United Nations — All Publications

The 46th IGC, the 2024 Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources: Uncertain Times Ahead Chidi Oguamanam

Delegates and experts reconvened in Geneva for the 46th session of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC 46).

Blog PostChidi OguamanamFebruary 22, 2023Genetic Resources, Research Ethics, Traditional Knowledge, access and benefit sharing, IP and Knowledge Governance, IGC 43, WIPO, United Nations, Geneva, United States, Lilyclaire Bellamy, Chamber of Commerce, IGC 46

WIPO-IGC 45: Bold and Strategic Moves Toward TK and TCE Text(s)

Delegates to the 45th Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) continued negotiations on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions.

Blog PostChidi OguamanamDecember 12, 2022Genetic Resources, Research Ethics, Traditional Knowledge, access and benefit sharing, IP and Knowledge Governance, IGC 43, WIPO, United Nations, Ukraine, Geneva

WIPO-IGC 43: Logjam Over Two Genetic Resources Texts

Delegates met at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva to resume the second round of negotiations for the 2022-23 biennium of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (WIPO-IGC).

Blog PostChidi OguamanamJune 10, 2022Genetic Resources, Research Ethics, Traditional Knowledge, Research Funding, access and benefit sharing, IP and Knowledge Governance, IGC 43, WIPO, United Nations, Ukraine, Geneva

At Resumed ‘Post-Pandemic’ IGC Negotiations, Change in Committee Leadership Leaves Delegates Between Two Genetic Resources Texts

Delegates met at the World Intellectual Property Organization to resume the first round of negotiations for the 2022-23 biennium of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC).

Blog PostChidi OguamanamMarch 14, 2022Indigenous, IP and Knowledge Governance, WIPO, IGC 42, United Nations, Genetic Resources, European Union, United States, Japan, Canada, Traditional Knowledge

Covid-19 Digital Health Innovations: The African Context

“Dealing with health and economic challenges of COVID-19 has made one point abundantly clear for African countries – that we need broadband, faster, cheaper and expanded to the last mile of the populations.”

Blog PostChidi OguamanamMarch 26, 2021COVID-19, Vaccine, Health Law and Medical Ethics, Technology, WHO, United Nations, Rwanda, Senegal, AI, Liberia, Digital Services, Africa

Vaccine certificates should not come at expense of other COVID priorities

Feb. 21, 2021: Israel introduced “green passes” – evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or presumed immunity after recovery from the disease. This certificate is also known as an immunity passport.

Op-EdChidi OguamanamMarch 17, 2021COVID-19, Vaccine, Health Law and Medical Ethics, WHO, Israel, Canada, Digital Services, United Nations

Africa's Unique Vulnerabilities Require a Different Pandemic Approach

Africa’s fate is precarious in the face of COVID-19. It is the last continent to be affected by COVID-19 following the arrival of the contagion in Egypt and Nigeria in February 2020.

Op-EdChidi OguamanamOctober 6, 2020Africa, WHO, COVID-19, Senegal, China, United Nations, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Health Law and Medical Ethics, Education

COVID-19: In the Shadow of Ebola, the Patent War to Come and a Forgotten Africa

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world continues to overlook the epidemic raging on in some of the poorest regions of Africa since 2013: the Ebola outbreak.

Blog PostChidi OguamanamMay 22, 2020Ebola, Africa, COVID-19, DRC, Médecins Sans Frontières, WHO, United Nations, Canada, Health Law and Medical Ethics, Guinea, Liberia, China, Costa Rica, Chile, Kenya, Pharmaceutical

Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Retooling Indigenous Resurgence for Development

CIGI Papers
No. 234 (2019)

Journal ArticleChidi OguamanamDecember 1, 2019Indigenous, Technology, IP and Knowledge Governance, Canada, United Nations, USA, Australia, New Zealand

Africa, Innovation, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Third Industrial Revolution (3IR) provided perhaps the most significant insights into Africa’s potential to fast-track its march to sustainable development.

Op-EdChidi OguamanamNovember 13, 2019Technology, IP and Knowledge Governance, Africa, United Nations, International, South Africa, WIPO

The Partnership Imperative for African Innovation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The entrepreneurial uptake of computer technology and the increasing digitisation have made Africa a source of intellectual power in the digital sphere.

Op-EdChidi OguamanamNovember 7, 2019Technology, Africa, IP and Knowledge Governance, South Africa, Nigeria, United Nations, International, WIPO

TK and TCEs Again Under Focus at 37th WIPO IGC

On August 27, 2018, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) reconvened in Geneva for its 37th session. The August 27-31 meeting is the third under the 2018-2019 biennium of the IGC and also the first opportunity for the experts to further advance negotiations on two texts for traditional knowledge (TK) and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) under the current two-year program.

Blog PostChidi OguamanamSeptember 3, 2018IP and Knowledge Governance, International, Traditional Culture, United Nations, WIPO, Indigenous, Africa, Canada, Australia, Japan

Rethinking Copyright for Indigenous Creative Works

As it embarks on another five-year periodic review of the Copyright Act, Canada has an opportunity to reflect on its copyright regime in light of the gaps that exist between it and Indigenous creative works.