The Ministry of Justice of the Arab Republic of Egypt, in partnership with the Faculty of Law of the British University in Egypt, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC), organised the international conference on "Combating cybercrime: evolving threats, electronic evidence, and the imperative of international co-operation". The conference brought together more than 100 participants – including judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, diplomats, representatives of international and regional organisations, academia, and technology experts from 15 African and MENA countries – for two days of expert discussions on the evolving landscape of cybercrime and international co-operation.
At the heart of the conference was the recently adopted United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), examined alongside the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention). Participants noted that, together, the two instruments constitute a comprehensive international framework for addressing complex cyber threats and underscored the importance of their complementarity in supporting effective criminal justice responses across different legal systems and regions.
Expert panels addressed some of the most pressing challenges facing by the region today, including the misuse of AI, cyber-enabled fraud and extortion, darknet-facilitated criminal activity, and OCSEA. Discussions emphasised the need for shared taxonomies and definitions for cyber offences as a foundation for international co-operation, the lawful exchange of electronic evidence, and coherent criminal justice responses across borders. The participants also identified the need for a national strategic approach on fighting against cybercrime with all stakeholders involved and available resources for building the necessary capacities to deal with these challenges.
The conference provided a platform for open dialogue and knowledge-sharing, reinforcing existing co-operation and laying the ground for continued engagement at national and regional levels. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing accession to and alignment with the Budapest and Hanoi Conventions, recognising that broad and consistent uptake of both instruments is essential to building an effective international response to cybercrime. The discussions also underscored the critical role of sustained capacity building in supporting countries to translate those commitments into operational reality.
Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC)