Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
On World Intellectual Property Day
26 April 2024
[Video Message ]
Innovation and creativity drive human progress and societal transformation.
Innovation has proven a formidable driving force for productivity and economic growth, from the waterpower that propelled the Industrial Revolution to the advent of electricity and the internet. Today, the rapid expansion of digitalization and clean technology continues to push the limits of transforming our societies.
On this World Intellectual Property Day, we celebrate the role of intellectual property in stimulating, encouraging, and amplifying the innovations and creative solutions that are essential to our common future.
From industrial design, brands and patents to trademarks and information, intellectual property is a powerful enabler of progress across all 17 SDGs.
Of the more than 15.2 million active patent families worldwide, nearly one in three patents are linked to the SDGs.
However, with most of these patents concentrated in developed countries, the key concern is to make innovation work for all, not only a few.
The future of innovation hinges on the design of policies that close divides, address common challenges, and bring hope to the most vulnerable and marginalized.
With greater political will and inclusivity, we can usher in the cutting-edge innovations we need to reduce pollution, strengthen sustainability, enable energy transitions, and optimize resources, for the benefit of all.
We must do so in ways that harness the untapped potential of the many brilliant women innovators and pioneers.
During the recent first-ever UN General Assembly Sustainability Week, which I convened, Member States underscored the strong need for new and affordable technologies to fulfill the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Now is the time to act decisively. To close the gaps, unleash the ingenuity of all inventors and creators in all corners of the world, and to build a sustainable future for all.
I thank you.
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