Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, signed on Monday in Geneva a memorandum of understanding with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang.
The signing took place alongside Morocco’s participation in the WIPO General Assemblies, taking place in Geneva from July 8 to 17.
The agreement aims to deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of intellectual property, with a particular focus on copyright and related rights, as well as the legal protection of Morocco’s cultural heritage. It also provides a path to benefit from WIPO’s expertise in intellectual property and to adopt new legal concepts, such as resale rights and reproduction rights, through integration with the WIPOCONNECT system.
A key feature of the agreement is the promotion of the "Label Maroc" internationally, enabling Morocco to strengthen the legal safeguarding of its cultural heritage under the framework of the Moroccan Office of Intellectual Property.
Morocco has already registered several heritage elements, including the caftan and zellige, which will now enjoy reinforced legal protection through WIPO mechanisms.
While UNESCO grants countries international recognition of cultural heritage, WIPO offers legal recognition that empowers states to pursue claims before competent authorities in cases of theft or misappropriation. This agreement will allow Morocco to secure WIPO’s support in countering the looting of its cultural assets.
In a statement to MAP following the ceremony, Bensaid highlighted that the agreement aims to strengthen the capacities of the Moroccan Copyright Office (BMDA) in several strategic areas.
"Our ambition is to develop within the BMDA the defense of emerging rights, drawing on international expertise that will serve as a powerful lever to open new opportunities for artists and the cultural sector as a whole," he said.
The agreement is also an opportunity to deepen understanding of the cultural economy and to renew skills at a time when the sector is undergoing rapid transformation, the minister added.
"With the rise of artificial intelligence and new technologies, it is essential to remain attuned to global trends and innovative practices," he emphasized, stressing that this commitment is fully aligned with Morocco’s vision of preserving and enhancing its cultural heritage, especially intangible heritage.
Bensaid further noted that Morocco has already begun the process of seeking WIPO recognition for seven elements of its heritage, with the objective of expanding and consolidating this legal protection in the framework of collaboration with the Geneva-based organization.
"The Kingdom of Morocco is the first country to have undertaken the protection of its intangible heritage from a purely cultural, rather than commercial, perspective. This is our first initiative with WIPO, but certainly not the last," the minister stated.
The Moroccan official and WIPO Director General had bilateral talks on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, which was attended by several senior officials of the organization. They reviewed the level of cooperation between Morocco and WIPO and discussed key joint projects, including expert exchanges and capacity-building visits to help secure the rights of authors and creators.
MAP:07 July 2025
