The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the celebration of the State of Qatar's accession to the Madrid Protocol, which took place at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, in the presence of diplomatic and legal figures from the State of Qatar and the international business community in Geneva. The MoU aims to enhance the framework of cooperation between QICDRC and WIPO in raising awareness about settling intellectual property disputes through mediation and arbitration, in addition to preparing specialized training programs for mediators and arbitrators in the State of Qatar, with a focus on intellectual property disputes.
Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Mr. Faisal Rashid Al-Sahouti, CEO of QICDRC, stated:
“The signing of the MoU comes within the framework of enhancing cooperation between the Qatar International Court and WIPO in alternative dispute resolution through arbitration and mediation. The agreement will also enhance cooperation in terms of training mediators and arbitrators specialized in intellectual property in the State of Qatar, in addition to holding training courses, workshops, seminars, and conferences related to the settlement of intellectual property disputes through arbitration and mediation”.
In this regard, Mr. Al Sahouti pointed out that intellectual property issues have become important topics on the international scene today, which most countries seek to include in their national policies, given their importance in encouraging research, innovation, and creativity, supporting the economy, and stimulating direct investment. Accordingly, many countries have reviewed and amended their national legislation in recent years to provide the necessary protection for intellectual property and find mechanisms to carry out this task, whether at the national or international level, in accordance with the best international practices.
Mr. Al-Sahouti pointed out that the signing of the memorandum on this day also coincides with Qatar’s celebration of its accession to the Madrid Protocol, which provides international protection for trademarks through a simplified registration process. Mr. Al-Sahouti expressed optimism about the future of the collaboration with WIPO and thanked Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and the Office of the State of Qatar to the World Trade Organization for their role in facilitating the agreement.
The MoU reinforces QICDRC's commitment to promoting alternative dispute resolution for intellectual property disputes and ensures the implementation of international best practices in line with WIPO standards.
