STATEMENT BY THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE

At the High-Level Conference following the Signing Ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime
Ha Noi, Viet Nam – 25–26 October 2025

Madam/Mr. Chair,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government and people of Zimbabwe, I have the honour to deliver this brief statement as a participant in this historic moment.

Zimbabwe warmly congratulates all States gathering here on the occasion of the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime — the first comprehensive global treaty addressing the challenges of crime committed through information and communications technologies. We commend the commitment and leadership of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in its role as secretariat to the Convention process, and we are grateful for the support extended to Member States for implementation, capacity-building, and legal assistance.

As many of you know, this Convention comprises nine chapters designed to provide States a structured and balanced approach to:

1. Adapt existing criminal justice tools to the ICT environment;
2. Facilitate procedural powers appropriate to electronic evidence;
3. Strengthen international cooperation, especially in the cross-border sharing of evidence in electronic form; and
4. Embed human rights safeguards and protections in the context of cybersecurity.

Bearing those central pillars in mind, Zimbabwe makes the following commitments and points of emphasis:

1. Commitment to Domestic Alignment and Reform

Zimbabwe is resolved to ensure that our domestic legal, institutional, and technical frameworks are aligned with the obligations and standards of the Convention. We will review and, where necessary, amend our existing cybersecurity and criminal justice laws to incorporate offences, investigative powers, mutual assistance, and preservation orders in line with global norms.

2. Technical Capacity, Infrastructure, and Human Resource Development

We recognise that signing is only the first step; full implementation requires adequate human, technical, and institutional capacity. Zimbabwe, therefore, appeals to the UN system, development partners, and friendly States to extend sustained support in areas such as digital forensic laboratories, training of law enforcement and judicial officers, and strengthening of incident response mechanisms.

3. Equitable Access and Protection of Rights

As we embrace global norms, Zimbabwe underscores the importance of ensuring that implementation does not overreach or erode fundamental human rights such as privacy, due process, free expression, and data protection. The Convention’s safeguards provide essential balance, and we pledge to uphold them in our national practices.

4. South–South Cooperation and Regional Synergy

Zimbabwe will work actively with regional and continental partners in Africa to promote shared capacity-building, mutual legal assistance, and harmonisation of legal regimes. Effective cybercrime responses at regional levels strengthen our collective resilience, particularly for Member States with similar resource constraints.

5. Monitoring, Review, and Ongoing Cooperation

We commit to participating fully in the Conference of States Parties and other review and oversight mechanisms envisaged in the Convention. Through active engagement, Zimbabwe hopes to contribute to the development of protocols or supplementary instruments that address emerging cyber threats.

In conclusion,

Zimbabwe views the signing of this Convention as a pivotal step toward a safer, more stable and trustworthy digital environment. We stand ready to translate this commitment into action, in solidarity with all other States, so that this instrument becomes a living tool not just of law, but of equitable, practical, rights-respecting cooperation.

I thank you