Ambassador Bairagi calls for inclusive intellectual property regime at the global level to bridge digital divide

Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva,Shanker D. Bairagi, underlined the need for a fair, equitable, inclusive and development-friendly intellectual property regime at the global level to bridge technological gap as well as knowledge and digital divide between least developed counties like Nepal and the rest of the world.

Addressing the Fiftieth Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that started in Geneva Monday, he also emphasized on the need of enhanced support in building human, institutional and physical infrastructures and capacity to be able to harness the opportunities of innovation and technological breakthroughs.

The support measures, he added, should go beyond the simple project-based approach to address the deeper structural weaknesses inherent in poor and vulnerable countries and should include transfer of technology.

Referring to WIPO's norm-setting works, the Ambassador underscored the importance of maintaining balance between protection of intellectual property rights and broader public good in the process. He stated that an early conclusion of binding international treaty on traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional cultural expressions will be an important step.

Ambassador Bairagi highlighted the efforts Nepal has made for the modernization and automation of intellectual property offices, human resources development,establishing compatibility of legislation with relevant international treaties and strengthening capacities to enforce intellectual property rules.

As the main policy and decision making bodies of WIPO, the Assemblies this year are scheduled to make a number of important decisions that include the future works of negotiations on an international treaty to protect traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional cultural expressions. nepalnews.com