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WIPO Director General Meets Prime Minister of Lesotho

Geneva, June 27, 2000
Press Releases PR/2000/230

The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dr. Kamil Idris and the Prime Minister of Lesotho, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili, discussed on Tuesday ways of realizing the benefits of the intellectual property system in Lesotho. During the talks at WIPO's Geneva headquarters, Dr. Idris pledged additional support for the expansion of WIPO's activities in Lesotho.

"The strategic importance of intellectual property protection as a tool for social and economic development is increasingly recognized. Countries such as Lesotho, and indeed the whole continent of Africa, have much to gain from building effective systems of intellectual property creation, use and protection, Dr. Idris said. "We are delighted to be able to further support the Government of Lesotho in its efforts to develop its capacity to reap the social and economic benefits of an effective and fully operational intellectual property system", he added.

Discussions focused on the role of the intellectual property system in safeguarding the traditional knowledge and biological resources of agriculture-based economies within the African region. Dr. Idris also underlined the importance of raising awareness among the broader public of the potential economic and social benefits of intellectual property protection.

Future WIPO assistance will include help in setting up modern, information technology-based systems of protection in the fields of both industrial property and copyright, professional training courses through the WIPO World Wide Academy and the provision of intellectual property training materials to the University of Lesotho.

Lesotho became a member of WIPO in November 1986. It is also party to five other major international intellectual property treaties, namely, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations (Rome Convention), the Madrid Agreement Convention Concerning the International Registration of Marks and its Protocol and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:

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