In 2022, the U.N. embarked on an ambitious journey to adopt – over only a period of two years – a global cybercrime treaty. Skeptics have cited concerns over fragmentation given existing related legal instruments like the Budapest Cybercrime Convention, as well as the risk of authoritarian influence on treaty development, and provisions that might erode global human rights. 

Negotiations have been marked by fervent debate around cybercrime definitions, as well as the scope and objectives of the convention. In the summer of 2023, the first negotiated draft of the convention was made public. In the coming weeks, UN member states will start negotiations to reach consensus on a final draft by September 1, 2023. 

To discuss the significance of the proposed convention, the Center for Cybersecurity Policy & Law’s Alex Botting and Jen Ellis sat down with Kaja Ciglic, the Senior Director for Digital Diplomacy at Microsoft. Ciglic leads Microsoft’s work on issues related to international peace and stability to advance trust in the computing ecosystem. Previously, she led Microsoft’s international cybersecurity policy work in an effort to develop policies that support development, growth, and innovation, and advance security, privacy, and trust in the information age.

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