ASEAN raises capacity to protect unique resources

Senior officials from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) have gathered at two recent symposiums in Jakarta to discuss intellectual property, genetic resources, traditional knowledge and cultural heritage.
Senior officials from the 10-member Association of Southeast AsianNation (ASEAN) have gathered at two recent symposiums in Jakarta todiscuss intellectual property, genetic resources, traditional knowledgeand cultural heritage.

Participants also identified anddiscussed key issues facing countries while developing policies in theaforesaid areas during the workshops, which took place from June 2-7 aspart of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA)Economic Cooperation Work Programme (ECWP) project.

Theevents were organised to help the bloc’s members build policiesregarding the utilisation of products from their rich cultural heritageand biodiversity resources.

They are hoped to help ASEANmembers increase their knowledge of the potential role of intellectualproperty principles and systems in the protection of genetic resources,traditional knowledge and cultural expressions, said Parlagutan LubisDirector of Cooperation and Promotion of the Indonesian DirectorateGeneral of Intellectual Property Rights.

This will also helpthe member states develop policy responses to prevent misappropriationand ensure any benefits from commercialisation are appropriately shared,he added.

The information shared at the workshops will alsoenable regional countries to fully engage in and influence internationaldiscussions on these issues, he said.

Founded in 1967, ASEANgroups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA

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