Delivered at the Signing Ceremony of the United Nations (UN) Convention against Cybercrime, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Mr. António Guterres, YourExcellency, General Lương Cường , the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a singular honour for me to address this august gathering on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, at this historic Signing Ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.

Allow me first to extend our warm congratulations to the United Nations, to the Government and people of Viet Nam and to all delegations here present, for the remarkable leadership and commitment that have brought us to this moment. We are grateful to our hosts, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, for their generous hospitality and for providing the ideal setting for this milestone in international digital governance.

Excellencies,

Today, we witness history. Cybercrime is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. Its borderless nature undermines sovereignty, threatens critical infrastructure and inflicts untold harm on citizens, communities and economies. It fuels transnational crimes ranging from fraud and money laundering to human trafficking, terrorism financing and the sexual exploitation of children. In Africa and across the developing world, its impact is particularly devastating, as it erodes hard-won gains in digital transformation and deepens vulnerabilities.

This Convention is therefore not just a legal text. It is a collective shield. It represents the will of Member States, acting together, to secure our shared digital space. It provides the first genuinely global legal framework for the prevention, investigation and prosecution of cybercrime, while also safeguarding the fundamental freedoms that
underpin our societies.

Ghana was an active and constructive participant in the negotiations of this treaty. We are proud that the final text reflects many of the principles we and other partners championed. These include:

• A strong reaffirmation of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including privacy and due process.

• Clear safeguards on data protection, ensuring that cooperation mechanisms do not compromise personal rights.

• Robust international cooperation provisions, including mutual legal assistance, extradition and 24/7 contact points to enable swift cross-border investigations.

• A decisive commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, particularly children, by criminalising online grooming, exploitation and abuse.

These outcomes are consistent with Ghana’s own domestic efforts. Over the past decade, we have made significant progress in strengthening our legal and institutional architecture. The Cybersecurity Act of 2020 established the Cyber Security Authority, which provides regulatory oversight for critical information infrastructure, service providers, and professionals. Our Data Protection Act of 2012 ensures privacy safeguards in line with international best practices. Ghana has also acceded to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, and we continue to benefit from global capacity-building initiatives such as the GLACY+ programme, in partnership with
UNODC and the Council of Europe.

Ghana is also an active participant in regional initiatives. At the African Union (AU) level, we are party to the AU Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention), which complements this UN treaty by reinforcing regional standards on privacy, data protection and cybercrime enforcement. Most recently, Ghana’s Police Cybercrime Unit distinguished itself in INTERPOL’s Operation Contender 3, a coordinated initiative involving 14 African countries aimed at combatting cybercrime, underscoring Ghana’s commitment to regional solidarity and enforcement.

Within the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Ghana contributes to the ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Strategy, which promotes harmonised legislation, operational cooperation, and information-sharing among West African states.

We have not limited ourselves to legislation. Public awareness and resilience-building are central to our approach. On 1st October, 2025, Ghana launched the 2025 National Cyber Security Awareness Month, under the theme “Building a Safe, Informed and Accountable Digital Space.” This theme reflects our conviction that cybersecurity is a collective national responsibility, encompassing governance, commerce, education, health, and personal communication. It emphasises that a secure and trustworthy digital environment is indispensable to our growth and prosperity.

The campaign engages government, the private sector, civil society, academia and especially our youth, to strengthen digital literacy and promote responsible online behaviour. It also highlights the shared responsibility of citizens in safeguarding our cyberspace. Importantly, this national effort complements similar initiatives observed globally in October, reaffirming Ghana’s determination to align with international best practices while tailoring the approach to our own digital transformation journey.

As His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana underlined at the launch, the theme embodies Ghana’s vision of a digital ecosystem that is safe, inclusive, and accountable, and anchors our broader Reset Ghana Agenda of resilience, innovation, and opportunity.

Excellencies,

Our experience confirms a simple truth: no nation can stand alone in the fight against cybercrime. It is a global threat and therefore requires a global response. This Convention provides us with exactly that platform. By establishing shared definitions, harmonised procedures, and practical cooperation tools, we can close jurisdictional gaps and strengthen solidarity.

For Ghana and indeed for Africa, one of the most critical dimensions of this treaty is capacity-building. Many countries face acute challenges in securing their digital spaces, not because of lack of political will, but due to resource constraints and the global shortage of skilled professionals. This Convention therefore sends a powerful
signal that the international community recognises the need to invest in training, infrastructure and technology transfer, to ensure that all states can participate meaningfully in the fight against cybercrime.

We particularly welcome the emphasis on partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia and civil society. Cyber resilience cannot be the sole responsibility of governments. Internet service providers, fintech companies, social media platforms and technology innovators all have a role to play. Ghana looks forward to building stronger collaborations in this area, including with fellow signatories and with regional organisations.

Excellencies,

This Convention is also about values. It reminds us that in the digital age, security and rights must advance together. We cannot defend our societies by sacrificing the very freedoms we seek to protect. Ghana is committed to ensuring that the implementation of this Convention always upholds the dignity, rights and safety of our citizens.

As we sign this treaty today, Ghana also looks to the future. We will work with Parliament to ratify the Convention at the earliest opportunity, enabling us to fully participate in its implementation and governance. We encourage all Member States to do likewise, so that the Convention may enter into force speedily and begin delivering the protection our citizens urgently need.

In conclusion, Ghana reaffirms its strong support for this Convention and its vision of a safe, open and human-centred digital future. We pledge to work actively with all partners to operationalise our commitments, to strengthen international cooperation and to ensure that capacity-building and solidarity are at the heart of our collective
action.

Let this gathering in Hanoi be remembered not only as the day we signed a treaty, but as the day we renewed our shared commitment to multilateralism, to solidarity and to safeguarding our common digital future for generations to come.

I thank you.