Cooperation with other Organizations

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WIPO-UNDP

The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) under the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with the Arab Bureau has developed a regional project for Arab countries. The title of the project is "Strengthening and Mobilizing the Intellectual Property System for Promoting Technological, Industrial and Cultural Development".

The project aims at promoting technological, industrial and cultural development through improving the intellectual property system. It is foreseen that the said project will strengthen the capabilities of the participating Arab countries in the field of protection and administration of intellectual property, through modernizing legislation, introducing more efficient and development-oriented administrations, and developing human resources. The project will also establish the required mechanisms to provide information services to the scientific and productive sectors in the participating countries with a view to promoting local inventive and creative activity.

Moreover, the project seeks to provide funding for a wide variety of activities aimed at enhancing the technical skills and development of public and private institutions, individuals, and non-governmental organizations.

WIPO-LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES (LAS)

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between WIPO and the League of Arab States (LAS) on July 16, 2000 to strengthen and institutionalize cooperation between the two organizations. The MOU focused on the need to reinforce the intellectual property systems of countries in the Arab world and promote public awareness about the benefits of intellectual property protection.

In its efforts to further promote the protection of intellectual property in the Arab world and with the assistance of WIPO, an Intellectual Property Unit has been established in the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS) in July, 2000. This Unit is assisting in increasing awareness of intellectual property rights, organizing workshops and seminars, and providing legal and technical advice to Arab countries. Furthermore, WIPO has extended assistance to the unit by providing staff training, computer equipment, and intellectual property material.

In cooperation with the LAS, an exhibition of Arab Artists was organized at WIPO headquarters, featuring artists from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Sudan and Tunisia.

Moreover, WIPO and LAS, organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Sultanate of Oman, a WIPO/LAS Arab Regional Coordination Meeting for Heads of Industrial Property and Copyright Offices, in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, in September, 2003.

The aim of the Meeting was to continue coordination among the representatives of the Arab countries by exposing recent intellectual property issues on the Organization’s agenda, in particular in relation to the work of the standing committees as well as other assistance programs channeled to the region. The meeting provided the opportunity to review the technical and legal assistance provided by WIPO to the Arab countries and assess the needs and requirements for future activities which were reflected in the form of adopted recommendations.

A forthcoming event is scheduled to be held within the next few months.

WIPO- ARAB LEAGUE EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION (ALECSO)

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) is a specialized agency of the Arab League. WIPO and ALECSO signed a Cooperation Agreement on March 9, 1989, in order to foster the interchange of relations of cooperation between the two organizations.

ALECSO is closely cooperating with WIPO in organizing meetings dealing with matters concerning the protection of intellectual property, offering special services and technical assistance, participating in important meetings and diplomatic conferences, and exchanging information and documents.

ALECSO has recently requested the assistance of WIPO in reviewing the existing Arab Convention on Copyright, in light of the recent developments in the filed of copyright with the coming into effect of the TRIPS Agreement, as recommended by the Arab Ministers for Culture.

WIPO-ARAB LAWYERS UNION (ALU)

The Arab Lawyers Union (ALU) is based in Cairo and was established in 1994. It includes twenty-four national bar associations of Arab countries and its membership contains more than four hundred thousand Arab lawyers based in 21 Arab countries. The ALU is cooperating with WIPO in conducting national and regional activities.

The cooperation activities mainly focus on training lawyers on specific issues relating to intellectual property; promoting awareness of intellectual property rights and conducting research and study papers on intellectual property related issues in the Arab world.

WIPO- THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC)

WIPO cooperates with the Patent Office of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in organizing training activities, through study-visits abroad, including on-the-job and/or collective training in the field of patents. Also, WIPO has provided the GCC with advice and guidance on amending their patent law in order to implement the provisions of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Moreover, WIPO is assisting the GCC in the fields of institution-building, development of human resources, training of staff, and automation for the development of the Patent Office of the GCC.

WIPO-ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION (ISESCO)

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) is based in Rabat, Morocco, and is specialized in the fields of education, science, culture and communication. WIPO signed a Cooperation Agreement with ISESCO on November 20, 2000, with a view to promote the protection of intellectual property rights, and to cooperate on matters of mutual interest in the Arab world.

The agreement included that both organizations cooperate on the following:

WIPO in cooperation with ISESCO and the Government of Azerbaijan organized a conference on intellectual property in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the member states of ISESCO. The Conference considered and discussed standards of protection of copyright and related rights and the exploitation and safeguarding of traditional and local knowledge.

WIPO-THE EGYPTIAN BOARD ON BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (EBBY)

One of the main interests of EBBY relates to the promotion of awareness among young people of the importance of intellectual property and its protection as well as producing related materials for young readers. In light of that interest, WIPO and EBBY have agreed to undertake numerous activities to promote its goals.

WIPO-UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA (ESCWA)

WIPO and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) cooperates mainly in areas of common interest particularly in the field of assistance extended to Arab Countries for the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement as well as other pertaining matters.

WIPO recently organized in cooperation with ESCWA and the Government of the Lebanese Republic, an Arab Regional Conference on Recent Developments in the Field of Intellectual Property, followed by a second Arab Regional Conference on Intellectual Property and Electronic Commerce, in Beirut. The conferences represented the first activity organized in cooperation with ESCWA on a regional scale with the view of joining efforts in the implementation of common objectives.

The objective of the Conferences was to generate greater awareness on the new issues and challenges posed by the intellectual property system, as well as to expose the magnitude and importance of electronic commerce and its effects on international trade as well as intellectual property protection mechanisms. The Conferences were intended for senior government officials responsible for policy questions relating to intellectual property, as well as interested private sector circles, in particular, lawyers, economists, business managers and information technology specialists.

WIPO-THE ARAB INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND MINING ORGANIZATION (AIDMO)

The Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO) has a long history of cooperation with (WIPO), for over 20 years, since 1983.

WIPO has sent several representatives to AIDMO organized meetings and symposiums, held all over the Arab region such as: The Regional Symposium on Industrial Property and the Transfer of Technology in Arab Countries, held in Amman, Jordan; and The Regional Workshop on Technology Transfer Negotiations and Contracting, which was held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, AIDMO organized an Arab Regional Meeting in Rabat. The objective of the meeting was to discuss mechanisms for strengthening Arab industrial property offices, and the possible creation of an Arab regional industrial property office, and cooperation with WIPO.

WIPO-ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB)

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between WIPO and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on November 8, 2004 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Currently the IDB is in the process of preparing several joint activities that could be carried out by our two institutions for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states.

WIPO-ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC)

WIPO signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on December 10, 2003 in Geneva. The agreement includes the invitation to each institution conferences as well as the joint cooperation in the promotion of intellectual property for each respective institution member states.

WIPO-KING ABDULLAH CENTER FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The Center was created on August 11, 2003, through cooperation between the Government of Jordan and WIPO, as a non-governmental organization which serves as a forum for providing education and specialized training in the field of intellectual property for officials from Jordan and the Arab region. The Center also collaborates with WIPO on different activities such as preparation of studies in the field of intellectual property, providing information on the subject of intellectual property through the Internet and organizing seminars and workshops on intellectual property subjects.

So far WIPO has organized a series of intellectual property seminars in cooperation with the Center, most notable of these was WIPO Arab Regional Seminar on Intellectual Property as a Tool for Economic Growth. The Seminar was held in Amman, Jordan, from June 1 to 3, 2004, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II. The meeting focused on the linkages between intellectual property and economic growth and demonstrated the potential to create value for its owners and society as a whole.

WIPO-JORDIAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSOCIATION (JIPA)

WIPO has participated in several events organized by the Jordanian Intellectual Property Association (JIPA) in the field of intellectual property which included two intellectual property week meetings that were held in Amman, Jordan in the year of 2003 and 2004.

WIPO-EGYPTIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY (AEPPI)

WIPO cooperates with the Egyptian Association for the Protection of Industrial Property in organizing a number of activities and seminars.

One of the important seminars that had been organized in cooperation with AEPPI was an International Symposium on Intellectual Property Protection in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Countries in Cairo. The objective of the Symposium was to create a forum where local and international experts can meet to discuss and exchange views on recent developments in the field of intellectual property protection, focusing on the international and national legal framework and highlighting related issues of concern to developing countries.

A forthcoming event is scheduled to be held within the next few months.

WIPO-EGYPTIAN INSTITUTE FOR DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

WIPO recently organized, in cooperation with the Egyptian Institute for Diplomatic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, a Training Workshop on Intellectual Property for Diplomats in Cairo. The training focused on intellectual property issues and was mainly intended for Egyptian and Sudanese Diplomats who are at present receiving training at the Institute.

A forthcoming event is scheduled to be held within the next few months.

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