The UAE Ministry of Economy commended the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the leading global organisation that is the voice of the global commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace, for its vital role in sustaining the Emirates’ successful campaign against software piracy. The Ministry made the remarks as part of activities marking World Intellectual Property Day, which is being celebrated today (Monday, April 26, 2010).
The UAE has been able to sustain its leadership in region-wide efforts to combat software piracy with the sustained assistance of the Business Software Alliance and the active participation of various local members, like Microsoft and Adobe, who constantly communicate and coordinate with the Ministry of Economy and other government and private organizations throughout the country. The Emirates currently has the lowest software piracy rate in the Gulf, and an independent study sponsored by the BSA in 2009 has shown that government-led efforts to reduce the rate further by 10 per cent through 2012 could boost the local IT sector’s revenue by AED 1.11 billion and generate almost a thousand additional IT-related jobs.
“The Middle East and Africa’s software piracy rate burdens the region with substantial revenue losses each year as well as serious social and moral threats. Through the help of the Business Software Alliance we have been able to significantly reduce the UAE’s own piracy rate. We encourage businesses and the general public to support the BSA and make the protection of intellectual property rights a priority mission within the Emirates’ development agenda,” said Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Alshihhi, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Economy.
“World Intellectual Property Day is a perfect occasion to assess how much we have achieved and what else must be done to realize our ambition of significantly reducing piracy rates in the Emirates and the entire Gulf region. The Ministry of Economy will continue to be a vital partner in our fight against copyright crimes and we would like to take today’s celebrations as an opportunity to thank the ministry and the entire UAE Government for their full support,” added Jawad Al Redha, Business Software Alliance Co-Chairman in the Gulf Region.
The Business Software Alliance is one of the staunchest defenders of intellectual property rights in the Arab World. The BSA signed Memoranda of Understanding, organized roundtables, and trained judicial experts across the Middle East as part of its commitment to escalating region-wide anti-software piracy activities. The BSA is also the founder of the annual Pan Arab IPR Media Awards, a pioneering initiative that honours media for its support in promoting a safe, legal and digitally inclusive Arab society.
World Intellectual Property Day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2001 as an annual platform to raise awareness on the role of intellectual property in social development. Celebrated every year, World Intellectual Property Day also honours innovators and artists for their valuable contributions to social growth.
