Sri lanka said strengthened Intellectual Property systems remain critical to the effective pursuit of economic and social development, by enabling developing countries to be fully engaged in the global economy driven by knowledge and innovation.

Sri Lanka’s envoy in Geneva, Ambassador A.L.A Azeez, addressing the 59th Session of the WIPO General Assemblies, referred to the multifaceted work that WIPO has carried out, including through the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property, by mainstreaming its Development Agenda, that effectively ensures the continued sharing of IP protected knowledge among the Member States.

WIPO’s norm-setting agenda, Ambassador Azeez stressed, has extended to a number of innovative areas including Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore. He called upon the Inter-Governmental Committee to expedite its work to finalize international legal instrument/s extending protection for these vital intellectual assets.

Sri Lanka also expressed appreciation to WIPO for its continued assistance in the form of technical cooperation and capacity building, and updated the WIPO General Assemblies on Sri Lanka’s progress in the accession process to the Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks.