Today, the Technical Committees on Crime and Criminal Matters, with support from UNFICYP and the UN Good Offices Mission, held a cyber-crime seminar at Ledra Palace Hotel bringing together experts to discuss the growing threat of cyber-crime and ways to prevent falling victim to online attacks. The event was hosted by the team leaders of the Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters in Cyprus, Professor Andreas Kapardis, and Salih Can Doratli.

“In recent years, we have noticed a significant rise in new trends of cyber-crime, posing a grave threat to individuals, organizations, and nations across the world. These evolving tactics demand our vigilance, cooperation, and innovative solutions to combat them effectively,” said Officer-in-Charge of UNFICYP's police component, Lieutenant Colonel Ala’a Momani in his opening remarks.

The seminar serves as a forum for security experts from across the divide to gather and discuss the evolving landscape of cyber threats, the impact of legislation on cybercrime, the role of information technologies in this domain, and the future challenges that lie ahead in ensuring cyber security. Speakers highlighted the future challenges in cyber security, new trends in cyber-crime and legislation as well as information technologies and their role in cyber-crimes.

Sergiy Illarionov, Coordinator of the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, stated: “Building a shared understanding and vision for the future of Cyprus has perhaps never been more critical than today. In this context, it is encouraging that discussion and dialogue, like today, between the two communities have intensified over the past months not only on issues that affect the day-to-day life but also central to the peace process. It is through this dialogue that a joint vision can continue to be forged.”  

The seminar comes as part of the UN’s efforts to support the technical committee efforts to work on trust-building measures and providing a platform for raising awareness about cyber threats to provide knowledge to stay safe in the digital age.

“Looking ahead the future of cyber security presents difficult challenges that needs a proactive and collaborative approach. As technology advances and cyber threats become more sophisticated, we must adapt our strategies, invest in cutting-edge solutions, and foster international cooperation to stay ahead of the curve,” Momani concluded.