ABU DHABI, 25 April, 05 (WAM) - Business Software Alliance(BSA), the international association established by the softwareindustry to promote a safe and legal digital world, has strengthenedits cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Information and Cultureto protect Intellectual Property Rights.
This was announced on the occasion of the World InternationalProperty Rights Day, which is being observed tomorrow, accordingto a statement from BSA.BSA has commended the efforts of the UAE Ministry of Informationand Culture in protecting intellectual property rights. The variousinitiatives undertaken by the Ministry have led to a significantreduction in the use and sale of illegal software in the country.
Jawad Al-Redha, Co-Chairman, Middle East, Business SoftwareAlliance said, "The Ministry of Information and Culture has playeda vital role in curbing software piracy in the region. BSA andthe software industry in UAE at large have received constantsupport from the Ministry, towards our efforts in tackling softwarepiracy.
Today as we commemorate World IPR Day, we look forward to workingin close partnership with the Ministry of Information to evolvenew measures to increase awareness about IPR in the Middle East."Juma Al Leem, Director, Ministry of Information and Culture,Dubai, remarked, "As UAE gradually transforms itself into a digitaleconomy, there is an increased need to eliminate the use of piratedsoftware products. With the spread of IT in governmental andnon-governmental organisations, it has become necessary to increasethe cooperation between the ministry and the various bodies tostop piracy and make way for original software, as the ministrywants to set a good example for the general public by using authenticsoftware products and send a strong message that the Ministryof Information totally opposes the use of pirated software. Welook forward to working closely with organisations like BSA whohave shown their utmost commitment in protecting intellectualproperty rights." BSA's awareness activities in the Middle Easthave helped achieve a dramatic downturn in software piracy ratesin the region. The UAE has one of the lowest rates of piracy,due to the importance accorded to IPR in the country.BSA members gathered for the World IPR Day also discussed indepth the possibilities of launching more public awareness campaignsto educate the end-users about illegal software and its effectin the development of national economies in the region. The membersalso called on the end-user to consider the ethical aspects ofusing illegal software and urged them not to use it.
"The sustained campaign taken up by the Ministry of Informationand Culture against violators of software laws has gone a longway in creating a robust economy that allows software manufacturersto bring the most innovative solutions into the UAE. The issueof software piracy is no longer the concern of only the softwarecompanies and the governments, all users of software have tomake a conscious effort not to use any kind of pirated softwareto protect their interests and that of the software industry.
We are certain that with the constant support of the Ministrywe will be able to contribute further towards this cause," concludedAl-Redha.BSA is committed to raise legal and commercial awareness aboutthe issue of intellectual rights by launching education presentationsthat aims to explain the multitude of benefits of the legal useof computer software. This initiative will urge people to useoriginal programs in all the applications that they use, thestatement added.
