BEIRUT - HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh,
founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global), has signed with
Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, HE Mr. Amin Salam, an agreement to
cooperate in the field of Intellectual Property between the Ministry and
Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (TMP Agents).

According to the agreement, the two
parties will cooperate in the areas of intellectual property rights (IPRs)
protection, fight against counterfeiting, and Micro-Small-and Medium-Sized
Enterprises.

During the signing ceremony, Dr.
Abu-Ghazaleh said that everything he contributes to Lebanon and its
institutions is a national duty he performs towards the country that generously
and warmly welcomed him as a refugee from Palestine. He emphasized the need to
archive and document the Ministry's files; in case of an emergency, noting that
TAG.Global has previously provided the Ministry with a complete archive and
database following the Civil War, which led to the destruction of the entire
assets of the Ministry at the time.

Furthermore, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh expressed
TAG.Global’s willingness to put its expertise at the Ministry's service to
facilitate its work and help its employees perform their duties towards
companies and citizens, underling the need to implement the digital
transformation plan at the Ministry as soon as possible and activate electronic
services to save time, money and effort.

For his part, Mr. Salam asserted the need
to activate Lebanon’s Directorate of Intellectual Property Protection, given
the impact of intellectual property on the economy, noting that science and
technology are similar to human and natural resources that can also be
exported.

“The nations’ future is mainly based on
the knowledge and science they possess. Natural resources could be used up on
the long run; however, human creativity will never end” he said.

Mr. Salam also pointed out that companies
will not invest in research and development in an environment that does not
protect their IPRs and does not protect the investment of their research
outcomes. He noted that in the absence of such laws, the scientific research
system along with economic, social and cultural development of the country will
be in danger.