Morocco has actively contributed to the process of concluding an international Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge.
Speaking at a diplomatic conference organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which ended in Geneva on Friday, the Moroccan delegation underlined the Kingdom's active contribution to this effort, which has been underway for several years, with Morocco having worked during its presidency of the WIPO General Assemblies in 2020 and 2021 to encourage the relaunch of negotiations on this subject.
Morocco's Deputy Permanent Representative in Geneva, Abdellah Boutadghart, described the outcome of the conference as an important step towards strengthening the intellectual property system for the preservation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, which have been passed down from generation to generation and form a fundamental pillar of the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the Kingdom of Morocco.
This traditional knowledge, including traditional industrial, agricultural, and technological practices, is one of the foundations of development, resilience, and a sustainable future for all societies worldwide, he added.
In Boutadghart's view, "this treaty is undoubtedly a tool for strengthening the patent system and building a strong and inclusive intellectual property system. Far from being an end in itself, it is the beginning of the strengthening of an important tributary of this system that we are all striving to achieve."
In conclusion, the Moroccan diplomat hoped for "collective cooperative action and a real commitment to increasing the contribution of intellectual property to the promotion of innovation, technology transfer, and the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge for the benefit of all."
