First direct partnership between G15 and Sri Lanka on Monday

From left: Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Assistant Director General Minelik Alemu Getahun

The first-ever direct partnering effort by G15 global grouping with Sri Lanka will commence on Monday in Colombo.

Experts from the G15 grouping, the focused country group that works along with G77, which is the largest coalition of developing countries in UN, will conduct their intense sessions in Colombo from 24 to 25 April, focusing on Intellectual Property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge.

The Colombo session scheduled to be held on Monday is a follow up to G15’s 2016 Algeria session on Protection of Intellectual Property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is scheduled to commence the session on Monday (24) along with Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Assistant Director General Minelik Alemu Getahun. 

The sessions will also review the historic 10-point Plan, unveiled by Bathiudeen and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Director General Dr. Francis Gurry in November 2013 in Colombo. 

The pioneering 10-point plan, during Dr. Gurry’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2013, included proposals around the Madrid Agreement helping Sri Lanka’s innovations base-securing international trademark rights creating the framework for knowledge based economy.  

The Group of Fifteen (G-15) is a grouping of developing countries representing Asia, Africa and Latin America. It strives to formulate and articulate cohesive policy positions in international fora on a number of issues of mutual interest to developing countries. Sri Lanka is the current Chair of G15.

Under the leadership of Sri Lanka, the Group has decided on four areas for focused cooperation; Intellectual Property, Migration and Development, Renewable Energy and Information Communication Technology (ICT). 

The Foreign Ministers of the Group have also decided to enhance South-South Cooperation and capacity building among the member countries. The G-15 actively engages with international organisations on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The G-15 and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have worked in collaboration in recent years to enhance capacities and transfer expertise among the member countries, especially in the realm on IP rights associated with traditional knowledge.