MONROVIA – The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Amin Modad, has sought support from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to conduct a study on the economic contribution of intellectual property to Liberia’s economy and society.
Speaking at the WIPO 65th General Assemblies in Geneva, Switzerland, which runs from July 9-17, Minister Modad highlighted the administration of President Boakai’s commitment to intellectual property as a key driver of economic growth and development.
“Looking ahead, Liberia seeks WIPO’s collaboration in digitizing and developing our intellectual property infrastructure, prioritizing technology, and harnessing our rich culture,” Minister Modad stated during the opening of the WIPO Assemblies on July 9. He emphasized the need for comprehensive studies to quantify the impact of intellectual property on Liberia’s economy and society.
Despite being a relatively new administration, Minister Modad stressed the importance of intellectual property as a catalyst for socioeconomic development. “With a growing youth population and dynamic women population, Liberia recognizes the opportunities that intellectual property and technology offer in changing lives and fostering sustainable development rooted in our people, culture, and traditions,” he said.
According to Minister Modad, the Government of Liberia’s trade priorities focus on leveraging its comparative advantages. As part of these efforts, the government has been actively raising intellectual property awareness across the creative industries and within government sectors.
He added that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is committed to taking concrete actions across agencies to mainstream intellectual property into the national development agenda.
Minister Modad’s remarks at WIPO, the world’s largest gathering on intellectual property matters, come as the Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Intellectual Property Office, has made significant strides in strengthening the intellectual property ecosystem amidst substantial challenges.
Among the government’s key priorities are the digitization of the intellectual property registration process and conducting a study to quantify the economic contribution of intellectual property. This has been welcomed by the country’s intellectual property stakeholders, who have long found the costly and time-consuming paper-based registration process frustrating.
Stakeholders believe that digitizing the registration process will simplify and expedite applications, reduce filing costs, and enable convenient tracking of applications from anywhere. Additionally, the proposed study will address the lack of data on the impact of intellectual property on Liberia’s GDP and employment, offering a clearer picture of the economic impact of infringements and the long-term value of the creative industry and intellectual property ecosystem as a whole.
While intellectual property has positively impacted the country, stakeholders argue that the absence of data makes it difficult for policymakers and the public to understand its socioeconomic impact fully. The study, once conducted, will play a crucial role in guiding the drafting of Liberia’s next National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy, which will be data-driven and aim to harness the country’s intellectual property potential.
Minister Modad also informed the WIPO Assemblies of the Government of Liberia’s commitment to submitting all outstanding WIPO and ARIPO protocols for ratification in the coming months. He acknowledged Liberia’s limitations but expressed eagerness and commitment to cooperate with WIPO and member states in transitioning towards a knowledge-based global economy driven by intellectual property.
“Honorable Chair, Liberia aligns itself with the African position and expresses gratitude to WIPO for its unwavering support to our SMEs in intellectual property management,” Minister Modad said. He cited the example of 30 SMEs in food processing, packaging, and fashion design that recently received training in IP management and business development. The government is proud to announce that some of these SMEs have successfully protected their trademarks, leading to the establishment of a manufacturing association to facilitate interactions between the government and SMEs on intellectual property rights.
The ongoing WIPO Assemblies, attended by 1,400 delegates, including nearly 20 Ministers, will review the WIPO Secretariat’s work over the past year and set future activities according to a strategic direction approved by member states in 2022. The Assemblies will also examine WIPO treaties, which form the backbone of the global IP ecosystem supporting innovators and creators worldwide.
These Assemblies follow a May 2024 Diplomatic Conference where member states approved a new Treaty related to IP and Indigenous Peoples, marking a multilateral advancement ahead of a second late-stage treaty negotiation scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“WIPO’s efforts in transforming the global IP ecosystem are beginning to show results, shaping global IP standards, and gaining the attention of leaders while also reaching more people on the ground,” said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. “Let us continue as one WIPO community to establish the right practices, norms, standards, policies, and projects so that IP becomes a catalyst for growth and development in every country.”
Accompanying Minister Modad on this trip are Honorable Garmai Koboi and Clarence Cole, Director General and Deputy Director General for Copyright at the Liberia Intellectual Property Office, respectively, and Mr. F. Alphonso Y. Belleh II, Chief of Staff to the Minister.
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