercrime, promote an international agreement against cybercrime? Does Russia have reason to be satisfied with the Hanoi Convention resulting from this process? Could this convention be a game changer in the sense that Russia may finally crack down on cybercrime and engage in international cooperation? If not, what is Russia planning to do?

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