G15 global grouping’s first-ever Colombo session opens today

The first-ever direct partnering effort by Group of Fifteen (G15) global grouping with Sri Lanka will commence today in Colombo.
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 today and tomorrow, focusing on intellectual property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge.
Today’s Colombo session is a follow up to G15’s 2016 Algeria session on protection of IP rights of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is scheduled to unveil today’s session joined by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Assistant Director General Minelik Alemu Getahun. 
Also on the cards at Colombo session is the review of the historic ten-point plan, unveiled by Bathiudeen and the WIPO Director General Dr. Francis Gurry in November 2013 
in Colombo.
The pioneering 10 point plan, during Dr. Gurry’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2013, included proposals around the Madrid Agreement helping Sri Lanka’s innovations base-securing international trademark rights creating the framework for a knowledge-based economy.  
The G15 is a grouping of developing countries representing Asia, Africa and Latin America. 
The G15 and WIPO have worked in collaboration in recent years to enhance capacities and transfer expertise among the member countries, especially in the realm on IP rights associated with traditional knowledge.
Sri Lanka is the current Chair of G15.