Qatar

Geneva / Information Office / September 22  

The State of Qatar affirmed its support for the ongoing negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which aim to develop global protection laws, especially the negotiations of the Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, in order to conclude the current negotiations and agree on the items of a multilateral agreement that ensure international protection for the rights of broadcasting organizations.

The State of Qatar has renewed its readiness to submit a request to host the Diplomatic Conference on the signing this agreement, if agreed by Member States, expressing aspiration to complete consideration of the postponed items of the WIPO General Assembly's agenda, which will be resumed during the first half of next year.

This came in the State of Qatar's statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri during the 61st Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, held during the period from Sep. 21 to 25.

HE said that the State of Qatar is aware of the enormous challenges posed by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, and the severe disturbances that have resulted from the measures taken to confront it in the departments concerned with intellectual property management and their beneficiaries, including users of intellectual property (IP) registration systems, as well as the difficulty of communication between applicants, record owners or their agents and the International Bureau of WIPO.

He added "hence, we support the proposals presented on the agenda of this assembly, which aim to include amendments to the regulations and activate the relevant items to ensure the facilitation of the use of various international intellectual property systems in light of this pandemic."

During these exceptional circumstances that the world is experiencing, His Excellency Ambassador Al Mansouri expressed the State of Qatar's solidarity with the WIPO, in order to continue the great role it plays in promoting cooperation among Member States, and the essential services it provides to all members, especially since many of the innovations supported by WIPO have contributed to many global solutions to combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. He also expressed hope that this ordeal would be quickly overcome and that WIPO would continue to lead the development of an effective and comprehensive international IP system that would enhance innovations that support sustainable global development.

HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to UN thanked HE Chair of the WIPO General Assembly Ambassador Omar Zniber and his deputies, as well as those in charge of the Arab Bureau and members of the WIPO Secretariat for their efforts in support of the organization's work, which are still continuing despite the complications imposed by the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

His Excellency also expressed deepest thanks and gratitude to HE WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, whose term will end with the conclusion of this Assembly, for his great work for the organization's development and success.

HE also praised Gurry's great effort he made during his two terms of office and his dedication to working to strengthen the global intellectual property system, stressing that the State of Qatar stands as a testament to those efforts, as HE has spared no effort in showing the spirit of cooperation and advice to the State of Qatar, which made during the past period great achievements in developing its intellectual property policies and systems, especially the great support it received to host the Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC). HE Ambassador Al Mansouri wished WIPO Director General every success in his future mission.

His Excellency also extended warm congratulations to HE Daren Tang for winning the confidence of Member States and his appointment as Director General of WIPO.

HE Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri affirmed the State of Qatar's confidence that Tang will continue to work to enhance WIPO's global standing and its growing ability to stimulate innovations and harness them to achieve comprehensive development and prosperity for all, expressing the State of Qatar's support for him for the sake of the success of his mission and the facilitation of the organization's work.