St. Petersburg, 24 July 2025 – The seminar titled “Exchange of Experience of the Member States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Countering the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Criminal Purposes” was conducted on the margins of the International Conference “ICT-Crime-2025”. The event was organized in a hybrid format by the Russian Federation, the coordinator of the CICA priority area “Security of and in the use of ICTs” for 2024-2025.
The seminar brought together experts and representatives of competent authorities, academia, major banks and IT companies from CICA Member States, as well as the UNODC Regional Center for Combating Cybercrime in Doha. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security, Director of the Department for International Information Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Artur Lyukmanov.
Representing the CICA Secretariat, Deputy Secretary General Farid Damirli participated in the event online, expressing appreciation to the Russian Federation for its consistent coordination of this important area and highlighting the continued interest of Member States in digital security. The initiatives of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship in this domain were mentioned, along with the potential of CICA to serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and strengthening regional cooperation in response to ICT threats.
CICA Expert in the New Challenges and Threats Dimension Ambassador Adel Adaileh delivered an in-person presentation on “Balancing Crime Fighting and Human Rights Protection in the Digital Space”. The expert stressed that CICA attaches particular importance to enhancing dialogue, trust and cooperation to counter both traditional and emerging security threats, including cybercrime, cyberterrorism and digital disinformation.
Ambassador Adaileh noted that the CICA platform promotes a common understanding and coordinated action to prevent the criminal use of ICTs while respecting the sovereignty and legal systems of its Member States. A key element of CICA’s approach to combating cybercrime is the exchange of knowledge and best practices, which includes joint seminars, capacity-building initiatives and technical assistance programmes. By combining the efforts of their national institutions, Member States contribute to the development of sustainable mechanisms for responding to ICT threats, thereby strengthening CICA’s mission to ensure peace, stability and mutual trust across the continent.
As part of the seminar’s intensive programme, participants explored a wide range of topics, including the main types of ICT-related crimes, law enforcement practices, threats to national digital resilience, the illicit use of cryptocurrencies, blockchain analytics and cyber fraud in the financial sector. The discussions also covered preventive aspects, such as developing cyber hygiene, improving digital literacy, protecting personal data and using electronic evidence. These issues were considered in the context of expanding international cooperation, including interactions among prosecuting authorities, the private sector, international institutions and non-governmental organizations.
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In addition, the seminar examined current legislative approaches to countering cybercrime, ranging from the regulation of digital evidence and international legal assistance to the improvement of public-private partnership mechanisms. The application of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, expected to be signed in Hanoi in October 2025, was a major focus of the discussions.
The seminar became a critical platform for exchanging practices, enhancing coordination and forging coherent approaches to combating cybercrime within the framework of multilateral cooperation among CICA Member States.
