St. Petersburg, 24 July 2026
*translation
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished representatives of the Member States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia,
Dear colleagues,
I am sincerely pleased to welcome the participants of the Seminar “Raising Awareness of CICA Member States in the Field of Countering the Use of ICTs for Criminal Purposes”, held within the framework of the Third International Conference on Countering Crimes Committed Using Information and Communication Technologies, “ICT-Crime 2026”.
First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to the Russian Federation for organizing this timely event and for its consistent attention to strengthening international cooperation in countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes.
It is encouraging to note that the International Conference “ICT-Crime” is bringing together representatives of government agencies, international organizations, the expert community, academia and the private sector for the third time to discuss the most pressing issues related to countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes. This demonstrates the relevance of this platform and its growing role in strengthening international professional dialogue and practical cooperation.
Digital transformation offers unprecedented opportunities for sustainable development, innovation and international cooperation. Information and communication technologies have become one of the key drivers of modern development, contributing to economic growth, improved public administration and a better quality of life. At the same time, the rapid development of the digital environment is accompanied by emerging challenges. Crimes committed using ICTs are becoming increasingly sophisticated, organized and transnational, affecting the interests of states, businesses and millions of people. It is therefore only through confidence, solidarity and joint efforts by states that these threats can be effectively addressed.
In these circumstances, confidence in the digital age is becoming just as important to security as confidence in the political, economic, environmental and humanitarian dimensions.
These are the very principles underpinning the work of CICA. For more than three decades, CICA has promoted dialogue, mutual understanding and practical cooperation among Asian states, regarding confidence building measures as an essential instrument for strengthening regional security and stability.
The commitment of CICA Member States to this approach was reaffirmed by the adoption of the CICA Leaders’ Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Security of and in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies at the Sixth CICA Summit in Astana in 2022. The Statement reaffirms the readiness of Member States to strengthen cooperation, exchange experience and best practices, promote capacity building and jointly prevent the use of ICTs for terrorist and other criminal purposes.
CICA has consistently worked to facilitate the exchange of experience, strengthen professional contacts and promote practical cooperation among Member States in addressing new challenges and threats. Such thematic events help translate political agreements reached at the highest level into practical cooperation among competent authorities, the expert community and other stakeholders.
The approaches enshrined in CICA documents are fully aligned with contemporary international efforts to strengthen cooperation in countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes.
An important milestone in this regard was the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime[1] by the UN General Assembly through resolution 79/243 on 24 December 2024.
This is the first comprehensive universal international treaty in this field, providing for a broad range of measures to prevent and combat crimes committed using ICTs, strengthen international cooperation and facilitate the exchange of electronic evidence relating to serious crimes. The adoption of the Convention has clearly demonstrated the international community's willingness to join efforts in addressing contemporary transnational threats.
Another important step was the launch, in March 2026, of the Global Mechanism on Developments in the Field of Information and Communications Technologies in the Context of International Security, established by the UN General Assembly as a permanent universal platform for promoting dialogue among states, building confidence and advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace. The establishment of this mechanism, which succeeded the UN Open-ended Working Group, marks a new stage in international cooperation on ICT security and opens up additional opportunities for bringing national approaches closer together in the field of international information security.
The approaches pursued within CICA are fully consistent with these international efforts. The promotion of confidence building measures, the exchange of experience and the development of practical cooperation among Member States remain important contributions by our organization to strengthening security and stability in the digital environment.
It is in this context that today’s seminar assumes particular practical significance. It provides CICA Member States with an opportunity to exchange national experience and best practices, discuss the experience of law enforcement agencies in countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes, explore issues of prevention and improvement of national legislation, and consider prospects for further international cooperation.
The participation of representatives of government agencies, law enforcement authorities, international organizations, the expert and academic communities, as well as technology companies, adds particular value to this event. Modern digital threats cannot be effectively addressed by the efforts of a single state or institution alone. A comprehensive approach is needed, based on partnerships among government institutions, academia, international organizations and the private sector.
I am confident that the ideas and proposals developed during today’s seminar will contribute to further strengthening cooperation among CICA Member States, improving national approaches to countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes, and reinforcing international efforts to build a secure, open, resilient and inclusive digital environment.
Security in the digital environment is not merely a matter of technology. It is a matter of confidence among states, the effectiveness of international cooperation and our shared responsibility to ensure that the achievements of the digital age serve the interests of peace, sustainable development and the well-being of our peoples, rather than being exploited for criminal purposes.
I am convinced that CICA will continue to contribute to this common goal by promoting confidence building, dialogue and practical cooperation in Asia.
I wish all participants fruitful work, substantive discussions and a successful exchange of experience. I am confident that the outcomes of today’s seminar will make another practical contribution to strengthening confidence, security and cooperation across the CICA area and Asia as a whole.
Thank you for your attention!
