DUBAI, 3 January 2008 — The UAE Ministry of Economy announced that the First Arab Intellectual Property Forum would be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
Over 300 dignitaries, special interest groups, executives and international experts are expected to attend the event, which is being organized by the ministry as a major initiative in its continuing efforts to combat intellectual property rights (IPR) violations.
The forum, organized with the support of the World Intellectual Property Organization and Khasawneh & Associates, will provide indepth discussions on various property rights issues, including cross-border cooperation, public awareness campaigns, electronic commerce and online crimes. It will also tackle challenges in IP management and identify successful strategies that optimize business potential.
“This global event provides an important opportunity to debate and discuss IPR policies and sets a platform to highlight the success stories of companies who were able to build strong markets with their intellectual-property-centered businesses,” said Economy Minister Sheikha Lubna bint Khaled Al-Qasimi.
Moreover, this forum provides an opportunity for regional and international companies to proactively discuss IPR issues, with emphasis on intellectual property law enforcement and efforts against product imitation. Aside from concession procedures, licensing and trademark management, participants will also talk about electronic crimes and the exploitation of website domain names.”
Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Al-Shihhi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy, outlined the contents of the forum’s workshops: The first workshop will tackle piracy and counterfeiting and the various initiatives being implemented to prevent it from proliferating across the region. It will also highlight the critical role of consumers in combating piracy, and the strong impact of an effective public awareness campaign in boosting law enforcement efforts. The second workshop will address issues concerning electronic commerce, electronic theft and various crimes committed on the web. The third workshop will focus on licensing and management of trademarks and will examine various business models and opportunities.
Al-Shihhi explained: “The forum will include a series of workshops, each deeply exploring specific subjects that are of great importance to intellectual property rights in the Arab world. The forum will be a suitable platform to facilitate a healthy debate on critical issues and promote sustained interaction to help us identify and develop new business opportunities and enforcement initiatives.”
Participants will also examine current conditions and possible improvements in the implementation of IPR laws and policies throughout the Arab world.
