Geneva (VNA) – A Vietnamese delegation led byAmbassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai attended the 61st series of meetings of theAssemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO) that kicked off in Geneva, Switzerland, on September 21.

This is the first time the annual meeting serieshas been held both virtually and in person. It is also the last of its kind inthe term of incumbent WIPO Director General Francis Gurry.

Its opening ceremony was attended by about 750delegates from 135 WIPO member states, observer states, inter-governmentalorganisations, and non-governmental organisations.

In his opening remarks, Director General FrancisGurry reported on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic while warning that thediminished state of multilateralism poses a major challenge to the world.

He said technological progress has connectedhumanity in never-before-seen ways, but has been accompanied by increasingsigns of closure, including protectionism.

Gurry noted that the pandemic has yet toadversely affect the financial position of WIPO, which funds its activitiesprimarily through the provision of global IP services, but that close attentionhas to be paid to the evolving global economic situation.

For his part, newly appointed WIPO GeneralDirector Daren Tang acknowledged member states’ support for him to serve inthis post and committed to close cooperation with them in the time ahead.

Tang, who was Chief Executive of theIntellectual Property Office of Singapore, will begin his six-year term onOctober 1.

Representing ASEAN countries to deliver thebloc’s joint remarks, Ambassador Mai, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission tothe United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other internationalorganisations in Geneva, said while responding to COVID-19 and promotingpost-pandemic recovery, ASEAN countries have been prioritising digitaltransformation and innovation, setting up electronic systems for registrationand reception of intellectual property (IP) dossiers to improve IP authorities’efficiency, and maximising teleworking methods to ensure the timely and qualityprovision of IP services for relevant parties.

She also informed participants about ASEAN’sIP-related achievements this year, including its members’ innovation index,engagement in some international IP agreements, and regional cooperation withWIPO.

ASEAN countries appreciated Director GeneralGurry’s leadership and substantial contributions to WIPO during his two tenures(12 years), Mai said, adding that they believe the newly appointed DirectorGeneral will lead the organisation to obtain great achievements in the time tocome.

Speaking on behalf of Vietnam at the openingceremony, the ambassador highlighted some of the country’s attainments in thefield of IP since the beginning of 2020, including the growth of applicationsfor the protection of IP rights, an increase in protection certificates ofindustrial property rights, and the start of implementation of the HagueAgreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs.

Vietnam has been effectively carrying out theNational IP Strategy and most of WIPO-funded projects, with a focus on digitaltransformation, innovation and response to the pandemic, she noted.

The diplomat also stressed the country’s wishand belief that WIPO will continue making progress in enhancing the system ofIP rules and ensuring balance between promoting innovation and implementing theWIPO development programme for the sake of all member states.

The agenda of the 61st meeting series isshortened compared to those in previous years due to the COVID-19 impact. It isscheduled to wrap up on September 25./.