During an official visit to Jamaica from May 18-19, 2026, WIPO Director General Daren Tang met with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other senior government officials as well as creators, innovators and entrepreneurs to deepen cooperation on intellectual property (IP), innovation, the creative economy and digital transformation.
In discussions with the Prime Minister and other ministers, an agreement was reached to work jointly on the development of a National IP Strategy for Jamaica aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 agenda and adapted to emerging realities such as artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy, innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship and the creative industries.
Throughout the visit, Director General Tang emphasized WIPO’s evolving vision of IP as a practical tool for economic empowerment, innovation, job creation and commercialization, particularly for creators, entrepreneurs, startups, researchers, SMEs and youth.
Kingston engagements:
- Met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith and signed a Letter of Intent establishing a training program for diplomats and trade officials.
- Met with Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Aubyn Hill and agreed to collaborate on the preparation of Jamaica’s updated innovation and digital services hub and explored opportunities related to AI, startups, SMEs, digital transformation and the creative economy. A Letter of Intent for the establishment of an IP Training Institute was also signed.
- Met with Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange to discuss support for Jamaica’s creative economy, music industry, sports sector and traditional cultural expressions.
- Visited the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and met with Executive Director Lilyclaire Bellamy and JIPO officials to discuss ongoing modernization efforts, IP services and future cooperation initiatives supporting creators, entrepreneurs and innovators.
- Engaged with innovators, researchers and members of the JIPO Advisory Board on innovation ecosystems, commercialization challenges, startup development and research-to-market opportunities for Jamaican innovators.
- Met with women entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators to discuss the role of IP in commercialization, branding, research and business development.
- Visited the Jamaica Business Development Corporation and held discussions on the MSME incubator and resource center.
- Visited the Kingston Creative space and held discussions on the critical role of IP in empowering artists and creatives and the unique way that Kingston Creative is using art, music and community creativity to transform Downtown Kingston.