What’s next ? How to move forward ? Ahmed Abdel Latif Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seminar on New Tools for the Dissemination of Knowledge and the Promotion of Innovation and Creativity of Knowledge and the Promotion of Innovation and Creativity Bibliotheca Alexandrina 7-8 September 2006

What’s next ? How to move forward ? Depends …. Are you an optimist or a pessimist ? …. We probably need both...

Challenges facing the A2k issue 1) Cross sectoral by nature (affects science, education, culture etc…). 1) Cross sectoral by nature (affects science, education, culture etc…). 2) Fragmented constituency (Universities, Libraries, Consumers, Government officials etc) 2) Fragmented constituency (Universities, Libraries, Consumers, Government officials etc) 3) Insufficient economic based evidence 3) Insufficient economic based evidence 4) Urgency 4) Urgency

What has been achieved in the past two years is significant …. 1) Framing the issue (A2K) 2) Reaching out to different constituencies and networking between them 3) Putting it on the global agenda 4) Bringing forward specific norm setting proposals (Draft A2K treaty)

Yet much remains to be done to keep up the momentum… 1) Building support in the South by further awareness raising and sensitization 1) Building support in the South by further awareness raising and sensitization 2) Reaching to “friendly” business 2) Reaching to “friendly” business 3) Disseminate “best practices” and national experiences 3) Disseminate “best practices” and national experiences 4) Achieving concrete results in multilateral fora 4) Achieving concrete results in multilateral fora

How to go about it …? 1) Norm setting… 1) Norm setting… necessary …yet elusive and uncertain necessary …yet elusive and uncertain soft law first ? soft law first ? 2) Which is the right forum ? 2) Which is the right forum ? 3) Learning from successes in other areas 3) Learning from successes in other areas

What to do in the meantime ? Awareness raising Awareness raising Maximize the use of Exceptions and Limitations in IP legislations Maximize the use of Exceptions and Limitations in IP legislations Highlight options and flexibilities available to countries Highlight options and flexibilities available to countries Coordination and integrated national policy making Coordination and integrated national policy making