The State of Qatar has been elected to chair the Executive Committee of the International Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Union), affiliated to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), during the proceedings of WIPO’s 63rd Series of Meetings of the Assemblies, which took place on July 14-22, 2022 .
The Union members unanimously elected Mr. Ahmed Essa Al Sulaiti, Acting Director of the office of the State of Qatar to the World Trade Organization (WTO), as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Union for a period of two years. Moreover, representatives from the United States and Finland were elected as his deputies.
Electing the State of Qatar to chair the Executive Committee stems from the great interest that the State attaches to intellectual property issues. The Berne Union members have entrusted the State of Qatar with this position in recognition of the progress it has made in this strategic field.
For its part, the Executive Committee, together with the Berne Union, oversee the implementation of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works adopted in 1886, which deals with the protection of works and the rights of their authors. It provides creators with the means to control how their works are used, and on what terms.
It should be noted that WIPO is one of the oldest specialised United Nations agencies, and one of the largest international organisations in Geneva. It is the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, and cooperation. With 193 member states, WIPO’s mission is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
