His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, participated today in the International Conference on Mediation and Arbitration. The conference is organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Qatar International Court and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), under the theme "The Role of Intellectual Property in Promoting Economic Growth: Analysing the Relationship Between Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Foreign Direct Investment Flows”. The conference attracted a select group of experts and specialists in fields related to intellectual property rights, arbitration, and mediation, as well as government officials from the Middle East, that included policymakers, legal experts, academics, industry leaders, and representatives from international organizations and investment communities. In his opening speech at the conference, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, emphasised the importance of the event and the fact that it is being held for the first time in the region, which highlighted the cooperative efforts between the State of Qatar and WIPO. He added that this conference represents a strategic step in Qatar's efforts to establish the protection of intellectual property rights as a culture, awareness, and system, making it a cornerstone of economic activity and one of the most important intangible assets for both national and foreign companies as well as business ventures in the State of Qatar. He noted that it also represents a significant step in enhancing cooperation with international economic organizations, particularly WIPO, to achieve common goals. His Excellency explained that, due to the importance of protecting intellectual property rights for economic initiatives and the need to foster an environment that supports foreign investment through the development of personnel who are capable of enforcing these rights, Qatar has established regulations concerning the use of alternative dispute resolution methods for commercial disputes. Specifically, this is through the arbitration system - Law No. 2 of 2017 – that issued the Arbitration Law for Civil and Commercial Matters, aimed at providing a secure environment for resolving commercial disputes, particularly for foreign investors. His Excellency also noted that with the increasing attention on intellectual property rights, Qatar has intensified its efforts to provide effective and alternative means of resolving these types of disputes. This has led the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to collaborate with WIPO and sign a memorandum of understanding in 2022 regarding the settlement of intellectual property disputes through alternative dispute resolution methods. His Excellency added that the scope of the memorandum of understanding includes arrangements for training arbitrators and mediators within Qatar and expressed his anticipation for expanding this partnership with WIPO and exploring other avenues of cooperation.  On the sidelines of the conference, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki met with His Excellency Mr. Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). During the meeting, they reviewed aspects of cooperation between Qatar and WIPO and discussed strengthening partnerships between the two sides. Both parties aim to assess the implementation of joint projects and programs and discuss opportunities to further enhance partnerships while exploring ways of supporting the development of national policies and competencies in IP.  His Excellency also expressed Qatar’s appreciation for the support provided by WIPO in helping to develop Qatar’s IP policies and systems, particularly in light of the ongoing development of the National Intellectual Property Strategy and the activation of the signed memoranda of understanding between the two sides. He reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to and continuous support for WIPO in developing a balanced and effective international IP system that encourages innovation and creativity for the benefit of all. It is worth noting that the International Conference on Mediation and Arbitration also aims to provide a platform for exchanging expertise, knowledge, and cooperation among specialists in IP rights, mediation, arbitration, and foreign direct investment in the Middle East. The conference enhances participants’ perspectives on how to strengthen their IP frameworks and attract foreign direct investment by sharing experiences and reviewing best practices and international standards in this field. The conference sessions incorporate the means available to governments to enhance investment attractiveness, stimulate growth, and promote technology transfer through a robust IP framework and effective dispute resolution mechanisms, with a focus on the Middle East region.