Timor-Leste Participates in the Annual Meeting of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Nino Pereira, led the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste at the 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the opening ceremony of which took place on July 7th, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. The delegation also included the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Office and Other International Organisations in Geneva, António da Conceição.
The WIPO Assemblies bring together the Organisation’s Member States to discuss issues related to intellectual property, approve the institution’s programme of work and budget, and strengthen international cooperation in promoting innovation, creativity, and sustainable development.
In his national statement, Minister Nino Pereira reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening the national intellectual property system and expressed appreciation for the support provided by WIPO. He highlighted that, following Timor-Leste’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), intellectual property is assuming an increasingly important role in national economic development.
The Minister also informed the Member States that the Industrial Property Code is in the final stage of approval by the National Parliament, providing the legal basis for establishing Timor-Leste’s first National Intellectual Property Office.
On July 8th, on the sidelines of the Assemblies, the Timorese delegation met with the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), Pamela Coke-Hamilton, to discuss ongoing cooperation and priorities for strengthening it. During the meeting, the Minister expressed the Government’s appreciation for the support provided by the ITC, particularly through the European Union-funded “EU Support to Regional Integration and Trade”, which has contributed to the development of the national intellectual property system, Timor-Leste’s integration into the WTO and ASEAN, and the strengthening of trade negotiation capacities.
The Minister also requested the continuation of technical assistance from the ITC in implementing these initiatives and support for the participation of Timorese micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), with the aim of facilitating access to regional markets.
The Executive Director of the ITC congratulated Timor-Leste on its accession to the WTO and integration into ASEAN, and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to continuing to support national priorities, including strengthening micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, implementing the National Action Plan for the Manufacturing Industry (PANIT), participating in CAEXPO, and executing the EU-funded SCOPE programme.
During their stay in Geneva, the Timor-Leste delegation also held bilateral meetings with WIPO and partner institutions in the field of intellectual property, with a view to strengthening technical cooperation for the implementation of the Industrial Property Code, the establishment of the National Intellectual Property Office, and the development of the national intellectual property ecosystem.
