18 November 2008: During his first visit to the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
reaffirmed WIPO’s unique role within the UN system in promoting intellectual
property, innovations and investment in new technology, which are crucial to
stimulate economic development and to tackle the current financial, climate,
food and oil crisis.

He noted that WIPO will be actively involved in
intellectual property-based initiatives to support the development and
diffusion of green technologies, stressing that the Organization can be “a
champion” in joining the global efforts to combat climate change. The new WIPO
Director General, Francis Gurry, stressed that the proposed WIPO revised
programme and budget includes a strategic goal to address intellectual property
in relation to global policy issues. He also highlighted the commitment of the
organization to respond to global challenges to reduce the knowledge gap, and
to address sustainable development, climate change, desertification, access to
health care, food security and the preservation of biodiversity. [WIPO
Press Release]