WIPO

WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, is one of UN’s specialized agencies that was designed to promote the protection intellectual properties among different countries and encourage creative innovation for the development of all countries. Its predecessor was the BIRPI that was later transformed into WIPO in 1967. This agency sets the framework of international laws for patents and copyrights of intellectual properties (also known as IP) as means of stimulating innovation. All decisions regarding its strategic direction and activities are made among 185 of its member states and often holds formal and informal meetings throughout the year. Recently, the WIPO has been under high skepticism as the U.S. State Department came across sophisticated high tech gear that has been shipped to Iran and North Korea by WIPO, which violates the U.S. and U.N. sanctions against Iran and North Korea. However, WIPO responded by claiming that part of its mission is to provide technical assistance to developing countries because its mission is to promote innovation and encourage intellectual activities throughout the world and hence not guilty of violating any sanctions. Every year, WIPO is in charge of nearly a million cases regarding intellectual property and its role in the global world is substantially increasing.