Ministry of Economy reaffirms its support of Arab media's efforts to promote Intellectual Property Rights

H.E. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Alshihhi, the Undersecretary - Planning Sector, MOE, who was speaking at the event on behalf of H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, the UAE Minister of Economy, awarded prizes to journalists who were recognised as playing a pivotal role in promoting IPR and thanked those who have made a significant contribution to exposing digital piracy in the region.

'Intellectual property is an important facet in the development of the Middle East, as it leads to industry development, especially in the IT sector; contributes to the economic prosperity of the community in general; and also facilitates our transition to knowledge-based economies. Media in the Arab World play a crucial role in informing the public about the value of nurturing and safeguarding the creative, intellectual and artistic skills of our citizens, so that they receive the recognition they deserve,'

H.E. Alshihhi said.

'We in the UAE are aware of the economic consequences of digital piracy, which makes us determined to advance our transition to a knowledge-based economy through supporting various initiatives and upholding legislation. In doing so, we hope to encourage further private sector investment, technology transfer and economic growth for the region,' H.E. Alshihhi added.

During the event, the Ministry also promised to continue to lend support to relevant authorities who boost the UAE's image as a viable and transparent business destination through introducing and enforcing IPR protection measures.

'We plan to work closely with various organisations to develop a road map that outlines how to achieve highly effective IPR protection in the near future. In this regard, we also encourage the governmental and private sectors to work together to create the right IPR environment; an essential requirement, especially if small and innovation-based industries are to flourish,' H.E. Alshihhi also noted.

The Pan Arab IPR Media Awards -now in the third successive year - are initiated by BSA, an international association established by the software industry to promote a safe and legal digital world, to recognise the role played by the media in combating piracy and ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights.

'Illegal software distribution is one of the most common forms of IPR abuse, which is responsible for eliminating a valuable source of government revenue and ending thousands of jobs employed by the worldwide ICT industry. The UAE has been very successful in creating a business environment where cyber criminals cannot operate easily, leading to the formation of one of the most admirable digital industries in the region because of sustained efforts,' said Jawad Al Redha, BSA Co-Chairman, Middle East.

According to recent statistics, the Middle East is one of only two regions in the world that witnessed a decrease in its overall digital piracy rate in 2006; with the UAE achieving the lowest rate of digital piracy in the region, coming in seventeenth overall worldwide.