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Viewing cable 09COLOMBO1078, IPR IN THE MALDIVES: LOTS TO DO IN LITTLE TIME

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09COLOMBO1078 2009-11-27 08:16 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Colombo
VZCZCXRO6203
PP RUEHZC
DE RUEHLM #1078/01 3310816
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270816Z NOV 09 CTG NUMEROUS SVC ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0854
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2110
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 9138
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7384
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3536
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9699
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2601
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0468
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 0101
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6990
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 0384
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001078 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY FOR USTR MICHAEL DELANEY; 
COMMERCE FOR USPTO KRISTINE SCHLEGELMILCH 
DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/TPP/IPE JOELLEN URBAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR ECON PGOV CE
SUBJECT: IPR IN THE MALDIVES: LOTS TO DO IN LITTLE TIME 
 
REF: COLOMBO 984 
 
COLOMBO 00001078  001.23 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Maldives does not currently have 
legislation on the books protecting intellectual property 
rights (IPR).  The Maldives is expected to graduate from the 
list of least developed nations by 2011, necessitating 
passage of WTO-compatible intellectual property legislation. 
Since 2008's successful transfer to a pro-Western democracy 
following 30 years of dictatorial rule, the Government of the 
Maldives (GOM) has worked to implement and modernize its 
shaky regulatory and statutory regime.  In the past year, an 
intellectual property unit has been formed in the Ministry of 
Economic Development and numerous training, capacity 
building, and public information campaigns have taken place. 
Despite its early efforts, the GOM has much to do in little 
time and is working closely with the World Intellectual 
Property Organization (WIPO) to ensure implementation of 
appropriate legislation prior to the end of 2010.  END SUMMARY 
 
LITTLE PROTECTION NOW 
 
2. (U) EconOff met with Mr. Ahmed Mumthaz, director of the 
Intellectual Property Unit (IPU), and Solih Hussain, director 
of the Ministry of Economic Development on November 15 to 
discuss progress in developing, passing and implementing a 
new IRP regime.  While admitting that the Maldives does not 
currently have any law specifically protecting intellectual 
property, Mumthaz did point to the country's consumer 
protection law, which could be used to prosecute producers or 
suppliers of pirated goods should an individual be harmed by 
a faulty knock-off.  While he quickly pointed out that the 
current situation is "completely insufficient," Mumthaz noted 
that the Maldives is going through a difficult transition 
now, with the first democratically-elected government in 30 
years attempting to pass major constitutional, electoral, and 
administrative reforms. 
 
MALDIVES DEVELOPING NEW IPR REGIME 
 
3. (SBU) Mumthaz conceded that progress was "officially" 
slow, but emphasized that much ground work was being laid. 
The country is expected to "graduate" from least-developed 
country status in 2011 and must pass WTO-compatible IPR 
legislation by the end of 2010.  Hussain said that both the 
President and the Minister of Economic Development understand 
this and will add the legislation (much of which has already 
been drafted with assistance from WIPO) to its legislative 
calendar once "more pressing matters" are resolved.  Another 
serious problem slowing passage of IPR legislation was a real 
lack of knowledge and understanding of IPR issues among the 
country's new political and policy elite.  "IPR issues are 
complicated, and no politician wants to admit to not 
understanding anything," sources said. 
 
4. (U) Since its establishment last year, the IPU has run 
numerous training, capacity building, and outreach programs. 
Awareness seminars have been conducted with students, the 
music industry, bookstore owners, police, and business 
people, and more seminars are in the pipeline awaiting 
funding.  A number of industry organizations are also being 
established to assist in enforcement and outreach campaigns. 
IPU officers, with WIPO assistance, participated in the WIPO 
Asia-Pacific Regional Capacity Building Workshop on 
Formulation and Implementation of IP Development Plans in 
June, 2008 and in the WIPO Regional Colloquium on 
Intellectual Property Education, Training, and Research in 
November 2008.  In October, 2009 the IPU itself organized a 
two-day conference in Male' for key stakeholders to discuss 
IP rights and enforcement issues. 
 
5. (U) The IPU is expected to morph into a full IP office in 
2010, including additional staff and resources. 
Unfortunately, there are very few people in the Maldives with 
experience or expertise in the IP field; indeed, no one  in 
the country has an advanced degree in IP, and even basic 
technical expertise is lacking.  Significant 
 
COLOMBO 00001078  002 OF 002 
 
 
capacity-building is sorely needed.  The IPU is currently 
coordinating with the Faculty of Sharia to launch an IP 
module for law school students in 2010, however neither the 
government nor the school has any teaching materials to 
provide and only one professor is available to teach the 
course.  As Mumthaz aptly stated, "having an IP office... 
with an unprepared staff will not help protect IP rights in 
the Maldives.  If piracy is a problem here, investors won't 
come, and our economy won't develop and diversify." 
 
6. (U) A WIPO team visited the Maldives from August 31 to 
September 4, 2009 to develop an action plan for works to be 
carried out to implement the IPR regime.  According to the 
action plan, the Copyright Law should be submitted to 
parliament for ratification by the end of 2009 and additional 
IP legislation should be drafted by March 2010.  On the 
administrative side, the IPU hopes to hire additional staff 
and obtain needed equipment in the first quarter of 2010. 
Staff training and awareness seminars should occur in the 
second quarter.  By the end of 2010, the basic legislation 
would be translated into the local language and submitted to 
Parliament for ratification.  In 2011, regulations would be 
implemented, with additional training for judges, customs 
officials, police, and other stakeholders planned. 
 
MALDIVES REQUESTS ASSISTANCE 
 
7. (U) Mumthaz asked if it would be possible for the U.S. to 
provide experts and offer training sessions on IPR issues 
with key GOM officials and parliamentarians, perhaps in 
coordination with WIPO experts.  He also requested 
significant assistance with supporting the home-grown faculty 
module as well as staff capacity-building exercises. 
Finally, Mumthaz noted that having an IP rnational standard, 
but the government is making a real and concerted effort, 
hindered by difficult political and financial realities.  The 
government is working to open the country to international 
trade and investment (reftel), and recognizes the need for a 
strong IPR regime to ensure continued growth and economic 
development.  Post's commercial section has already received 
a number of requests from potential American investors for 
information on the Maldives' IPR regulations.  In addition, 
Post is working with other Missions in Sri Lanka with 
interests in the Maldives to develop a coordinated assistance 
response, and Department of State and Department of Commerce 
(USPTO) ideas would be warmly welcomed.  END COMMENT. 
FOWLER