Algerian Minister of Culture and Arts Malika Bendouda held talks with the Director General of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Al-Suwaylim, to draft a joint executive strategy aimed at reinforcing bilateral cooperation across intellectual property frameworks and creative sectors. The high-level meeting took place on the sidelines of the 68th session of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland, according to an official ministry statement released on Wednesday.
The diplomatic encounter served as an opportunity to analyze “mechanisms to expand cooperative channels between Algeria and Saudi Arabia in the fields of intellectual property rights, copyrights, neighboring rights, alongside cultural and creative economies,” the ministry source noted.
Both officials also finalized details regarding “the participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the guest of honor at the upcoming Algiers International Book Fair (SILA), an initiative designed to deepen cultural diplomacy and expand joint projects between creators and cultural institutions of both Arab nations.”
During the discussions, Mrs. Bendouda commended “the Saudi experience and the concrete breakthroughs achieved in upgrading its intellectual property architecture, alongside the strategic role played by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property in anchoring a knowledge-based economy and driving technological innovation under the umbrella of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
Concurrently, the meeting provided a platform to present Algeria’s domestic model for protecting copyright and neighboring rights. This focused heavily on the operational mandate of the National Office of Copyrights and Neighboring Rights (ONDA) in shielding creative professionals, managing collective rights portfolios, and maximizing asset value, alongside ongoing initiatives to modernize rights-management frameworks to match current digital market shifts.
Within this framework, Algerian officials presented a developmental plan to establish an Academy of Copyrights and Creative Industries, opening up discussions on potential educational synergy and training exchanges with SAIP.
At the conclusion of the summit, both delegations agreed “to formulate a targeted joint executive program linking the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and ONDA, intended to deepen organizational alliances, accelerate the exchange of technical expertise, and upgrade systems governing professional training, licensing, and creative industry financing,” the statement concluded.