Intellectual Property in International Relations

Abstract

This article explores how the integration of intellectual property in international relations could facilitate the transfer of technology from the North to the South. The role of technical and development cooperation among countries is imperative to international relations. International relations enhance cooperation among countries and make possible the inflow and outflow of capital goods and services among cooperating countries. Today, people think about the North as having control over advanced technologies revolving around intellectual property, which deals with specialized issues and which is governed by such specialized branches of law as industrial property law and copyright law. Considering the fact that issues pertaining to technologies are invariably an integral part of any policy designed to achieve sustainable development at all levels, integrating intellectual property discussion in international relations could facilitate acquisition of expired patents by developing countries for accelerated expansion of their social construction.