Geneva: “True to its vision and commitments, Morocco will continue to work toward a modern, fair, and inclusive IP system that guarantees innovation, protects creators, and stimulates growth,” said Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, delivering Morocco’s statement at the opening of the 66th series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held from July 8 to 17.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the minister emphasized that such a system should also actively combat piracy and counterfeiting to foster a “safe and dynamic” business environment at national, continental, and global levels. Bensaid praised the leadership of WIPO Director General Daren Tang, highlighting significant progress achieved under his tenure, particularly the adoption in 2024 of two major treaties amid a multilateral context marked by tensions.
Bensaid welcomed the signing of a cooperation memorandum of understanding between Morocco a
nd WIPO, describing it as “a new strategic milestone” in their bilateral partnership. This agreement aims to strengthen national capacities, promote creativity, and support public policies on IP.
He highlighted Morocco’s national strategy to promote intellectual property, led by the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC), through an ambitious 2022-2026 roadmap aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The minister noted that 2024 marked a significant achievement for Morocco in the IP field, with trademarks up by 14%, designs and models up by 26%, and patents up by 4%.
In copyright, Bensaid affirmed Morocco’s implementation of revised legislation, particularly through decrees on resale rights and reprography in partnership with WIPO. He also stressed the importance of South-South and interregional cooperation in strengthening the capacities of developing countries, praising joint projects with WIPO, such as WIPO-CONNECT, the promotion of thuja wood in Essaouira, and the ga
stronomic tourism program.