The UN General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee, created to negotiate a new cybercrime convention, has finalized the draft of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, which is now set to be submitted to the General Assembly for approval.
This committee, tasked with developing a comprehensive international convention to combat the criminal misuse of information and communication technologies, was chaired by Algeria, a member state of the African Union (AU) and currently one of the A3 states representing Africa in the UN Security Council.
The endorsement of this significant global instrument aligns with the African Union’s vision of establishing a global legal framework for cybersecurity. The AU recognizes the profound influence of emerging technologies on Africa’s information society and the necessity of grounding these technologies in regulatory frameworks that uphold cybersecurity and personal data protection. These frameworks must guarantee citizens’ rights as enshrined in domestic law and safeguarded by international human rights conventions, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Reflecting this vision, the AU adopted the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection on June 27, 2014, and designated Cyber Security as a flagship project under Africa’s Agenda 2063.
In 2024, the African Union adopted several pivotal instruments and frameworks, including the African Common Position on the application of international law to the use of ICTs in cyberspace. This position was approved by the AU Peace and Security Council in January 2024 and later endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government during their 37th Ordinary Session. Additionally, in June 2024, the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact were endorsed by the Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and ICT. These strategies will serve as Africa’s contribution to the Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024, and are rooted in the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa.
These various initiatives underscore Africa’s proactive approach in developing legal instruments and strategies related to ICT. The agreement on the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, which was drafted under the chairmanship of an African Union member state, highlights Africa’s commitment to ensuring its voice and common position are recognized on the global stage and demonstrates progress towards achieving Aspiration 7 of Agenda 2063.
