Qatar's Office to WTO Holds Panel, Workshop on Intellectual Property Dispute Settlement

Geneva, March 03 (QNA) - The State of Qatar's Office to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other economic organizations in Geneva held a panel session and a specialized workshop, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement on Monday the two events at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva focused on the alternative methods to resolve intellectual property and technology disputes, aligning with SDG 16, as part of efforts to attract foreign direct investment and develop the business environment in the State of Qatar.

Director of the State of Qatar's Office to the WTO and other economic organizations in Geneva, Ahmed Issa Al Sulaiti inaugurated the session that brought together 22 experts and specialists from various international institutions and entities as well as representatives of the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Qatar International Court, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, and a number of international law firms.

Al Sulaiti said the outcomes and recommendations of the session are expected to enrich the Second International Mediation and Arbitration Conference, scheduled in the State of Qatar in 2025. The conference will address the role of intellectual property, technology and sustainability policies in attracting foreign direct investment and supporting the transformation to a knowledge-based and innovation-based economy.

He stressed that organizing this event comes within the framework of the Ministry's 2024-2030 strategy, which aims to enhance the investment environment in the State of Qatar and develop mechanisms for settling commercial and economic disputes in accordance with the best international practices, noting that this session reflects the Ministry's commitment to enhancing the protection of intellectual property rights and supporting innovation, by developing and diversifying effective and innovative mechanisms for settling disputes in this vital field, in addition to enhancing cooperation with specialized international organizations to exchange expertise and build capacities.

During the session, participants discussed ways to enhance Qatar's role as a regional center for arbitration and mediation in intellectual property and technology disputes, especially in developing legislative and institutional frameworks, enhancing cooperation with specialized international centers such as the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, and building national capacities in this field. They also stressed that the results and recommendations of this session will contribute to enhancing Qatar’s position as a leading destination for innovation, investment, and dispute resolution in the region.

The participants reviewed the themes of the Second International Conference on Mediation and Arbitration, which will discuss the development of innovative means of settling disputes in the fields of intellectual property and technology in Qatar, in addition to aspects of intellectual property in the sports sector and sustainability policies, and supporting the transition to a knowledge-based and innovation-based economy.

These efforts will support the rule of law at the national and international levels, and ensure equal opportunities for access to justice, which will contribute to achieving the goals of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Strategy 2024-2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030. (QNA)