Before opening the 58th WIPO, the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) recently held a minute’s silence in memory of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang who passed away on September 21 in Hanoi.
The 58th series of meetings attracted about 1,200 delegates from 191 WIPO member states. The Vietnamese delegation consists of seven delegates led by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac.
Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva chaired the meeting. This is the first time he has held the chairmanship of the WIPO General Assembly for 2018-2019.
The 58th series of meetings will look into the proposed measures, convene high-level negotiations on the drafting of IP law, copyright and related rights, patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial design and geographical indications, among others.
Deputy Minister Tac said the Vietnamese delegation will take an active part in the activities of the WIPO General Assembly. This is also a chance for the country to enhance bilateral cooperation on IP through organising meetings and working sessions with other countries and WIPO.
On this occasion, Vietnam’s National Office of IP under the Ministry of Science and Technology will sign a range of bilateral cooperation documents, including cooperation agreements with WIPO and the IP Office of the UK and a cooperation plan for 2018-2019 with the Cuban Industrial Property Office.
He added that Ambassador Dung’s chairing of the 58th series of meetings is a new milestone in Vietnam’s integration into WIPO, reflecting other member states’ recognition of the active performance of the country as well as the ambassador over the past years. The chairing will be a driving force for Vietnam to fulfill its responsibility towards the world’s IP system and further contribute to WIPO’s activities in the time ahead.
