Egypt has brought together judicial leaders, cybersecurity experts, diplomats, and law enforcement officials from across Africa, Europe, and the Arab world for a major international conference focused on combating cybercrime and emerging digital threats.
Cairo, Egypt (Running Africa) – The two-day conference, held on June 14–15, 2026, was organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Justice in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Council of Europe, and the British University in Egypt.
The gathering centered on strengthening international cooperation against cybercrime, improving cross-border investigations, and advancing implementation of the newly adopted United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.
Participants discussed the growing challenge of cyber-enabled crimes, including ransomware attacks, online fraud, cryptocurrency-related offenses, and criminal activity on the dark web. Experts warned that cybercrime now causes more than $10 trillion in global losses annually, with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence further increasing the sophistication and scale of digital threats.
A key focus of the conference was improving the collection and exchange of electronic evidence across jurisdictions, an issue increasingly critical as cybercriminal networks operate beyond national borders. Delegates also highlighted the need to better protect vulnerable groups, particularly children, from online exploitation and abuse.
Egypt used the forum to showcase its growing role in international cybersecurity cooperation and legal reform efforts. Officials highlighted initiatives such as the Egyptian-African Center for Cybercrime Prevention, designed to strengthen cybercrime prevention, capacity building, and judicial cooperation across the continent.
Speakers emphasized that addressing cybercrime requires faster legal frameworks, stronger institutional capacity, and closer international collaboration while ensuring that human rights, national sovereignty, and digital freedoms remain protected.
The conference concluded with a shared call for a more coordinated global response to cyber threats, reflecting the growing urgency of tackling cybercrime in an increasingly interconnected digital world.
