WIPO and League of Arab States agree on closer cooperation
Geneva, April 18, 2002
Press Releases PR/2002/309
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will increase its cooperation activities with the League of Arab States (LAS) to promote the use of intellectual property assets in stimulating economic growth, particularly in the cultural industries sector. This decision came at a meeting between WIPO Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris, and the Secretary General of the LAS, Mr. Amre Moussa, on April 18, 2002 at WIPO's headquarters in Geneva and results from the shared conviction that intellectual property protection and capacity building are crucial to Arab countries, both in promoting economic development and in safeguarding the rich cultural heritage of the region.
WIPO and LAS have been working together since 2000 on activities aimed at reinforcing the intellectual property systems of countries in the Arab world and at promoting greater public awareness about the benefits of intellectual property protection. The heads of the two organizations agreed to further reinforce these ties.
Future areas of coperation include the organization of conferences on the impact of the copyright industry on Arab national economies and emerging issues in the field of intellectual property, such as electronic commerce. A Regional Coordination Meeting for the heads of industrial property offices of Arab States is expected to be held in October 2002 in Doha. This will aim to coordinate policies and future activities in the Arab region in the field of industrial property. A meeting to bring together the presidents and deans of law faculties of major Arab universities to promote and strengthen the teaching of intellectual property law in these institutions is also planned. WIPO will also continue to provide technical assistance to Arab countries in the area of drafting laws that are compatible with international intellectual property standards.
In 2000, WIPO assisted the LAS in the establishment of an Intellectual Property Unit at its General Secretariat. This included training of officials, providing intellectual property documentation, computer equipment, and assistance in creating a Directory of Arab national IP Offices. Other initiatives resulting from LAS-WIPO collaboration included an exhibition by Arab artists in September-October 2000 at WIPO's Geneva headquarters and a briefing session on intellectual property at the Cairo headquarters of LAS in April 2001 for the members of the permanent delegations to LAS in Cairo. A meeting for the New York-based Arab Permanent Representatives on the importance of intellectual property protection and WIPO's activities in the Arab region, was also held in New York in May 2001. WIPO and LAS have also worked together to set up a web page that addresses intellectual property-related matters on the LAS web site.
For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:
- Tel: +41 22 338 81 61 or 338 95 47;
- Fax: + 41 22 338 88 10;
- E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int.