RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has been elected to chair four associations within the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) participated in the General Assembly of WIPO held from 4 to 8 October in Geneva, Switzerland. During the assembly, the Kingdom was elected to chair the four associations, in addition to chairing the WIPO Conference.

The CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Swailem, was elected to chair Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works Assembly, which is concerned with the protection of works and the rights of their authors. The assembly allows owners of works to determine the means of controlling the way their works are used, who uses them, and the terms of the use.

The Berne Convention Assembly was concluded in 1886, and the Kingdom joined it in 2003, and it has 177 countries as members.

The Deputy CEO for Intellectual Property Policies and Partnerships Sami Al-Sodais, has also been elected as chair of the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property (Paris Union) for the second time in a row. The association is concerned with industrial property in its broadest concepts, including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, utility models, service marks, trade names, and data.

The Paris Association was concluded in 1883, and the Kingdom joined it in 2003, and it has 175 countries as members.

The Deputy CEO for Intellectual Property Operations, Dr. Ali Al-Shanqeeti, was elected as chair of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled.

The treaty is concerned with setting a set of mandatory restrictions and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired and people with other print disabilities. The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted in 2013. The Kingdom joined it in 2018, and it has 6o countries as members of the Treaty.

The intellectual property advisor, Shayea Al-Shayea, was elected as chair of the Conference of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which is considered one of the three main bodies of the organization, and it discusses topics of general importance in the field of intellectual property.

The conference has the right to adopt recommendations related to relevant topics. The Kingdom joined as a member of the organization in 1982.

Al-Shayea also chairs the Assembly of Locarno Union, which is a classification of industrial designs, and the Kingdom joined the union in 2020, and it has 60 countries as members of the union. — SPA