President of Tanzania Visits WIPO

Geneva, June 13, 2001
Press Releases PR/2001/275

The strategic use of intellectual property as a tool for development and wealth creation topped the agenda of talks on Wednesday between the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dr. Kamil Idris, and the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Benjamin William Mkapa, at WIPO headquarters in Geneva.

Dr. Idris briefed the President on recent trends in intellectual property and the growing significance of knowledge and information in economic, social and cultural development. He explained how the intellectual property system captures the value of intangible assets, which are fast superceding tangible assets such as land, labor and capital as key components of wealth creation and economic development. "At the heart of my vision for this Organization is development. The potential of the intellectual property system as a means of empowerment for nations, individuals and business is one of WIPO's central messages for the 21st century," Dr. Idris said.

Dr. Idris said a major challenge is to awaken a global consciousness of the real value of intellectual property, in particular in the developing world where creativity and innovation have been thriving for centuries. The Director General said that WIPO is expanding the traditional approach to intellectual property which confined the issue to legal and technical parameters. The development aspects of intellectual property today are at the fore of this Organization's concerns. He also pointed out new work being undertaken by WIPO in examining the intellectual property aspects of traditional knowledge, folklore, and genetic resources - all of which are important to developing countries.

President Mkapa shared the Director General's view of the importance of intellectual property in today's knowledge and information-based societies. The President underscored the need to build a universal consciousness of the value of intellectual property for all nations alike. He emphasized the importance of awareness raising activities and adapting the education curricula to better reflect current realities.

President Mkapa said that proper exploitation of new technologies can help Africa leapfrog in its development. "I have seen with my own eyes how access to, and correct application of, technology can revolutionize the way we fight poverty and how we empower our people to self-develop," he said. "With information technology and computerization it is possible for Africa to leapfrog from nothing to the latest on the market. Indeed, it is already happening," he said noting that there are people in Tanzania today whose first ever telephone uses cellular technology and some who never owned a typewriter now have access to a computer.

During his visit to WIPO, the President had an opportunity to hear about specific projects which are geared at empowering developing countries to better take advantage of the international intellectual property system. These included a presentation of WIPO's information technology projects, including WIPONET. WIPONET will provide electronic connectivity between intellectual property offices worldwide to facilitate the future rapid exchange of data between these offices. This global communications network will enable member states to exchange intellectual property information in a cost-effective and highly secure environment.

The Director General underlined the potential of the Internet in facilitating the dissemination and access to information, which he described as the raw material of innovation. President Mpaka welcomed exploitation of digital technologies to bridge the digital divide. "The digital divide is not just another cliché in north-south relations. It is a reality, a very frightening one, and perhaps the greatest threat to Africa's competitiveness. Electronic commerce and computer aided design processing and manufacturing are some of the development tools that give nations and enterprises an edge in the competitive world," he said.

President Mpaka also visited WIPO's World Wide Academy, an institution established in 1998 by Dr. Idris to provide teaching, training, advisory, and research services in intellectual property. Dr. Idris noted that distance should no longer be an obstruction to instruction. The goal of the Academy's distance learning initiative is to enable students anywhere in the world to learn about the basics of intellectual property. President Mpaka invited WIPO to help Tanzanian academic institutions in developing distance learning projects. "Today I saw the enormous possibilities for the application of information technologies in education, and in capacity building through distant learning. I welcome you to Tanzania, Mr. Director General, to work with our universities to make this a reality," the President said.

The President was accompanied by H.E. Mr. Mchumo, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania in Geneva, Ambassador Opanga, Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Sefue, Personal Assistant to the President, Mr. Patrick Mombo, Private Secretary to the President, Mrs. Mwingira, Assistant Press Secretary, and Mrs. Irene Kasyanju, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania in Geneva.

Tanzania has been a member of WIPO since 1983 and is party to a total of seven WIPO-administered treaties in the field of intellectual property.

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

• Tel: (+41 22) 338 81 61 or (+41 22) 338 95 47;
• Fax: (+41 22) 338 88 10;
• E-mail: publicinf@wipo.in