Manila, May 9 -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is strengthening cooperation to combat cybercrime and online scams amid rising digital threats affecting the region.

In a statement issued by the ASEAN chair on Saturday, the regional bloc welcomed ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing cross-border cooperation, building cybersecurity capacity, and improving protection and assistance for victims and survivors of online scams.

ASEAN leaders stressed the importance of a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to addressing cybercrime, including trafficking in persons.

They highlighted the implementation of the ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Work Plan Against Trafficking in Persons 2023-2028, along with its Monitoring, Evaluation...