RP turns over WIPO chair to Nigeria

The Philippines has turned over to Nigeria the chairmanship of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo, the first Asian to be elected chairman of the General Assembly, has ended his term after two years.

In simple ceremonies during the body’s 43rd session in Geneva, Switzerland recently, Manalo turned over the chairmanship of the General Assembly to Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, permanent representative of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations in Geneva.

In his farewell remarks, Manalo expressed his gratitude to all WIPO member states for their cooperation in finding solutions to current international intellectual property debates. He also thanked WIPO director general Kamil Idris and his senior management team for their support and advice.

Idris in turn expressed his gratitude to Manalo for his service to the organization and praised his dedication and commitment  in undertaking his role as chairman of the WIPO General Assembly since 2005.

WIPO member states also thanked Manalo for his positive contribution to the organization. Several regional groups led by the Asian Group cited the important role that the Philippines played in advancing negotiations in key WIPO issues such as the development agenda and the substantive patent law treaty.

The General Assembly, composed of 184 member states, is the WIPO’s highest decision-making body. This year’s meeting is expected to tackle important decisions on several issues including the Diplomatic Conference on Broadcasting Treaty; Provisional Committee on Development Agenda for WIPO (PCDA); the Work  Program of the Standing Committee on Patents (SCP); 2008-2009 biennial budget of the WIPO; and Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC).