Developing Countries Call for Expansion of WIPO's Cooperation for Development Program
Geneva, November 4, 2002
Press Updates UPD/2002/176
Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) called for a further expansion in technical assistance programs to developing countries offered under the Organization's Cooperation for Development Program. Meeting in Geneva from October 28 to November 1, 2002, the Permanent Committee on Cooperation for Development reviewed WIPO's assistance to developing countries for which strong support was expressed and identified areas requiring further support. The meeting was attended by delegations from 82 WIPO member states, and 14 international organizations.
WIPO's development cooperation activities are geared to assisting developing countries to effectively utilize the intellectual property system for economic, social and cultural development through a range of capacity-building programs. The overall budget for this core area of WIPO's activities amounts to approximately 11.8% of the overall budget for the Organization.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Roberto Castelo, Deputy Director General in charge of WIPO's Cooperation for Development Program said that the guiding philosophy of the development cooperation activities was to work with developing and developed countries, and other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. He highlighted the achievements of the sector in raising intellectual property awareness and understanding among key policy makers and the growing diversity of technical assistance available to developing countries.
Mr. Castelo highlighted a number of practical initiatives offered by the Organization, including the training programs offered by the WIPO Academy, assistance in establishing collective copyright management societies in Chad, Guinea Bissau, United Republic of Tanzania and Pacific Island least developed countries; measures to increase use of intellectual property by small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and deployment of the WIPONET project. These and a range of other activities are designed to offer practical support to developing countries by facilitating access to and use of industrial property information. The WIPONET project is particularly useful in this regard as the creation of a global intellectual property information network will ensure that the Organization is able to respond to the increased demand for electronic data exchange services. WIPONET will also serve as a platform for delivery of additional data exchange services to developing countries.
Implementation of WIPONET began in September 2001 with Chad and Cambodia being the first to benefit from WIPO deliverables. Since then, 11 of the 49 LDCs (Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Lao People's Democractic Republic, Mauritania, Nepal and Togo) have been connected. WIPONET will empower LDCs to better reap the benefits of global IP information resources by equipping them with internet connectivity and basic equipment.
An informal forum on future strategic issues was organized on the sidelines of the meeting to foster discussion on policy directions for WIPO's cooperation for development activities in view of the preparation of the 2004-2005 Program and Budget. Talks focused on enterprise development for SMEs, the evolution of the WIPO Worldwide Academy, and ways and means of further promoting the exchange of intellectual property information between and within developing countries and of supporting the creators and cultural industries of these countries. In particular, the forum looked at WIPO's Collective Management Action Plan for the African region.
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
- Email: publicinf@wipo.int.