Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, has been elected Chairman of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) General Assembly for 2018-2019.
Ambassador Duong Chi Dung at a meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Photo: VNA)
Geneva (VNA) – Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head ofVietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other internationalorganisations in Geneva, has been elected Chairman of the World IntellectualProperty Organisation (WIPO) General Assembly for 2018-2019.
The election was made by representatives of all191 WIPO member countries at the WIPO General Assembly’s 49th session thatopened in Geneva on October 2.
Ambassador Dung was the candidate of countriesin the Asia-Pacific region, which has not had any representatives serving asChairperson of the WIPO General Assembly for 12 years.
He said his election with the absolute supportof the all 191 member countries showed their trust in and support to Vietnam.It was also the result of active contributions by the Vietnamese mission inGeneva and himself to WIPO’s activities.
He also appreciated the Vietnamese mission’sstrong electioneering and the solidarity among ASEAN and Asian-Pacific nationswhich advocated Vietnam’s candidacy.
The country’s candidacy for and election as the Chairof the WIPO General Assembly are to continue demonstrating Vietnam’s multilateralforeign policy and being a responsible and proactive member with practicalcontributions to the building of policies and regulations at multilateralorganisations and forums, Dung added.
WIPO, founded in 1967, isone of the 16 specialised agencies of the United Nations.
WIPO is the first and also the most importantpartner of Vietnam in terms of international cooperation in intellectualproperty. It has provided the country with much assistance in law making,capacity building, personnel training, and public awareness improvement.-VNA
The World Intellectual Property Organisation will support Vietnam in implementing IP–related activities, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told the National Office of Intellectual Property.
The WIPO has suggested continuing to cooperate with and support Vietnam in building a national strategy on intellectual property, thus creating an impetus for the country’s innovation process.
Vietnam was ranked 47th among over 127 economies surveyed in the global innovation index (GII) report 2017, the highest ranking to date, up 12 places compared to last year’s report.
A project on enabling intellectual property (IP) environment funded by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) will be implemented in Vietnam from 2018 to 2022.
Vietnamese businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must embrace digital and AI transformations to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth, experts said.
Under the European Union (EU)’s global initiative on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE), Vietnam has implemented numerous projects aimed at strengthening national capacity in detecting, preventing, and preparing for CBRN-related threats.
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ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
Ambassador Duong Chi Dung at a meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Photo: VNA) 
