On July 14, 2025, within the framework of the 66th series of meetings of the Assemblies of Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Ukrainian delegation, consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO), made a statement on item 12 (v) of the agenda, “Report of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore” (IGC).

 

The statement on behalf of Ukraine was delivered by Bogdan Paduchak, First Deputy Director of UANIPIO.

 

Ukraine welcomed the opportunity for WIPO member states to discuss progress on genetic resources, associated traditional knowledge, and reaffirmed its unwavering position on the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

 

At the same time, the Ukrainian delegation drew attention to the profound threat posed by russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine to indigenous peoples, cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.

 

“Since the illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014, the Indigenous Crimean Tatar People have suffered systematic repression. Over 50,000 individuals have been forcibly conscripted. As of January 2025, russia has illegally imprisoned 221 people in the temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, including 137 Crimean Tatars – targeted for their ethnic, religious, and political identity”, said Bogdan Paduchak.

 

Ukraine also recalled that UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine have documented numerous violations by the russian occupation administrations: from looting museums, libraries, and sacred sites to destroying traditional craft centers. Of particular concern is the deliberate destruction of Crimean Tatar cultural heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

 

In its statement, Ukraine emphasized that such actions directly contradict the objectives of the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) and the principles of the recently adopted WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge.

 

“We also emphasize that no occupying power should enjoy privileges or leadership roles in international norm-setting bodies such as WIPO”, – the Ukrainian representative emphasized.

 

The Ukrainian delegation thanked the WIPO Secretariat and all Member States for their continued support and solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people during this extremely difficult time.

 

Composition of the Ukrainian delegation to the 66th series of meetings of the Assemblies of Member States of WIPO:

 

• Oleksandr Tsybort, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, Head of the Delegation;

 

• Alina Podolieva, Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine;

 

• Olena Orliuk, Director of UANIPIO;

 

• Bogdan Paduchak, First Deputy Director of UANIPIO;

 

• Vladyslav Bilotskyi, Deputy Director of UANIPIO;

 

• Inna Dmytrenko, Head of the Unit of Cooperation with National and International Institutions in Intellectual Property Sphere, Division of Intellectual Property and Innovations, Ministry of Economy;

 

• Dmytro Guzii, Chief Specialist of the Unit of Cooperation with National and International Institutions in Intellectual Property Sphere, Division of Intellectual Property and Innovations, Ministry of Economy.

 

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