28-Jan-2016

DUBAI – January 28, 2016 - In his speech at the opening session of Dubai IP Congress 2016, HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh called for setting a new system that protects Intellectual Property Rights on the Internet.

He stressed that the future of Intellectual Property should be drawn based on three main pillars; first, the need for an internationally agreed upon system where the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) set rules and regulations that are mandatory for all countries, second, the need for a system that governs the management of the Internet while the United States continues to retain the full ownership of the Internet, and finally, the need for a judicial system on the Internet that resolves inter-countries Internet-related disputes.

That third pillar has been called for by Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh since he took office as the chairman of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force (UN ICT TF) in 2001.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh noted that he had written to the US Vice President, Mr. Joe Biden, who is currently discussing the future of Internet governance, pointing out that the new system does not only protect the rights of all people, it has also become a necessity to face the misuse of the Internet for terrorist purposes, and other types of breaches that cannot be stopped without such international system.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh also stressed that it is important for all organizations, governments, and practitioners in the Intellectual Property protection society to keep pace with the digital developments in the world.

He added that he, as head of Network 11 aiming at applying the UN SDG 11, jointly with the UN, will address these issues through the use of ICT for smart transformations in all aspects of life for better future of mankind.