Abu-Ghazaleh: Priority for Arab Countries is Movement towards Knowledge-based Society
23 Jul 2003DOHA – Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman of the Arab Society for Intellectual Property (ASIP) and chairman of the Working Group on Human Resources and Capacity Building (HRCB) of the United Nations Information and Communications Technologies, (UN ICT TF), stressed that the top priority of this contemporary age is movement towards a knowledge-based society within this new global economy such that innovation preserves its role as a major tool for fair competition. He stated that respecting intellectual property rights (IPRs) is one of the major options to enhance innovation, pointing out that without respect to IPRs, innovation remains obsolete and without innovation then the movement of the economy is hindered or ends altogether.
This was mentioned in a lecture he delivered the day before yesterday in the Libyan capital Tripoli entitled “What’s New in Intellectual Property and Information Technology”.
Abu-Ghazaleh said that we need to protect intellectual property (IP) for our present, and our development and the development of our economy stating “This is a message we would like to highlight and emphasize in our Arab world. We cannot sit back and relax and wait; there are priorities that we need to enhance, solidify and adopt in many sectors throughout the Arab world for numerous reasons, one of which is the need to avoid the general trend to move towards the role of the victim. We do not respect IPRs because countries force us to, but rather do it because our benefit calls for us to do so. In the medium and long terms, effective execution depends on public support, and this means that success requires a broad understanding or at least an acceptance of the significance and value of IP protection. Currently, the trend of conforming to the TRIPS provisions is the most important development in the administration of IPRs in the history of the Arab world.”
He elaborated further stating: “According to global standards, the TRIPS does not put in place a minimum set of standards. In other words, there is still much to be done. For example, there is a need to join more international treaties on intellectual property or improving national legislation so that it takes into consideration new technologies or other developments that demand the understanding and support of the public. Understanding IP and broad acceptance and respect of IPRs can encourage policy decisions that will contribute to the ‘capital of knowledge’ for the country. This may include special provisions related to direct foreign investment, organizing services and the movement of normal persons, and investment in R & D and the granting of tax-forgiveness periods and other matters.”
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