Oman Participates in 65th WIPO Member States’ Associations Meeting in Geneva

Geneva, The Gulf Observer: Represented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Sultanate of Oman participated in the sessions of the 65th meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) member states’ associations, held in Geneva.

Oman’s delegation was led by Dr. Saleh Said Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry.

In his speech during the meeting, Dr. Masan emphasized that the Sultanate of Oman places great importance on its cooperation with WIPO. He highlighted the close collaboration on various projects aimed at strengthening the international intellectual property system within Oman.

“The projects included WIPO’s support for frankincense producers,” Dr. Masan said. “This initiative aims to preserve the quality and reputation of Omani frankincense and enhance its marketing value both locally and internationally by applying the intellectual property system as a geographical indicator.”

Dr. Masan also mentioned that Oman is working on implementing the “National Intellectual Property Strategy” in cooperation with WIPO. “The project seeks to establish a comprehensive framework to enhance innovation and ensure the protection of intellectual property rights in the Sultanate of Oman,” he explained.

He noted that WIPO’s Global Innovation Index (GII) serves as one of the main reference indicators of this strategy. “The Sultanate of Oman advanced 10 ranks in the GII in 2023, compared to its position in 2022,” Dr. Masan remarked.

Furthermore, Dr. Masan underscored the importance of the “Treaty on Genetic Resources and Related Traditional Knowledge” in protecting intellectual property rights for valuable resources. He expressed appreciation for WIPO’s support to indigenous peoples and local communities, ensuring their fair access to benefits arising from the use of such resources.

During the meeting, Dr. Masan also read the following statement:

“The Sultanate of Oman would like to draw the attention of WIPO member states’ associations to the Palestinian people’s suffering caused by the devastating Israeli attacks on Palestinian tangible and intangible heritage. This devastation pervaded the existence of all objects and all human beings whose rights are blatantly violated daily. The Israeli aggression, which targeted all—men, children, women, health institutions, and educational institutions—is unfortunately taking place under the full sight of the international community. No international organization is taking legal action to hold the perpetrators culpable for these heinous crimes against humanity.”

The participation of the Sultanate of Oman in the WIPO meeting underscores its commitment to fostering international cooperation in the field of intellectual property and supporting initiatives that protect and promote intellectual property rights globally.