The 14th session of the Arab Technical Committee for Intellectual Property commenced today under Algeria's chairmanship and with Kuwait's participation, organized by the Arab League's Intellectual Property and Competition Unit.

Key Highlights from Opening Session:
In her inaugural address, Dr. Maha Bakheet, Director of Legal Affairs and Head of the IP Unit at the Arab League:

• Noted ongoing IP legislative reforms in member states to address global challenges

• Commended national IP offices for sustained efforts since the Committee's 2017 establishment

• Highlighted Arab countries' progress in WIPO's 2024 Global Innovation Index:
  • UAE: 1st regionally (32nd globally)
  • Saudi Arabia: 2nd regionally (47th globally)
  • Qatar: 3rd regionally (49th globally)
  • Egypt: Leads Africa in tech clusters (22% of continent's total)

• Congratulated Saudi Arabia on joining the Hague Agreement (Jan 2024)

Committee Composition & Mandate:
The technical body comprises:

• Government officials from Arab IP offices (industrial property + copyright sectors)

• Responsible for formulating regional IP cooperation frameworks

• Tasked with enhancing IP awareness and innovation promotion

Agenda Items (2-day meeting):

1. Implementation progress on 13th session recommendations

2. Subcommittee reports (Industrial Property + Copyright)

3. Proposed Arab Electronic IP Registry Platform (WIPO-supported)

4. Copyright protection challenges in Arab nations

5. Regional cooperation mechanisms

Kuwaiti Delegation:
Led by Abdulmohsen Al-Attar, Director of International Organizations at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, with representatives from the Trademarks and Patent Department.

Context:
Established per 2016 ECOSOC decision, the Committee drives harmonization of Arab IP systems in line with WIPO standards. Current discussions focus on digital transformation of regional IP infrastructure.