Central American and Dominican Republic Ministers Agree on IP Priorities to Drive Innovation and Growth

Ministers from Central America and the Dominican Republic reaffirmed their commitment to using intellectual property to drive innovation, investment and economic growth at their Ninth Ministerial Meeting held with the participation of WIPO Director General Daren Tang in San Salvador on October 27, 2026.

The meeting brought together ministers and senior government officials from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama under the theme “Intellectual Property as a Catalyst for Investment, Trade and Exports.”

Ministers reviewed regional cooperation and adopted a Declaration prioritizing a third phase of IP financing for SMEs, with pilots to help financial institutions assess IP and other intangible assets; stronger innovation ecosystems through institutional coordination and improved data and capacities linked to WIPO’s Global Innovation Index; and support for young creators and entrepreneurs in digital creativity and digital asset management and protection.

WIPO Director General Daren Tang (sixth from left) with Ministers and High-level authorities of IP from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic, at the IX Ministerial Meeting on Intellectual Property of Central America and the Dominican Republic: “IP as a Catalyst for Foreign Investment, Trade and Exports”, held in El Salvador (photo: Ministry of Economy of El Salvador).

Other engagements in El Salvador:

Held a series of bilateral meetings with ministers and senior government officials from participating countries to discuss national priorities and opportunities to further strengthen the role of IP in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
Visited Surf City together with El Salvador’s Minister of Economy María Luisa Hayem, and Minister of Tourism Morena Valdez. The visit showcased results from a WIPO initiative helping local entrepreneurs use IP to strengthen brands, differentiate their offerings and add value to tourism products and services.
Participated in the signing of an agreement between WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium and El Salvador’s Ministry of Culture aimed at expanding access to books and other published works in accessible formats for persons who are visually impaired or otherwise print disabled.
Visited the Technology Center on Digital Transformation to explore national initiatives advancing technological innovation, digital transformation and entrepreneurship.