LDC Technical Assistance Needs Assessment

General texts on intellectual property rights

IPRs, biodiversity loss, access & benefit sharing, prior informed consent

Intellectual property, trade and competition

Intellectual property and folklore, music and entertainment

Intellectual property and public education

Intellectual property and information and communication technologies

Intellectual property and the protection of biodiversity

Intellectual property and agriculture, food and nutrition

Intellectual property and access to medicines in developing countries

Intellectual property and foreign direct investment

Human rights aspects of intellectual property

Intellectual property and technology transfer: help or hindrance?

Intellectual property and the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous peoples and local communities

TRIPS, implementation and Review

ICTSD dialogues on trade, IPRs and sustainable development

Selected new stories published in BRIDGES

Discussion papers and BRIDGES articles on IPRs, trade and sustainable development

Resource Book, Policy Paper, Case Studies and Research Tools

About the UNCTAD-ICTSD project on IPRs

Related UNCTAD and ICTSD activities in this area

Setting an agenda for IP negotiations in the next five years

WIPO: Institutional functioning and relevant developments

WTO Members' Submissions on IPRs

Advancing the reform agenda

Policy Options for Assuring Affordable Access to Essential Medicines

Preserving Public Goods in health, education and learning

Intellectual Property and Free Trade Agreements

Intellectual Property and Geographical Indications

Assessing the Needs for Financial and Technical Cooperation of Least Developed Countries in Implementing the TRIPS Agreement

An ICTSD Project in cooperation with Saana Consulting

The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), in cooperation with Saana Consulting and with the support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), has recently launched a project to undertake, upon request, needs assessment diagnostic studies in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) aimed at identifying their needs for financial and technical co-operation in the context of the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which sets minimum substantive and procedural standards for intellectual property at a multilateral level.

According to the Decision of 29 November 2005, and for the purpose of facilitating targeted technical assistance and financial cooperation, LDCs are asked to provide the TRIPS Council with comprehensive information, preferably before 1 January 2008, as to their individual needs for assistance in implementing their TRIPS obligations.

Diagnostic Study and National Stakeholder Consultations

As a contribution to this process, the project has provided technical support to undertake, upon request, a comprehensive diagnostic study and assessment of technical and financial assistance needs in LDCs. Sierra Leone and Uganda, upon their request, were selected as the first two pilot countries for the IP technical assistance needs assessment project:

1. Sierra Leone needs assessment and national stakeholder consultations, 6 - 19 July 2007
2. Uganda needs assessment and national stakeholder consultations, 18- 27 July 2007

LDC Consultations in Geneva

ICTSD with Saana Consulting organised a dialogue titled Improving Intellectual Property Technical Cooperation for Least Developed Countries to Facilitate the Implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in Geneva on 3 May for Geneva-based LDC missions to the WTO. The purpose of this meeting was to present their draft diagnostic toolkit, tailor-made to the needs of LDCs, explore challenges, options and further inputs for the needs assessment exercise and consider countries that would be interested in participating in the country needs assessment study. The project was also introduced at the LDC Group coordination meeting at the WTO where formal feedback on the project and the toolkit were received. All these consultations and comments have helped ICTSD to revise and improve current activities to LDC needs.

Objectives of the Needs Assessment

The overall objective of the national needs assessment assignment is to help LDCs identify their technical and financial cooperation needs in light of the request by the TRIPS Council in its decision of 29 November 2005 and their obligation to implement the TRIPS Agreement by 1 July 2013.

The needs assessment included a national stakeholder dialogue which to introduce and explore the diagnostic study, gather information from stakeholders, facilitate identification of needs and present the approach to using the diagnostic toolkit (French version) developed by Saana Consulting for ICTSD.

The specific objective of the current needs assessment is to review the current status of the IPR and innovation reform process in LDCs and to provide direct assistance for the next stage of detailed planning and implementation of the required legal and administrative reforms, together with a tailored program of capacity building and awareness raising for key stakeholders from government, the private sector and civil society. In undertaking the needs assessment, the engagement of officials and ministers from government departments and agencies involved with IP-related policymaking, administration and regulation was essential in generating a successful outcome for the assignment. In addition, the participation of other stakeholders including businesses, academia, consumers and civil society was a great asset to generating a transparent and open assessment process.

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