Member States Unanimously Recommend the Appointment of Dr. Kamil Idris for a Second Term as WIPO Director General
Geneva, March 25, 2003
Press Releases PR/2003/341
A key decision making body of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) unanimously decided on Tuesday to recommend the appointment of Dr. Kamil Idris as Director General for a second six-year mandate. The Coordination Committee, meeting in Geneva on March 24 and 25, 2003, will now send its recommendation to WIPO's General Assembly, for endorsement at an extraordinary session on May 26 and 27, 2003. Dr. Idris' current mandate expires at the end of November 2003.
The WIPO Coordination Committee consists of 79 member states and under the terms of the "WIPO Convention" it is required, when the term of office of the Director General is about to expire, to nominate a candidate for appointment to such position by the General Assembly. Dr. Idris' candidature was the only nomination received for consideration by the Coordination Committee.
Delegations applauded Dr. Idris' leadership of the Organization since his appointment in 1997. Dr. Idris' candidature was formally presented by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations in Geneva, Mr. Sipho Nene, on behalf of the African Group. In presenting the candidature, he said "We can all agree and appreciate that Dr. Idris has significantly transformed WIPO in breadth, clarity, simplicity and visibility of its activities. He has literally and figuratively pulled the Organization into a new century and a new millennium. Dr. Idris' efforts as Director General have injected a sense of motivation and increased interest in intellectual property issues slowly, but surely, our countries are looking positively toward intellectual property as a potential tool for economic, social and cultural development" he added. "He has transformed WIPO into a forum where issues of interest and importance to all members, in particular, developing countries, can be addressed". Under his leadership, WIPO's contribution to the intellectual property system can truly serve to make our world a place rich in technological, economic, social and cultural development for the benefit of all peoples," the Ambassador said.
Speakers commended Dr. Idris for the efficiency, vision and dynamism with which he has led the Organization since 1997. This, they said, has enabled the creation of a modern, forward-looking and innovative intellectual property framework. Under his leadership, they said, the Organization has established itself as one of the leading UN specialized agencies in the knowledge-based economy. Member states commended his drive in successfully modernizing and streamlining the working methods of the Organization through, for example, the introduction of greater openness, transparency and results-based budgeting and the implementation of technology based solutions, such as the PCT automation or "IMPACT" project.
Many delegations expressed appreciation for Dr. Idris' emphasis on "deliverables" and the Organization's success, under his leadership, in advancing the traditional mission of the protection and promotion of intellectual property to the development of intellectual property systems as instruments of social and economic development for the benefit of all. Particular gratitude was expressed for his willingness to listen to and take into account the concerns and needs of developing countries and to mainstream the development dimension of intellectual property rights in the Organization's activities. Member states also commended Dr. Idris for the expansion of activities into such areas as public outreach, traditional knowledge, alternative dispute resolution procedures, the WIPO Digital Agenda and the WIPO Patent Agenda, for example.
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