BEIRUT - HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global), has signed with Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, HE Mr. Amin Salam, an agreement to cooperate in the field of Intellectual Property between the Ministry and Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (TMP Agents).

According to the agreement, the two parties will cooperate in the areas of intellectual property rights (IPRs) protection, fight against counterfeiting, and Micro-Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

During the signing ceremony, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh said that everything he contributes to Lebanon and its institutions is a national duty he performs towards the country that generously and warmly welcomed him as a refugee from Palestine. He emphasized the need to archive and document the Ministry's files; in case of an emergency, noting that TAG.Global has previously provided the Ministry with a complete archive and database following the Civil War, which led to the destruction of the entire assets of the Ministry at the time.

Furthermore, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh expressed TAG.Global’s willingness to put its expertise at the Ministry's service to facilitate its work and help its employees perform their duties towards companies and citizens, underling the need to implement the digital transformation plan at the Ministry as soon as possible and activate electronic services to save time, money and effort.

For his part, Mr. Salam asserted the need to activate Lebanon’s Directorate of Intellectual Property Protection, given the impact of intellectual property on the economy, noting that science and technology are similar to human and natural resources that can also be exported.

“The nations’ future is mainly based on the knowledge and science they possess. Natural resources could be used up on the long run; however, human creativity will never end” he said.

Mr. Salam also pointed out that companies will not invest in research and development in an environment that does not protect their IPRs and does not protect the investment of their research outcomes. He noted that in the absence of such laws, the scientific research system along with economic, social and cultural development of the country will be in danger.

-Ends-