As the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) prepares to meet in Geneva for its third session from 27 April to 1 May 2009, the question as to whether the WIPO Development Agenda (hereinafter “WDA” or “the Agenda”) was a force for reform or not remains. 17 months since the adoption of the Agenda, in October 2007, it is time to start a critical appraisal of what we have to show for it, what is working, what is failing and what else should be done.

In the coming days in the lead up to the third session of the CDIP, I will be providing a critical appraisal on the Ideas in Development Blog of what is happening with the WDA implementation in terms of its impact and potential as well as the contribution of various stakeholders to this effort. In particular, among other topics, I will be discussing:

• The WDA and the revised WIPO Program and Budget as well as the proposed five year strategic plan for WIPO;
• WIPO Report on the progress of implementing WDA Recommendations 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 35, 37, 42, and 44 including the related document on Recommendations 6 regarding consultants;
• The thematic projects proposed by the WIPO Secretariat to implement a range of other WDA recommendations; and
• The proposed approaches in implementing WDA Recommendations 12, 20, 22 and 23.

I will also be blogging on related issues and discussions during the week of the CDIP meeting itself.