Dr. Kamil Idris, Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has undertaken, on behalf of the organisation, to continue to support Colombia in the modernisation of its intellectual property infrastructure.  He placed this on record at meetings in Bogota with president Alvaro Uribe, and senior Colombian officials.  During his visit to Colombia on November 7-8, Dr. idris also met representatives of the private sector and from the academic world.

In his conversations with the President, Dr. Idris emphasised the importance of intellectual property as a tool for development, and he exchange of views with the President regarding the best way of taking advantage of the potential offered by IP as an instrument for the creation of wealth.  The Director-General congratulated the President on the approach adopted by the country in relation to IP and its future, and on the support which he has given to initiatives to foster the culture of IP in Colombia.  In this regard, Dr. Idris confirmed the willingness of WIPO to support Colombia when formulating its strategic plan for IP, and stressed that IP is not an end in itself, but it is a key element supporting national efforts in the sphere of development.

The Director-General also met senior Colombian officials, including Carolina Barco, the Foreign Minister, Jorge Humbreto Botero the Minister of Trade Industry and Tourism, and Sabas Pretelt, the Minister of the Interior and Justice; and he met Jairo Rubio the Superintendent of Industry and Trade (SIC), Fernando Zapata, Director-General of the Copyright Office, and Maria del Rosario Guerra,  Director of the research agency COLCIENCIAS.

During his conversations with the officials, Dr. Idris praised the initiatives taken by Colombia to modernise its IP systems, and its innovation and the successes recorded in underpinning protection for IP across the country.  The Colombian officials in turn praised WIPO for its approach in relation to IP, and the growing importance which it has in the international economy.  They also applauded the talent shown by Dr. Idris in his management of WIPO, in particular the work which the organisation has performed as a forerunner of new international efforts to encourage development.

For many years, WIPO has maintained very positive ties of cooperation with Colombian agencies in the field of copyright and industrial property, and will continue to provide them with advice, helping them to organise activities of formation, and providing assistance to the country in order to promote greater awareness of the importance of IP.  Also, WIPO collaborates with COLCIENCIAS and with the Superintendency and other parties, in particular the Geneva International Academic Network, in order to create a network of research institutions, which will work on the common services of IP, encouraging the acquisition of technical knowledge locally in order to protect and sale of the result of research through patience and other types of IP activity.

This pilot initiative is intended to test a model which can be use to respond to critical problems of infrastructure and funding face by a large number of research organisations in the area of health in the developing countries.  In the context of the project, the research and development networks, composed of research organisations, will draw up common policies and share services.  These networks will be designed to reduce costs and the need for funding, by applying economies of scale in the interests of research.  This "IP platform" will play a fundamental role in the support and strengthening of research in developing countries through the provision of common IP services.

More than 30 research institutions in Colombia will take part in the project, along with those of six countries in Central Africa (Cameroon, Chad, Gaboon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic).  Many of these institutions today contribute to the struggle against malaria and other tropical diseases.  This is an interdisciplinary project, which has the support of experts in the areas of health, management, selling, the economy, the law, and policy, to find creative solutions, and to build up a realistic model through investigation and evaluation.  The Colombian government has taken up this initiative with very great satisfaction, and has recorded its appreciation for the support provided to the project by WIPO.

During his visit, Dr. Idris decorated the Colombian inventor Manuel Elkin Patarroyo with the WIPO Gold Medal, in recognition of his extraordinary work in the field of medical science.  Dr Patarroyo is a biochemist who has formulated the first safe and effective vaccine in the world to combat malaria; and has given up all financial benefits derived from the patents to that vaccine, assigning them to the World Health Organisation.  "The WIPO Gold Medal is intended to foster invention and innovation around the world, and to improve the image of inventors through giving them the recognition they deserve as creators who provide a substantial contribution to national wealth and development; in particular, in developing countries", said Dr. Idris when making the award to Patarroyo.  Dr. Idris also delivered a WIPO certificate to Colombian businessman Roberto Bernal for his contribution to the culture of innovation in Colombian commerce.