Susan Isiko Štrba – On the third day of its Fourth Session, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) embarked on the discussion on coordination mechanisms and monitoring, assessment and reporting modalities on the implementation of recommendations of the Development Agenda (DA). The discussion, which is a continued from the Third Session of the CDIP, is based on two proposals presented by Algeria, Brazil and Pakistan on the one hand and the Group B on the other.

The two proposals converge on a number of important issues, but also depart on some. For example, while it is agreed that there should be coordination, the main point of departure seems to be on how to do this without sacrificing the principle of equality of different WIPO bodies. Some definitions might prove useful. Coordination means to organize, direct, manage. It also means to synchronize, harmonize, match up, bring together.  The latter definition of coordination simply means that there should be a way for the CDIP to know what other WIPO bodies are doing to implement the Development Agenda, but at the same time inform other WIPO bodies of its activities in that respect.  Sisule Musungu has in his blog provided some proposals on how this can be done.

However, preliminary observations concern the pace of the discussions on this important issue backed by the need to expeditiously come up with an agreement on at least some items. Technically, the Member States have only three more hours to discuss this important agenda item.   Member States may consider allocating the limited time to discussing the common points in the proposals on the table, while leaving those where there is disagreement to future sessions of the CDIP. The purpose is to get started on, at least, monitoring and coordinating the implementation of the DA. This is pertinent considering the fact that a number of activities and projects have been approved as a way of implementing the DA.