WIPO Director General Applauds Lebanon’s IP Efforts

Geneva, October 12, 2009
PR/2009/612

At a meeting on October 12, 2009 in Beirut, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry and President Michel Suleiman of Lebanon discussed the pivotal role of balanced national intellectual property (IP) regimes in promoting development, as well as WIPO’s capacity building activities in Lebanon. 

Mr. Gurry, who is on an official visit to Lebanon, congratulated the Lebanese Government on the considerable efforts made to ensure the effective use of the IP system for economic and cultural development. 

Mr. Gurry also held talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawzi Sallukh, Minister of Culture Tammam Salam, and Minister of Economy and Trade Mohamed Safadi. 

Talks focused on how Lebanon can best exploit the IP system for its economic and cultural development, as well as ways in which WIPO can support national efforts to strengthen the country’s IP capacity. The Director General emphasized the importance of IP as a driver of economic development and pointed to the enormous potential of the country’s vibrant creative industries, particularly in relation to the publishing, music, audiovisual and broadcasting sectors.  

Mr. Gurry assured the Lebanese authorities of WIPO’s commitment to developing an effective copyright global infrastructure that ensures appropriate remuneration of creators and that supports foreign investment. He also offered the Organization’s assistance in modernizing Lebanon’s industrial property office. 

Earlier in the day, Mr. Gurry opened the Arab Regional Intellectual Property Conference, co-organized by WIPO and the League of Arab States. This event brings together heads of intellectual property offices of Arab countries to identify best practices and discuss issues of common concern. Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, Minister of Culture, and Ambassador Saad Al-Farargi, Permanent Representative of the League of Arab States in Geneva, also addressed the opening session.