Minister of Cameroon Signs Key Trademark Law Treaty in Meeting with WIPO Director General

Geneva, March 2, 2007
UPD/2007/287

The Minister for Industry, Mines and Technological Development of Cameroon, H.E. Mr. Charles Salé, signed on February 27, 2007, the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks in the context of talks with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dr. Kamil Idris, on strengthening bilateral relations between WIPO and Cameroon and reinforcing the intellectual property infrastructure in the country.

During the meeting, the Director General welcomed efforts by the Government of Cameroon to prioritize the development of the intellectual property infrastructure in the country and to use intellectual property as a tool for development and wealth creation. The Director General said strategic use of the intellectual property system would contribute to enhancing innovation and creativity and fostering economic growth and social and cultural well-being.

Following an overview of cooperation activities between Cameroon and WIPO, H.E. Mr. Salé signed, on behalf of his country, the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks, a new international agreement on trademarks that deals mainly with procedural aspects of trademark registration and licensing.

In addition to bilateral discussions, H.E. Mr. Salé, who is also the President of the African Organization for Intellectual Property (OAPI) Board of Directors, reviewed WIPO’s cooperation with OAPI.

H.E. Mr. Salé, who extended an invitation to the Director General to visit Cameroon, was accompanied by Mr. Francis Ngantcha, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Permanent Mission of Cameroon to the United Nations in Geneva, and Mr. Eugène Désiré Efaga, Technical Advisor to the Minister and Director of the Industrial Property Office of Cameroon.