While Papua New Guinea is heavily dependent on the non-renewable resources, there is a need to embrace the power of innovation and creativity as tool for economic development and support the development of an effective intellectual property system.
The National Executive Council (NEC) has recently endorsed the National Intellectual Property Strategy (NIPS).
NIPS is a strategic policy document that is intended to provide a roadmap to guide the integration of intellectual property into national development initiatives.
Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property framework is a tool of public policy that is generally intended to promote economic, social and cultural progress by stimulating creative work and technological innovation.
When PNG became a member to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1996, the nation had taken on the responsibility of improving its trade regime and trade relations thus its obligations under the various WTO Agreements including the Trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
This thus, saw PNG accept several principles and obligations related intellectual property (IP).
This then gave rise to the establishment of an intellectual property framework with enactment of intellectual property legislations and a government agency that administers intellectual property in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Sam Basil explained that over the years, the national government has realized the importance of establishing an adequate and balanced intellectual property and one that fuels innovation and creativity.
“The Government is also committed to achieving its long term vision embedded in its long term strategy, the Vision 2050 and attaining the dream of nurturing a Smart, Wise, Fair, Healthy and Happy Society by 2050.
“Furthermore, it is committed to also becoming a middle income country by 2030 through its Development Strategy Plan 2010 to 2030,” he said.
Basil said such strategic aspirations were centered at moving away from an intense extractive sector base to an economy that encourages that development and growth of the manufacturing, services, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and eco-tourism sectors, thus allowing for a broader based economic growth trajectory.
“This could potentially be achieved through the establishment or redesigning of appropriate policy and legal frameworks that rebrands these sectors with new and improved ways of growth and development.
“Such can be driven by a culture of innovation and creativity particularly that transcends beyond exhausting non-renewable natural resources or sustaining non-renewable resources for the long term,” the Minister said.
Basil emphasized that to support this strategic action, appropriate policies and regulations must be establish to create a conducive environment for both research and research for economic development to flourish and to encourage innovation and creativity.