Papua New Guinea joins Budapest Convention on cybercrime

Papua New Guinea has formally acceded to the Convention on Cybercrime, the Council of Europe treaty commonly known as the Budapest Convention.

The accession took place on 6 May 2026. The convention will enter into force for Papua New Guinea on 1 September 2026.

With the move, Papua New Guinea becomes the 82nd party to the treaty. According to the Council of Europe, two additional states have signed the convention but not yet ratified it, while 13 others have been invited to accede.

The Budapest Convention is the main international treaty focused on cybercrime cooperation. It establishes common legal frameworks for offences such as illegal access, computer-related fraud, child sexual abuse material offences, and misuse of computer systems. It also provides mechanisms for international cooperation in cybercrime investigations and evidence-sharing.

Although negotiated within the Council of Europe, the treaty has expanded well beyond Europe over the past two decades. Countries from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America now participate in the framework.

Accession is often significant for national cybersecurity governance because it requires alignment of domestic legislation and procedural powers with the treaty’s standards on cybercrime investigation and international cooperation.

The convention has also become increasingly relevant in broader geopolitical discussions on cyber governance. While many countries support the Budapest Convention as the primary operational framework for cybercrime cooperation, parallel negotiations at the United Nations on a separate cybercrime treaty have exposed differences over jurisdiction, human rights safeguards, and state control over digital investigations.