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Cisco to Outline Key Initiatives on Protecting Intellectual Property Rights at Arab World Consumer and Brand Protection Forum in Jeddah
Cisco Will Unveil a Number of Initiatives and Take Part in the Launch of Intellectual Property Guidelines for Industry to Help Set New Standards Across the Region
| Source: Cisco Systems, Inc.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA--(Marketwire - October 20, 2008) - In line with its commitment to combat
the sale and use of counterfeit and pirated products, Cisco (NASDAQ : CSCO )
announced today that it will participate in the launch of a new set of
guidelines that have been developed in cooperation with the International
Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and
Piracy (BASCAP) at the first Arab Consumer and Brand Protection Forum in
Jeddah from 19-21 October 2008.
The guidelines will be introduced to key players in the region for the
first time and aim to establish stronger benchmarks for protecting
intellectual property rights (IPR). The forum is taking place under the
patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al
Saud, the Governor of Makkah and is being organized by the Arab League and
the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in association with
Hemaya Universal.
Dr. Badr Al-Badr, managing director of Cisco Saudi Arabia and a keynote
speaker at the forum, said, "Technology plays a crucial role in enabling
collaboration between customs authorities, enforcement bodies, regulators,
Ministries of Commerce and other government agencies to ensure they are
able to communicate and share information so as to better enforce IP
protection. Cisco has an experienced and well-developed Brand Protection
team whose global footprint demonstrates the company's commitment to
protecting IP rights around the world. Cisco is honored to be a sponsor of
the Arab World Protects Forum as it shows a real commitment by the Arab
League and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce to tackle this increasingly
strategic issue."
The forum also promises to bring about stronger government support and
strengthen consumer awareness on the importance of Intellectual Property
Rights and commercial fraud. Top of the agenda is the development of
strategies and mechanisms that will help tackle the issue of counterfeiting
and piracy in the Arab world which will in turn help protect the growing
economies of the region.
Mike Watson, director of Brand Protection for Cisco, said, "Cisco takes the
issue of the counterfeit product market very seriously. Because our
customers expect and deserve the highest level of satisfaction when
purchasing Cisco products, we actively monitor the counterfeit market and
have longstanding processes in place to address this challenge. As part of
our commitment to the integrity and quality of Cisco technology and
services, our Brand Protection team leads a proactive, concerted and
company-wide effort to prevent potential damage to our brand and to our
customers as a result of counterfeiting."
Cisco will run a workshop with regional customs officers during the forum
and intends to showcase its
cutting-edge technology, demonstrating how it can play a key role in
helping enforcement authorities and others tackle the issue of effectively
protecting IPR.
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