Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: United States Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Kathi Vidal, called on Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Bhandari highlighted the need to create and promote intellectual property in Nepal to leverage its benefits in trade and investments. “We anticipate continuous support from the US government to leverage the advantages provided by Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing,” Bhandari added.
During the meeting, the two governments exchanged a memorandum of understanding aimed at bilateral cooperation to promote intellectual property.
Bhandari also said that he was hopeful that Nepal can reap benefits in various aspects of intellectual property through sound practices and cooperation with the USPTO. “The memorandum of understanding is expected to contribute to the development of Nepal’s Intellectual Property Protection Bureau and enhance the capacity of its workforce, thus creating an environment conducive to investment,” he added.
