The first ever direct partnering effort by G15 global grouping with Sri Lanka will commence on Monday in Colombo, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said.

Experts from the G15 grouping -the focused country group that works along with G77, which is the largest coalition of developing countries in UN -will conduct their intense sessions in Colombo from 24 April to 25 April, focusing on Intellectual Property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge.

Monday’s Colombo session is a follow up to G15’s 2016 Algeria session on Protection of Intellectual Property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen is scheduled to unveil the 24 April session joined by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva HE Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Assistant Director General Minelik Alemu Getahun.

The Group of Fifteen (G-15) is a grouping of developing countries representing Asia, Africa and Latin America. It strives to formulate and articulate cohesive policy positions in international fora on a number of issues of mutual interest to developing countries. Under the leadership of Sri Lanka, the Group has decided on four areas for focused cooperation; Intellectual Property, Migration and Development, Renewable Energy and Information Communication Technology (ICT).