Qatar Participates in 66th Assemblies of WIPO Member States

Geneva, July 09 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated in the 66th session of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held in Geneva.
The Qatari delegation to the session was headed by HE Dr. Hind bint Abdulrahman Al Muftah, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.
In the State of Qatar’s statement during the session, Her Excellency emphasized the country’s commitment to developing intellectual property (IP) systems in collaboration with WIPO, particularly with the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector. She praised the significant role played by WIPO in building an effective and balanced international IP system that promotes innovation and creativity in a way that supports sustainable development and benefits all member states.
She announced that the next conference will be held in Doha on Sep. 1-2, in cooperation with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, the IP for Business Division, and the WIPO Judicial Institute, under the sponsorship of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. The event is organized based on a memorandum of understanding signed between Qatar and WIPO and will be attended by high-level dignitaries from the organization and the region.
Her Excellency also highlighted the State of Qatar’s efforts to collaborate on alternative dispute resolution, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, education, and capacity building. She stressed that these initiatives are directly aligned with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, supporting the country's ambitions to invest in human capital and transition toward a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.
Her Excellency emphasized the importance of the support WIPO provides to Qatar in formulating its national strategy, developing its institutional IP framework, and working toward the establishment of a national intellectual property center.
Her Excellency also noted the State of Qatar’s keenness to keep pace with legislative and legal developments in the field of intellectual property, particularly with regard to treaties and agreements administered by WIPO, most notably the Madrid Protocol, which governs the Madrid System for the international registration of trademarks. Qatar acceded to the protocol on May 3, 2024, becoming the 115th member of the system. The protocol entered into force on Aug. 3, 2024, and Decree No. (59) of 2024 was issued approving Qatar’s accession to the protocol, thereby giving it the force of law in the country.
Her Excellency also indicated that efforts are currently underway for the State pf Qatar to accede this year to the Nice Agreement concerning the international classification of goods and services for trademark registration. She affirmed Qatar’s support for ongoing negotiations within various WIPO committees, as well as efforts to include the Arabic language in all WIPO activities and systems, particularly within the Madrid Protocol system.
Her Excellency concluded by commending WIPO’s well-recognized efforts in developing intellectual property frameworks and enhancing cooperation with member states, especially in light of the growing importance of this vital field amid rapid technological advancements. She also affirmed Qatar’s support for the statements of the Arab Group and the Asia Group regarding the issues addressed in this session. (QNA)