The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) held a daylong LDCs High Level Forum in Geneva to examine the benefits of intellectual property (IP) to LDCs as they strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Ministers from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guinea, Lesotho, Senegal, Sudan and Uganda attended the Forum inaugurated by WIPO Director General Kamil Idris on Wednesday, according to a message received here on Saturday. The participating LDCs delegations heard expert presentations and deliberated on wealth creation through promoting innovation and utilizing intellectual property.

As the Global Coordinator of the LDCs, Bangladesh highlighted the potential of intellectual property for accelerating economic development.

Bangladesh Permanent Representative in Geneva Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya outlined in his opening plenary address a WIPO Agenda for Action for making IP work for building competitive domestic economies in the LDCs by way of utilizing their best but under-utilized resources. "Using IP for development is not an option, but a necessity," he said.

He stressed that rather than shying away from engaging, the LDCs should actively upgrade their legal and institutional frameworks so that they would be prepared when the flexibilities allowed by WTO to the LDCs end. Once the special concessions granted under TRIPs end, LDCs would have to comply with international IP standards. Ambassador Debapriya urged WIPO and the international community to support the efforts of LDCs. He called upon WIPO to dedicate more financial and human resources so that assisting LDCs constitute a central pillar of WIPO's activity.

He also called upon the private sector to develop partnerships with the LDCs and promote branding of their products. This, he said, would reflect their corporate social responsibilities.

The Forum heard the success story of branding Ethiopian coffee in the world market. Within three years, the Ethiopian coffee growers have doubled their retail price and over 15 million people associated with the coffee industry have seen their incomes rise.

The High Level Forum appreciated Ambassador's Debapriya's suggestion that a "one country, one product" scheme be initiated where WIPO and the private sector would come together to identify and develop one distinct product from each of the LDCs and would bring it to the international market.

The participants called upon the WIPO to make High-Level LDC Forum an annual event and follow up on their recommendations.