A wide view of the General Assembly as it considered, for adoption, the UN Convention against Cybercrime. [file photo]

The country is set to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime to strengthen national laws and enhance international cooperation against online threats.

In response to an oral question raised in Parliament this morning by Assistant Minister for Justice Ratu Josaia Niudamu, Prime Minister and Acting Minister for Communications Sitiveni Rabuka said the Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives, MSMEs and Communications has been leading the country’s participation in global efforts to combat cybercrime including online child exploitation while protecting human rights.

He explained that the UN treaty, the first criminal justice treaty adopted in over 20 years, provides a framework for cooperation among all 193 UN member states. Fiji actively participated in the three-year negotiation process, which concluded with adoption by consensus last Christmas Eve.

The country now intends to sign the Convention, building on its earlier accession to the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention.

Rabuka said Fiji would undertake legislative reforms to align national laws with the UN Convention and an additional protocol of the Budapest Convention, signed in June this year.

The government is partnering with the Council of Europe to guide these reforms and will table ratification processes in Parliament.

He states that the Convention complements Fiji’s Cybercrime Act and will strengthen digital forensics, cross-border cooperation and protection for Fijians and businesses from cyber threats.

Responding to a supplementary question, Rabuka assured Parliament that cybercrime victims’ rights as outlined in Article 34 of the UN Convention will be incorporated into Fiji’s policies and laws.

He adds that signing the Convention will align Fiji with international partners and reinforce its commitment to a safer and more secure digital environment.

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