Business Software Alliance (BSA) resolved to accelerate awareness about Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the Middle East

This was announced during BSA's Annual Meeting, which commenced today (Sunday, October 3, 2004) running alongside the opening of GITEX Dubai 2004, the region's largest IT trade show.

BSA's awareness activities in the Middle East that helped achieve a dramatic downturn in software piracy rates in the region was assessed during the meeting leading the members reaffirm their commitment to continue the measures to set the stage for its further decline.

"Concerted steps taken by BSA and authorities in the last two years have delivered amazing results. IPR laws are more protected in the region as the use of illegal software halved since 2002 and are currently at their lowest level. However, we are not going to rest on our laurels as we have resolved to act more effectively in the Middle East," said Jawad Al Redha, Co-Chairman, BSA Middle East.

The annual meeting also discussed various actions undertaken by governments in the region to uphold the statutes of IPR laws. The UAE has one of the lowest rates of piracy, due to the importance accorded to IPR in the country.

"By respecting the covenants of IPR, the UAE has created extremely favourable climate for itself for investment, attracting many firms in the high technology industry to choose the country as their Middle East and North Africa operations hub," said Al Redha.

Increasingly more and more countries in the region are becoming aware of the tangible benefits that respecting IPR laws bring about. Authorities in Oman, Bahrain and Qatar have been successful in persuading individuals and businesses to use legal software as a means to bring about productivity and increase efficiency.

"The actions taken by successive governments in the region are commendable. Yet many countries in the region are still weighed down by the issue of illegal software, leading for calls in the annual meeting for a pioneering approach to solve this problem. Educating the end users, traders, business customers all go a long way as putting a stop to this practice, bringing out tangible results as increase in creativity, productivity and quality of work," said Al Redha.

The annual meeting also discussed in depth the possibilities of launching a public awareness to educate the end-users about illegal software and its effect in the development of national economies in the region. The meeting also called on the end-user to consider the ethical aspects of using illegal software and urged them not to use it.