H.E. Ambassador Dr Lansana GBERIE

Sierra Leone

10 FOLLOW-UP TO THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL REVIEW UNDER PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 66.2 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT

159.   Sierra Leone thanks the Secretariat, particularly the team of the IP Division and ITTC, for organizing the annual Workshop on the implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement from 14 to 16 March 2023. We are particularly grateful that despite the ongoing global challenges, the Secretariat was able to organize the Workshop and continue the exchange on this important issue. We believe this platform provides an unapparelled opportunity for the participants, both from the LDCs and developed countries, to have a need-based and focused discussion on technology transfer issues. We trust these dialogues will inform the Secretariat and developed country Members on future technical assistance and technology transfer programmes. 160.   While acknowledging the valuable socio-economic benefits generated from previous and ongoing projects under Article 66.2, we request support in the form of technology transfer in the following sectors: agriculture and trade; health; education in the form of specialized skills training; tourism and energy and infrastructure to meet the government of Sierra Leone's development agenda that aims to achieve middle-income status by 2039. Sierra Leone thanks developed country Members for their annual reports under TRIPS Article 66.2 and encourages them to continue assisting LDCs and increase their outreach and the level of assistance in the transfer of technology under Article 66.2. 161.   In the interest of promoting the effective implementation and impact of Article 66.2, my delegation kindly suggests reporting countries to share with LDCs the final project evaluation reports, particularly with respect to technology absorption in the LDCs concerned. We also encourage that the priority technology sectors highlighted by the LDCs in our respective presentation during the Workshop be considered by the developed countries when initiating the next targeted projects and programmes in this regard. We stand ready to continue our constructive engagement with Members.

48. The Council took note of the statements made.

43. The Chair recalled that the Council had conducted the Twentieth Annual Review under Paragraph 2 of the Decision on the Implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement at its meeting in October 2022. At that meeting delegations from developed country Members had briefly presented the updated reports they had submitted under Article 66.2, and the Council had agreed that it would revert to the item at the present meeting to permit continued consideration of the submitted material. He also recalled that, in July 2020, the LDC Group had circulated a new submission entitled "Proposed New Template for Annual Reporting under Article 66.2 of the Agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights" in document .
44. In order to give LDCs more time to absorb the information provided by developed country Members in their reports, and to ensure that these reports were available in the working languages of the WTO, the Secretariat had once again organized a "Workshop on the Implementation of the Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement" which had taken place on 14-15 March 2023, immediately preceding the meeting. The Chair indicated that a number of capital-based delegates who had participated in that Workshop were present at the meeting.
45. The Chair asked the Secretariat to report on this Workshop.
46. A representative of the Secretariat took the floor.
47. The representatives of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group; Tanzania, on behalf of the African Group; Sierra Leone; the United Kingdom; Nepal; Benin; Bangladesh; Switzerland; Haiti; Mali; the United States of America; the European Union; Australia; Japan; Canada; Norway; Malawi; and Sudan took the floor.
48. The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/107, IP/C/M/107/Add.1