WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
20 October 2011 
 (11-5220) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English 
 
 
 
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 66.2 
OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT 
 
UNITED STATES 
 
Addendum 
  
 The following communication, dated 18 October 2011, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of the United States. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. The United States is committed to continually e nhancing its activities relevant to Article 66.2 
of the TRIPS Agreement, and reporting these activiti es, in keeping with the guidelines established in 
the TRIPS Council's Decision of 20 February 2003. 
2. In October 2006, the United States provide d the required triennial detailed report 
(IP/C/W/480/Add.6).  In October 2007, the Unite d States provided an updated report, which was 
focused on technology transfer incentives of partic ular relevance to LDC Me mbers, and which added 
new elements, including a discussions on incentives fo r technology transfer in the field of public 
health and on US tax incentives for private sector work in international development 
(IP/C/W/497/Add.5).  In October 2008, the Unite d States included new information on types of 
bilateral treaties and agreements  through which the United States provides incentives to the private 
sector to engage in technology transfer to de veloping countries (IP/C/W/519/Add.3).  In the 
2009 report, the United States included new inform ation regarding incentives related to Climate 
Change technologies.  The 2010 report updated a nd expanded information that was provided in 
previous reports.  Along with updated sections, the 2011 report includes a new section on technology 
transfer through our university system.  
3. The intellectual property, trade capacity, trai ning, development assist ance, financing, and 
infrastructure-related programmes described in this report are integral elements of the United States 
Government's efforts to help LDCs create the cond itions essential to encourage the effective transfer 
of technology to LDC Members.  No report can de scribe every activity of the US government that 
directly or indirectly promotes and encourages tec hnology transfer to LDCs, but this report attempts 
to describe the most significant activities and programmes.  
4. The myriad of technology transfer related pr ogrammes sponsored by US Government entities 
provide several insights to the US approach to t echnology transfer.  First, the primary driver for 
technology transfer from the United States is the pr ivate sector, so many US  programmes help LDCs IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  to create the necessary conditions fo r the private sector to have confidence to invest in LDCs and 
export new technologies to LDCs, a nd develop new technologies in co llaboration with LDCs.  These 
conditions include among othe rs, rule of law, good governance, r espect for intellectual property rights 
(IPR), and government investments in education, he alth, and infrastructure.  Second, there is no one 
best method of technology transfer, so the United St ates involves many parts of the government in the 
effort, and invites partnerships with the privat e sector.  Third, along with programmes directly 
supported by the US Government, the US tax system, which allows tax payers to make tax exempt 
donations to non-profit organizations, contributes toward s technology transfer in the form of foregone 
taxes.  For example, non-profit organizations, such  as the Gates Foundation and US universities, play 
an important role in facilitating technology transf er to LDCs.  Finally, a major source of technology 
transfer from the United States to LDCs is our ins titutions of higher education where students from 
LDCs not only learn state-of-the-art skills but absorb  an understanding of the important role that rule 
of law, good governance, IPR and limited government intervention in the economy play in creating 
the conditions necessary for entrep reneurship, innovation and the u tilization of new technologies to 
address the needs of their home countries. 
5. The United States continues to believe that th e effective functioning of Article 66.2 of the 
TRIPS Agreement requires a robust dialogue between developed and LDC Members in order to target 
incentives in a way that is most responsive to the self-identified t echnology transfer interests and 
needs of LDC Members.  The United States appreci ates the efforts of the TRIPS Council Secretariat 
and Member states to organize discussions am ong the Member states regarding Article 66.2 
implementation. 
II. INCENTIVES RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGIES   
A. US
 ROLE IN ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CLEAN TECHNOLOGY FUND   
6. The Clean Technology Fund (CTF) is a multilatera l, multi-billion dollar effort to reduce the 
growth of greenhouse gas emissions in developing co untries by helping to finance the additional costs 
of deploying commercially-availabl e cleaner technologies over conventional alternatives.  The CTF 
provides financial incentives for cleaner projects that leverage development bank  financing and attract 
new investor capital into low carbon sectors.  To re ceive funding, developing countries must develop 
credible national investment plans that stimulate low carbon growth and the scalable uptake of clean 
technologies.  The United States led efforts to cr eate the CTF with the United Kingdom and Japan.  
Potential recipient countries have worked with ot her donor countries to garner international support of 
the CTF by tailoring specific LDC input from an end- user perspective.  The United States is also a 
contributor to the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF), wh ich, through its Forest Investment and Climate 
Resilience programmes, funds projects in Bangladesh , Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Democratic Republic 
of Congo, Haiti, Lao PDR, Nepal, Niger, Samoa, Yemen and Zambia. 
B. COPENHAGEN ACCORD CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER  
7. In connection with the December 2009 Copenhagen Fifteenth Conference of the Parties of the 
UNFCCC the United States made a major commitment  to promote climate ch ange related technology 
transfer.  (For an exhaustive analysis of the ai d the United States is providing for climate change 
work, see:  "US Climate Action Report 2010 Fifth National Communication of the United States of 
America Under the United Nations Framework C onvention on Climate Change," particularly 
Chapter 7.)  Although much of this assistance is available to "developing countries," which is a broader group of countries than "Least Developed C ountries (LDCs)," LDCs will receive much of this 
aid.   
8. The Copenhagen Accord contains a commitment by developed countries to provide 
approaching US$30 billion in "fast start" finan ce to meet mitigation and adaptation needs of  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  developing countries.  The United States is committed to  providing its share of fast start finance.  On 
16 December 2009, President Obama signed the Cons olidated Appropriations Act, 2010, which more 
than tripled US climate-related foreign assistance fro m the previous fiscal year (FY), to approximately 
US$1.3 billion.  The FY 2010 enacted budget includ es a new US contribution of US$30 million to the 
Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) and US$20 million to the Special Climate Change Fund 
(SCCF), both under the UNFCCC.  The United States is providing US$375 million for the World 
Bank-managed Climate Investment Funds and has s ubstantially increased climate finance provided 
through the US Agency for International Developm ent (USAID), with an emphasis on Africa, Asia 
and small island developing states (SIDS) – most LDCs are in these regions.   
C. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT  
9. Building on a previous successful partnership with seven nations of Central America, USAID 
and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are continuing support to countries in Southeast 
Asia, and beginning work in Africa, to build capacity for compiling national greenhouse gas (GHG) 
inventories.  The project focuses on developing lo ng-term national inventory management systems, 
improving the methods and data used in the agricu lture and the land use change and forestry sectors, 
and training regional experts.  Currently, direct assi stance is being provided in collaboration with the 
UNFCCC Secretariat to Cambodia, as well as to several other least developed and developing 
countries in the region.  The project is also fu rther refining the Agriculture and Land Use (ALU) 
software which helps governments easily and accu rately complete their national greenhouse gas 
inventories for the land use, forestry and agriculture sectors. 
D. PRIVATE FINANCING ADVISORY NETWORK  
10. Initiated by the Climate Technology Initiative (C TI) and supported by USAID, the Private 
Financing Advisory Network (CTI PFAN) is a mu ltilateral public-private pa rtnership that nurtures 
promising, innovative clean and renewable energy projects by bridging the gap between investors and clean energy entrepreneurs and project develope rs.  CTI PFAN brings together private sector 
companies with experience in financing climate -friendly projects and technologies to screen business 
plans and select the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial projects.  For those 
entrepreneurs and businesses selected, CTI PFAN provi des guidance on feasibility, project structure, 
investment and financing, business plan preparation,  and introductions to investors.  CTI PFAN works 
through regional networks in Latin America, Asia , Eastern Europe, and Africa and through dedicated 
in-country networks in several countries, for exam ple in Indonesia, the Philippines, Mozambique and 
Uganda. 
E. C
LIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGIES INVESTMENT INDEX  
11. USAID is partnering with the World Bank to develop a new investment index for climate-
friendly technologies, the Climate Change Technologi es Investment Index (CCTII). CCTII's goal is to 
provide useful information to the public and priv ate sectors on the various national-level barriers to 
low-carbon technology deployment and investment a nd how well countries are performing in terms of 
the policies, institutions, laws, and regulations (inc luding enforcement) that contribute to an enabling 
environment for private investment.  The CCTII w ill build on existing measures, such as the World 
Bank's Doing Business Index, while identifying sect or-specific barriers and incentives.  The CCTII 
will also guide donors and developing country govern ments towards concrete measures for improving 
the enabling environment for private sector inv estments in clean technologies.  The CCTII was 
initially piloted in South Asia and will be ex tended to other regions in future years. IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  F. G
LOBAL ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN COOKSTOVES  
12. In September 2010, US Secretary of State Clinton announced the Global Alliance for Clean 
Cookstoves, a public-private partnership led by the United Nations Foundation to save lives, improve 
livelihoods, empower women, and combat climate change by creating a thriving global market for 
clean and efficient household cooking solutions.  The Alliance's 100 by 20 goal calls for 100 million 
homes to adopt clean and efficient stoves and fuels by 2020.  Seven African nations have joined the 
Alliance, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya,  Lesotho, Rwanda, and Tanzania as well as the 
Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, which incl udes four Nigerian federal ministries. The World 
Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year more than one quarter of the worldwide deaths 
associated with exposure to cookstove smoke occur in Africa – that equates to more than 550,000 
deaths in Africa attributable to cookstoves.  Also according to WHO, out of the 23 countries in the 
world where cookstoves represent more than 4 per cent of the national burden of disease, 21 are in Africa. 
13. The United States Government has committed mo re than US$50 million to the Alliance over 
five years.  Participating US agencies include :  The State Department, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Department of Energy, Department of He alth and Human Services (National Institutes of 
Health (NIH);  Centers for Disease Control and Prev ention), and the USAID.  The US Government is 
mobilizing financial resources, providing top-leve l US experts, and leveraging research and 
development tools to help the Alliance achieve its  100 by 20 target.  Other US agencies also are 
considering investments in this sector.  This is a significant example of technology transfer to address 
one of the world's pressing health problems. 
III. INCENTIVES RELATED TO HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES:  US NATIONAL 
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES 
14. Biomedical and behavioural research funding activ ities of the NIH, an agency within the US 
Department of Health and Human Services, have contributed to technology transfer and capacity 
building in several LDCs.  For new technologies deve loped by scientists at the NIH and the Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA), the NIH licenses biological  materials and associated patent rights, when 
applicable, to institutions that have the capability of bringing products to the market in or for LDCs.  
In addition, scientists often provide know-how to those who receive biological materials, such as 
vaccine seed strains with specialized growth requi rements.  Most of these technologies are associated 
with vaccines for diseases such as dengue, rotavirus, Hib, HPV,  typhoid, meningococcal, varicella-
zoster and HIV.  This technology transfer pe rmits the building of manufacturing capacity and 
associated skill sets in developing countries that also serve the needs of LDCs by providing access to 
vaccines that meet their public h ealth needs.  These activities, whic h have been reported in previous 
versions of this report, are ongoing and continue to be a major part of the activities of the NIH.   
A. HIV/AIDS
 CLINICAL TRIALS NETWORKS AND CLINICAL TRIAL UNITS (CTU S) AND CLINICAL 
RESEARCH SITES (CRS S) 
15. The NIH funded HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Netw orks and their CTU/CRS will pursue clinical 
trials to address the highest priorities in HIV/AIDS  research, including:  (1 ) vaccine research and 
development;  (2) translational research/drug devel opment;  (3) optimization of clinical management, 
including co-morbidities;  (4) microbicides;  (5) pr evention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV;  
and (6) prevention of HIV infection.  Under th ese programmes, collaborative basic and clinical 
research is carried out between researchers worldwide, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, South 
America, and the United States.  These research a nd training programmes support the development of 
basic and clinical research skill sets in developing countries, the building of infrastructures to support  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  the development of new drugs a nd vaccines, and the exchange of  scientific knowledge world-wide 
including better understanding in more developed co untries of needs in developing countries.    
B. MULTILATERAL INITIATIVE ON MALARIA (MIM)   
16. NIH, together with the Special Programme for Training and Research in Tropical Diseases 
(TDR) located at the WHO, co-founded the MIM in 1997 and has supported its activities in LDCs and 
elsewhere since then.  MIM's mission is to in crease and enhance worldwide research on malaria by 
facilitating multinational research cooperation.  NIH h as also established malaria research facilities in 
Mali and Ghana and has trained local scientists a nd physicians to conduct malaria research from 
within endemic countries, including those in several LDCs in Africa. 
C. NIH  INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH FOCUS IN AFRICA   
17. NIH supports and has funded research activities in 26 African countries, including the 
following WTO Member LDC countries in Africa:  Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Gambia, Madagascar, Ma lawi, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, 
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.  These research act ivities contribute directly to the strengthening of 
research capacity in these countries, thereby enhancing prospects for further transfer of technology in 
the future. 
18. HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria cause millions of deaths each year.  These three diseases are a 
major cause of poverty through their debilitating im pact on the active workforce, and significantly 
affect economic development and stability of the re gion.  NIH's National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports HIV/AIDS research in many African countries, with most projects conducted in areas with the highest incide nce of infection and disease, namely Botswana, 
Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, a nd Zimbabwe.  The recent emergence of Multidrug-
Resistant TB (MDR TB) and Extensively Drug-Resist ant TB (XDR TB), especially in the context of 
HIV/AIDS infection, is being addressed by NI AID-funded projects conducted in Tanzania and 
Uganda, as well as in South Africa.  Malaria rema ins a major threat, and NIAID conducts clinical, 
epidemiological, drug, and vaccine and vector r esearch in African LDC countries such as Burkina 
Faso, Cameroon, The Gambia, Malawi, Ma li, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda.
 
19. Neglected diseases such as filariasis, schistoso miasis, sleeping sickness, and others are 
receiving renewed attention, with NIAID projects in  Malawi, as well as in Kenya and South Africa.  
NIAID supported a major pneumococcal vaccine trial in  the Gambia that was 77 per cent effective in 
preventing pneumococcal infections caused by th e vaccine serotypes.  NIAID recently supported a 
clinical trial in Madagascar that demonstrated equi valence of azithromycin and benzathine penicillin 
(the current standard) for treatment of early syph ilis.  Almost all NIH supported research has helped 
not only in training in state-of-the-art research t echniques and conduct of clinical trials to African 
LDCs, but also in capacity buildi ng for researchers so that they may better address infectious diseases 
endemic to their respective countries.  
D. NIH  RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES   
20. NIH's Fogarty International Center runs several research training programmes that include 
training for LDC biomedical researchers and rese arch institutions and contribute to technology 
transfer and capacity building in LDCs.  Among these are the AIDS International Training and Research Programme (AITRP), the Global Infec tious Disease Research Training Programme (GID), 
and the International Clinical, Operational and H ealth Services Research and Training Award for 
AIDS and Tuberculosis (ICOHRTA-AIDS/TB).  Th e AITRP programme includes researchers from 
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Haiti, Lesotho, Malawi, Mo zambique, Rwanda, Senega l, Tanzania, Uganda, IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  The GID helps to tr ain researchers from Bangladesh, Tanzania, Mali, 
Malawi, Uganda, Cameroon, Cambodia, Senegal,  and Papua New Guinea, among others.  The 
ICOHRTA-AIDS/TB programme trai ns researchers from Haiti, Ug anda, and Zimbabwe and has 
provided funds for planning grants in Mala wi, Tanzania, and Botswana, and elsewhere. 
21. NIH's Fogarty International Center, along with 11 NIH Institutes and Offices, also supports a 
"Global Research Initiative Programme for New Foreign Investigators (GRIP)" that promotes 
productive re-entry of NIH-trained foreign investigat ors into their home countries as part of a broader 
programme to enhance the scientific research infra structure in developing countries, to stimulate 
research on a wide variety of high priority health-re lated issues in these countries, and to advance NIH 
efforts to address health issues of global import.  This reverse "brain f light" initiative promotes 
capacity building by providing partial salaries to NIH-trained foreign researchers returning home and 
support for research projects.  The GRIP programme is  divided into two components:  Behavioral and 
Social Science; and Basic Science.  The progr amme provides support for researchers from Malawi, 
Tanzania, Uganda and several other countries.   
E. T
ECHNOLOGY LICENSES . 
22. The NIH was the first contributor to the Me dicines Patent Pool (MPP) in licensing US 
government-owned patents related to the use of HIV anti-retroviral (ARV) protease inhibitor drugs. 
The MPP promises to enhance access to ARV tr eatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in 
developing countries and enable the development of new combin ations of ARVs and adapted 
formulations for developing countries.  The NIH licensed patents resulted from research undertaken 
by the NIH and the University of Illinois at Chic ago.  The license is seen as a first step for an 
expected ongoing collaboration as NIH's Office of  Technology Transfer and the MPP consider 
additional potential license agreements to add othe r NIH-managed patents to the pool for technologies 
that may have potential as new HIV therapeutics. 
23. The NIH continued to transfer human-bovine rotavirus technology to new institutions, 
licensing the technology to Chinese companies Sinovac, Beijing Minhai Biotechnology Co. and 
Beijing Xiweike Biotechnology Co., bringing the current total of worldwide licensees to twelve. 
24. The NIH expanded its Chinese licensees, adding Yisheng Biopharma Holdings (Yisheng) to 
its list of partners through a first and second licen se agreement.  Yisheng licensed a varicella-zoster 
virus strain for production of chicken pox and sh ingles vaccines in China as well as a technology for 
production of acellular pertussis vaccine for a worldwide market. 
25. Furthermore, the NIH licensed biological ma terials to the Company for Vaccine and 
Biological Product Development in Viet Nam for production of a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue 
vaccine for Viet Nam only.  The same biological materials, as well as patent rights in Brazil, were also licensed to Fundacao Butantan.  
26. Lastly, the NIH completed two licenses with Indian Immunologicals.  One license was for a 
cell line that Indian Immunologicals intends to use for influenza and rabies vaccine production.  The 
other agreement was for biological materials to be  used in development of a human papillomavirus 
(HPV) serotype 18 vaccine for sale in India only. 
27. The NIH has licensed biological materials to Sh antha Biotechnics, Ltd. (India) for use in 
producing a haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine .  In addition to India, Shantha anticipates 
selling the Hib vaccines in developing world count ries worldwide, including Africa, initially mostly 
through public tenders or tenders to UNICEF a nd WHO.  Shantha also licensed technologies and 
associated biological materials for the manufacture and distribution of a human papillomavirus (HPV) 
vaccine worldwide, including countries eligible fo r support from GAVI Alliance.  In addition to the  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  Shantha HPV license, the NIH has non-exclusively licensed the same  second generation HPV vaccine 
technology to three companies for worldwide product distribution, including GAVI-eligible countries.  These other companies are PaxVax, Sanofi Pasteur a nd GlaxoSmithKline.  The NIH will be able to 
continue to license this technology, which includes biological materials for vaccine manufacturing, to 
other interested parties.  
28. In order to facilitate distribution of the HPV vaccine Gardasil® to underserved women in the 
developing world, the NIH has reached an agreemen t with Merck (a licensee of the NIH's patent 
rights covering the vaccine) to incentivize the distri bution of vaccine to these at-risk populations.  The 
arrangement enables Merck to include Gardasil® br oadly in its worldwide tiered-pricing strategy, 
including any donative or not-for-profit transfers to distribution networks, governments or directly to 
individuals in developing world na tions.  For this agreement, "developing world" nations are defined 
by the GAVI Alliance, which include many WTO member LDCs.   
29. The NIH licensed to Serum Institute of India bi ological materials for use in the manufacture 
of a hepatitis A vaccine product for distribution worldwide, including GAVI-eligible countries. 
IV. INCENTIVES FOR US INVESTMENT IN AFRICA 
A. B
ILATERAL INVESTMENT TREATIES  
30. US Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) improve the climate for US investment in the 
economies of our partner countries by advancing im portant reforms and encouraging the adoption of 
policies that facilitate and support foreign investment .  US BITs establish a framework of reciprocal 
protections that include non-discriminatory treatme nt, free transfer of investment-related funds, 
prompt, adequate, and effective compensation in the event of an expropriation, limitations on 
specified performance requirements, and transp arency in governance.  These treaties provide 
important incentives for US companies to engage in fo reign direct investment (FDI), in joint ventures, 
and in other forms of investment in partner countri es that can lead to the transfer of technology and 
know-how.  As of September 2010, the United States had signed six BITs in s ub-Saharan Africa, four 
of which are with WTO LDC Members, including th e Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, 
Rwanda and Mozambique.  (The BIT w ith Rwanda is not yet in force.)  In addition, in August 2009, a 
BIT negotiation between the United States and Mauritius was launched. 
B. TRADE AND INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS  
31. US Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) help enhance trade and 
investment relations between the United States and ke y trade and investment partners.  Over the last 
eleven years, the United States has launched twelve trade and investment agreements in sub-Saharan 
Africa – eight bilateral TIFAs with Angola, Ghana,  Nigeria, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, South 
Africa and Rwanda; three regional TIFAs with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 
(COMESA), the East African Community (EAC),  and UEMOA (French acronym for the West 
African Economic and Monetary Union); and a Tr ade, Investment, and Development Cooperative 
Agreement (TIDCA) with the five countries of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).  
Together, these twelve agreements cover 19 WT O LDC Members (Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, 
Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibout i, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, 
Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tan zania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia).  The United 
States is using TIFAs and the TIDCA with sub-Saharan African countries to encourage new trade and investment by implementing country- and region-specific strategies that promote trade and investment.   IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  C. O
VERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION (OPIC):   MOBILIZING PRIVATE 
INVESTMENT IN EMERGING MARKETS  
32. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (O PIC) is the US Government's development 
finance institution that focuses on mobilizing private investment in more than 150 emerging markets around the globe.  In doing so, OPIC seeks to open up and expand new markets for American 
businesses, and new opportunities for the people of de veloping nations.  Working with the private 
sector, OPIC helps US enterprises gain footholds in  emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and 
growth opportunities, both in the United States and abroad.  Specifically, OPIC tailors its products – 
political risk insurance, project debt financing a nd privately-managed investment funds - to support 
the specific needs of a business or project.  OPIC has a history of innovation, flexibility, and 
responsiveness in mobilizing private investment to achieve US development objectives.  OPIC 
actively partners with both private and public financial institutions, US  and other government 
institutions, as well as other stakeholders.  
33. Over the agency's 40-year history, OPIC h as supported US$200 billion of investment in 
nearly 4,000 development projects.  OPIC focuses on regions that the US considers to be foreign 
policy priorities, national security priorities and de velopment priorities, e.g. the Middle East and 
North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and sub-Sa haran Africa.  Moreover, OPIC focuses on such 
key sectoral priorities as Renewable Resources/Clean Technology, agribusiness, and SME/microfinance.  The agency's current total portfolio exposure is US$14 billion, of which 
66 per cent (US$9.3 billion) is in financing, 17 pe r cent (US$2.4 billion) is in investment funds, and 
17 per cent (US$2.3 billion) is in insurance.  OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to 
the American taxpayer.  In FY2010, OPIC cont ributed US$352 million to the US federal budget.  
Since the agency's creation in 1971, OPIC has ge nerated US$5 billion of reserves from its transaction 
earnings.   
34. In October 2009, OPIC issued a call for pr oposals to support President Obama's June 2009 
Cairo Speech.  That "call" launched funds to s upport technological access and innovation in Muslim-
majority countries.  To that end, in June 2010,  OPIC's Board of Directors approved  a total of 
US$455 million in financing to supp ort the establishment of five private equity investment funds 
designed to catalyze more than US$2 billion of in vestment in companies in the Middle East and 
North Africa.  In addition, OPIC's Board also approved three other funds as part of that call, 
including:  (a) up to US$150 million for the Capital Alliance Private Equity Limited Fund, which will 
invest in telecommunications, financial services, business services, logistics, electric power and oil 
and gas throughout West Africa; (b)  up to US$75 million for ePlanet Ventures, a private equity 
investment fund designed to invest in companies that could utilize technological innovation to achieve high growth in Asia, the Middle East and Afri ca; and (c) up to US$100 million to support the 
Lombard Asia Fund, which is designed to invest in technology and telecommunications companies in 
southeast Asia.  In addition, OPIC has recently conducted Fund Call for Proposals for both Renewable 
Resources/Clean Technology, and for Impact Investment private fund managers.  
D. A
FRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT  
35. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), enacted in 2000, has b een at the center of 
US trade and investment policy toward sub-Sa haran Africa, which has sought to promote open 
markets, expand US-Africa trade and investment , stimulate economic growth, and facilitate 
sub-Saharan Africa's integration into the globa l economy.  AGOA provides incentives to promote 
economic and political reform and trade expansi on and builds on the US Generalized System of 
Preferences (GSP) programme to provide duty free access for most of the products produced in 
eligible sub-Saharan African countries.  The add itional products include valu e-added agricultural and 
manufactured goods such as processed food products, a pparel, and footwear.  Since the enactment of 
AGOA in 2000, the United States h as worked closely with African governments, the private sector,  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
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  and civil society stakeholders to improve AGOA u tilization and to help them make the most of 
AGOA's trade benefits.  The US Government crafted and put into place the regulatory framework for AGOA, actively promoted the programme throughout  Africa, and developed trade capacity building 
programmes to help African governments and firm s identify and develop the market opportunities 
available under AGOA.  AGOA continues to suppor t the efforts of sub-Saharan African countries 
undertaking economic, political, and social reform s and provides incentives for countries considering 
such reforms.   
36. As of July 2011, 37 sub-Saharan African countries were eligible for AGOA benefits, 
including 20 WTO LDC Members.  Helping AGOA beneficiary countries improve their capacity to trade and to make the most of the opportunities afforded under AGOA has been  a major focus of US 
Technical Capacity Building (TCB) programmes.  AGOA has resulted in a substantial increase in 
two-way US-African trade, with African count ries now exporting a more diverse range of 
value-added products to the United States.  More over, African economies have been using trade 
benefits generated by AGOA to grow their economies and reduce poverty.  The five-year, 
US$200 million African Global Competitiveness Initiative (see Section XIII.A.), is a key element of 
US TCB in support of AGOA.  The AGCI supports the work of the four USAID-managed regional 
Trade Hubs for Global Competitiveness, located in Gaborone, Botswana; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, 
Ghana; and Dakar, Senegal.  Each Hub is staffed by a team of experts in trade-related fields and 
responds to region-specific needs.  
E. T
HE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES  
37. In addition to AGOA, the GSP program provides duty-free access to the US market for a wide 
range of products from 42 eligible LDC beneficiary countries (out of a total of 129 GSP beneficiary 
countries).  Legal authorization of the GSP program expired December 31, 2010.  As of July 2011, the 
US Administration was working with the US C ongress on legislation to reauthorize the program.  
V. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) PROGRAMMES 
38. To support basic research that will build a foundation for generating sustainable, science-
based solutions to agricultural problems in de veloping countries, the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) has awarded 15 grants in the inaugural year  of the Basic Research to Enable Agricultural 
Development (BREAD) programme.  The five-year programme is jointly funded with the Bill & 
Melinda Gates Foundation.  Through its partners hip with the Gates Foundation, the NSF awards 
grants to US institutions and their international collaborators to promote novel, creative approaches 
and technologies to address common constraints faced  by small-holder farmers.  Among the grants is 
one to scientists at Pennsylvania State University , the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the 
Bunda College of Agriculture (Malawi) to explo it a recent discovery that drought tolerance is 
correlated with the development of a unique tissue that allows maize roots to expand in area and 
scavenge for scarce water while minimizing impact on yield.  By identifying the genetic loci responsible for this response, the scientists hope to  offer a new approach to development of drought-
tolerant maize.  Other grants will:  test a novel ap proach to developing cattle that are resistant to 
trypanosomiasis, a deadly cattle disease in Africa that is closely related to sleeping sickness in 
humans;  identify dwarfing genes that will increase yi eld in wheat under drought stress; explore the 
use of a special type of black carbon to improve  soil fertility and crop yi eld; and study genetic 
mechanisms in chickpeas as a step towards improving nitrogen fixation.  A complete list of 2010 
BREAD awards can be accessed at http ://www.nsf.gov/bio/pubs/awards/bread10.htm
. IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 10  
 
  VI. US DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROGRAMMES 
A. S
CIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENTS  
39. Recognizing the importance of science-based re search in promoting economic growth and 
development, the United States establishes Science and Technolog y (S&T) cooperation agreements 
with developing countries.  S&T agreements bu ild science capacity and infrastructure and apply 
science, technology, and engineering to facilitate a developing country's inte gration into the global 
economy.  Areas covered by S&T agreements incl ude:  basic research and science education, 
meteorology and weather forecasting, health scien ces and public health, watershed management, 
environment and biodiversity protection, energy an d alternative energy research and development, 
information and communications technology, and biotechnology.  There have also been many 
bilateral technical agency agreements with count ries throughout Africa on various topics including, 
for example, HIV/AIDs, infectious disease, seismic activity, remote sensing, agriculture, environment, 
and energy. 
B. SPECIAL SELF-HELP PROGRAMME  
40. Another initiative that has science and technolog y-related impact is the State Department's 
Special Self-Help (SSH) Programme, which s upports funding of community-based development 
projects that often have a technology transfer comp onent.  Programmes have included installation of 
solar energy panels in community facilities, constr uction of computer laboratories, eco-tourism, and 
others.  The SSH Programme began in 1964 as an expe rimental programme in Togo, and has grown to 
be one of the most visible and successful US assistance programmes in Africa.  In FY 2009, 
US$949,749 in SSH funds were granted to projects in WTO LDC Members. 
C. OPEN SKIES AGREEMENTS  
41. Open Skies agreements between the United Stat es and key partner countries have vastly 
expanded international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States, promoting increased 
travel, trade, and business contacts, enhanci ng productivity, and spurring high-quality job 
opportunities and economic growth.  Open Skies ag reements do this by eliminating government 
interference in the commercial decisions of air carriers about routes, capacity, and pricing, freeing 
carriers to provide more affordable, convenient, an d efficient air service for consumers.  The United 
States has achieved Open Skies with over 100 partne rs from every region of the world and at every 
level of economic development.  Between 1999 a nd 2011 the United States developed Open Skies 
agreements with 16 Least Developed Countries:  Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Rwanda, Benin, 
Senegal, Uganda, Samoa, Madag ascar, Maldives, Ethiopia, Mali, Chad, Liberia, Lao PDR and 
Zambia.   The increased travel, tr ade, and business contacts promoted by expanded air traffic facilitate 
private sector technology transfer.  
D. BIOTECH OUTREACH  
42. Technology transfer in biotechnology requir es the development and implementation of 
science-based regulatory systems be in place to enable  LDCs to utilize products of the technology.  In 
support of USAID's work in building capacity for le gislative frameworks and regulatory systems, and 
in coordination with the US Department of Agricu lture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), 
the State Department's  Economic, Energy, and Busi ness Affairs Bureau works directly with other 
countries and with international bodies, like the WT O and APEC, to ensure policies will be science-
based and transparent, creating the necessary envir onment for LDCs and the private sector to make 
use of the technology.  Funds have supported outreach programmes in many LDCs including:  
regional speakers for a workshop on biotechnology in Ethiopia; speakers to Burkina Faso, and  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 11 
 
 
  cooperative efforts and capacity building workshops on biosafety in the Common Market for Eastern 
and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. 
E. THE SECRETARY 'S AWARD FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE  
43. The Secretary of State's Award for Corporat e Excellence (ACE), established by the State 
Department in 1999, recognizes the important ro le US businesses play abroad as good corporate 
citizens, including promoting technology transfer, a nd encourages US companies to further corporate 
social responsibility, innovation, exemplary prac tices, and democratic values worldwide.  US 
companies are nominated by Chiefs of Mission worldwide and the winners are chosen by the 
Principals' Award Selection Committee.  In 2010, one of the winners was Mars, Inc., in Ghana.  Mars 
was selected as an ACE winner for its efforts to  improve farming methods in Africa, address 
education as a means to reduce child labor, and prom ote sustainability in cocoa growing communities.  
These practices are transferable to African LDCs. Mars is active in giving guidance and technical 
support to the Cocoa Livelihoods Programme, whose membership includes one LDC, Liberia.  In 2009 one of the winners was Voila - Communicati on Cellulaire d'Haiti (Trilogy International 
Partners).  Trilogy International Partners was chosen for its positive impact on the Haitian economy 
through exemplary employment practices and its pr omotion of education through youth rehabilitation 
programmes, scholarships, internships, computer la bs, sports, and arts progr ammes.  In 2008 finalists 
included STM Telecom Sanchar in Nepal for providi ng needed services where others feared to go 
because of security concerns, for technical training  and contributions to the development of rural 
technology, and for innovative health care progr ammes and Esso Angola for its public-private 
partnership's efforts in leading the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS, and for its literacy 
programmes for women and girls. 
VII. US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PROGRAMMES 
A. I
NTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION  
44. The Department of Commerce's  International Trade Administration (ITA) has supported other 
units within the Department, such as the Commercial Law Development Programme (CLDP), the 
technical assistance arm of the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Commerce, and 
the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as other US Government agencies to deliver 
IPR technical assistance in sub-Saharan Africa in cluding a workshop on an interagency approach to 
the enforcement of IPR (Washington, DC, 1 to 5 August 2011).  The US Departments of Commerce 
(including CLDP, USPTO and ITA), Justice an d State organized this weeklong program for 
government officials from Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Nigeria.  The workshop helped delegations 
from the four African countries identify priorities and a strategy for interagency collaboration to 
improve IP enforcement.  The programme conclude d with delegations crafting targeted action plans 
for enhanced cooperation across agencies and iden tified key next steps to implement the plans. 
B. SMALL BUSINESS TOOLS  
45. As part of an overall strategy to empower bus inesses, particularly small businesses, to obtain 
and enforce IPR, the US Depa rtment of Commerce in cooperation with other US government 
agencies, continues to enhance its multiple tool s and means of assistance for US small businesses 
doing business abroad.  Small businesses in the Un ited States are often on the cutting edge of new 
technologies.  However, such businesses may be hes itant to export products, make investments or 
form partnerships overseas that involve their latest  technology because of fears that their IPR could be 
violated.  The US Department of Commerce, by teaching small businesses how to protect and defend 
their rights overseas, increases the likelihood that these businesses will be willing to operate overseas, 
including in WTO Member LDCs.   IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 12  
 
  46. The US Department of Commerce continues to  actively promote these small business tools to 
other countries, because these tools may be useful and applicable to their small businesses.  The US 
Department of Commerce developed a website, St opFakes.gov, used by the entire US Government, 
which hosts a number of online resources, incl uding information about key US agencies and 
programmes.  StopFakes.gov also contains inform ation on ITA's International Trade Advisory 
Programme with the American Bar Association,  which provides free lega l consultations on IPR-
related matters for businesses investing and doing business in WTO Member LDCs, as well as other 
countries.  Additionally, the 2010 expansion of the International Trade Advisory Programme to 
Senegal, Angola, and Mozambique will help US  businesses conduct business using their latest 
technology in those markets.   
47. In addition, many of these tools are available to LDC businesses, which can use them to 
protect their own IP rights.  For example, the IPR Training Module, hosted on the StopFakes website, 
is available in English, French and Spanish; th e United States encourages LDCs to use the module for 
their small businesses.  The module familiarizes sm all businesses with IPR.  It explains IPR's 
relevance to their businesses and how to obtain and protect IPR in the United States and abroad.  It 
also provides links to other similar resources.  WTO Member LDCs and other countries are welcome 
to use this resource free of charge.  StopFak es.gov also serves as a means for reporting IPR 
enforcement issues to the Commerce Departme nt and Federal enforcement authorities. 
C. C
OMMERCIAL LAW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME  
48. CLDP provides commercial law technical assist ance to governments and private sectors of 
developing and transitional countries in support of their economic development goals.  Its 
programmes are demand-driven and customized to address priority issues for governments and firms 
interested in doing business in those countries.  CLDP's unique government-to-government approach helps improve legal and regulatory e nvironments, which are essential to  attract foreign investment and 
promote domestic private sector growth.  Strong IPR protection systems, in particular, can help assure 
foreign companies that they can transfer technology without fear that it will be stolen, and can provide 
incentives for domestic innovation.  In 2011, CLDP  conducted a number of programmes benefitting 
LDC Members of the WTO. 
Workshop on Intellectual Property Issues Related to Food Safety, Health and the Environment  
– Judges and Customs Officials at the Border: 17-18 May 2011, Bamako, Mali.  This joint 
CLDP/USAID workshop brought together 150 Malia n judges, attorneys, customs officials, 
prosecutors and other law enforcement agents to discuss, understand and develop best practices to 
resolve the challenges West African nations in general,  and Mali in particular, face in terms of Public 
Health, Food Safety and Environment, as a result of counterfeiting.  The workshop was designed to 
further develop the quality of IPR enforcement in Mali by:  (1) enhancing the knowledge and capacity 
of customs, police and other law enforcement agents in charge of IPR enforcement in order to attain 
international standards of protection as estab lished by the TRIPS Agreement;  (2) increasing 
cooperation between the various law enforcement agen cies in Mali and West Africa, and (3) creating 
a framework of harmonized cooperation in regard s to the procedures and communication between 
Malian Customs, Ministry of Justice and police so  as to better identify and prevent the entry of 
counterfeited goods in Mali.     Assisting Mali in the Registration of a Geographic Mark in the United States : In May 2011, 
CLDP created and distributed to Malian stakeholders  its guide to Registering a Geographic Mark in 
the United States.  This guide was designed jointly with the USPTO to serve as a reference document 
for shallot producers in Mali applying for registra tion of their Geographic Mark as a Certification 
Trademark, Collective Mark or Trademark with  the USPTO.  The guide provided a broad and 
comprehensive overview of the procedures involved in the application process, potential problems 
Malian shallot producers may face and how to resolve them as well as practical information on  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 13 
 
 
  maintaining a mark once the USPTO has registered the mark.  The document has also been shared 
with the African Intellectual Property Organizati on (OAPI) to be disseminated and used among its 
15 member countries, twelve of which are LDCs.  
The Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights  in Kenya: An Interagency Approach with 
Private Sector Coordination,  Nairobi, Kenya, 17 to 20 May 2011.  This interagency effort was a 
collaboration between CLDP, ITA the Office of In tellectual Property Rights (OIPR) and the US 
Patent and Trademark Office (all of which are pa rt of the US Department of Commerce), the 
US Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State, and the US Embassy in Nairobi in conjunction with Kenya's Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA), the Kenya Copyright Board (KeCoBo), 
and the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI).  Best practices in interagency collaboration on IPR 
enforcement were shared among the 100 participan ts, including IP administrative and enforcement 
officials from Kenya as well as private sector stakehol ders from across the region.  Officials from the 
governments of Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uga nda, and the East African Community also 
participated in the program as observers.  The AC A and the Kenyan partner agencies discussed the 
mechanisms and procedures for cooperation, co llaboration, and communication necessary for an 
effective interagency approach to fighting trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.  19 to 20 May 
sessions worked towards the development of a public/pri vate partnership to combat IPR violations in 
Kenya, including testimony from the private sector  on IP issues.  Workshop recommendations in 
support of increased coordination included a pr oposed memorandum of understanding between the 
ACA and its sister organizations as well as the determination for setting in place mechanisms of 
public-private partnership on IPR enforcement. 
 
Workshop on the Role of the Judiciary in the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual 
Property in East Africa:  Kigali, Rwanda, 6 to 8 June 2011.  CLDP led a three-day workshop to 
increase the skills and knowledge of East African judges in trademarks, copyrights and electronic 
evidence so that they might more fairly, consisten tly, and efficiently adjudicate IP cases in the region.  
Over 70 participants from the East African re gion attended the workshop, including judges and 
magistrates from Burundi, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as officials from 
Rwanda's Supreme Court, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Justice, National Public 
Prosecution Authority, Bureau of Standards, and the Rwandan Development Board.  These 
individuals joined with regional practitioners and academics from the National University of Rwanda, 
artists, authors and entrepreneurs for a series of panel discussions, practical exercises and exchanges 
of ideas and best practices.  The workshop sought to  increase awareness of the benefits of enhanced 
IP enforcement through the participation of a US federal court judge and a US prosecutor who shared 
their experiences in adjudicating the many prevalen t and difficult issues in trademark, patent and 
copyright matters.  
 
ECOWAS Regional IP Policy Advisor:  Ongoing 2011.  In order to pr ovide consistency, efficiency, 
and effectiveness of IP protection in West Africa from a regional perspective, and to enable the 
progressive and sustained elimination of counterfe it and pirated goods from the region's markets, the 
Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWA S) is working to develop a regional IP policy 
and set of guidelines for its member states. As such , CLDP is supporting a legislative advisor to assist 
ECOWAS' legal and trade offices to produce a draft IP Policy and guidelines harmonizing IP 
protection among the member states that will meet  at a minimum, the standards of the TRIPS 
Agreement and the WIPO Internet Treaties.   
 D. N
ATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY  
49. The National Institute of Standards and Technol ogy (NIST) has research laboratories, user 
facilities, and other programmes focused on adva ncing measurement science, standards, and 
technology, and promotes the transfer of technolog y to developing and least developed countries with 
its Guest Researcher Programme.  This programme  provides opportunities for technically qualified IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 14  
 
  individuals to work at NIST with Institute staff on projects of mutual interest for periods ranging from 
a few months to several years, with a key bene fit being access to NIST facilities, staff, and research 
tools.  Guest researchers (or their home institutions) may retain rights to inve ntions conceived while at 
NIST.  NIST also operates two uni que and valuable laboratory user facilities: the Center for Neutron 
Research and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology.  The NIST Center for Neutron 
Research (NCNR) provides cold and thermal ne utron measurement capabilities.  The Center for 
Nanoscale Science and Technology NanoFab F acility provides a means to access advanced 
nanofabrication and measurement instrumentation.  Each year, NIST hosts hundreds of foreign guest 
researchers at its facilities, including ten from LDCs in 2010 and thirteen in 20 11.  NIST also consults 
and reports on technology transfer from US govern ment laboratories and provides consultation and 
assistance on US technology transfer legislation and procedures to other countries.  
50. In 2010, researchers from the following LD Cs participated in this programme: 
 Nepal – 3 
 Benin – 1 
 Madagascar – 1 
 Bangladesh – 1 
 Uganda – 1 
 Haiti – 1 
 Niger – 1 
 Sierra Leone – 1 
51. In 2011 (to date), researchers from the followi ng LDCs participated in this programme.  
Please note that only four of the researchers iden tified in 2011 were "new" (marked with a * below). 
The remaining nine researchers were also at  NIST in 2010 and counted in that total. 
 Nepal – 4* (1 new) 
 Benin – 1 
 Madagascar – 1 
 Burkina Faso – 1* 
 Chad – 1* 
 Senegal – 1* 
 Bangladesh – 1 
 Uganda – 1 
 Niger – 1 
 Sierra Leone – 1 
VIII.  TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING IN LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
A. T
RADE CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANCE  
52. "Aid for Trade" or TCB assistance is a corner stone of the US Government's strategy to 
promote economic growth through trade and to enable developing countries to negotiate and 
implement market-opening and reform-oriented trad e agreements.  TCB helps to improve the linkage  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 15 
 
 
  between trade and development by providing deve loping countries with tools to maximize trade 
opportunities, including through fostering environm ents favourable to technology transfer.  The 
United States considers its TCB activities to be an in tegral element in its efforts to provide incentives 
for technology transfer. 
53. The United States obligated over US$771 million to TCB activities in LDCs in FY2010.  
Cumulative US TCB to LDCs from FY2001 to FY2010 totalled over US$4.1 billion.   
IX. MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION 
54. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a US development assistance programme 
designed to achieve poverty reducti on through economic growth by investing in areas such as 
agriculture, education, enterprise and private sector  development, governance, health, infrastructure, 
land titling, and trade and investment capacity build ing.  Created in 2004, the MCC's total amount 
invested in compacts was US$8.18 billion as of 3 Au gust 2011.  The MCC is the largest source of US 
Government TCB funding for sub-Saharan Africa. 
55. As of August 2011, the MCC had threshold or  compact agreements with 10 WTO Member 
LDCs:  Benin, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, Malawi, Ma li, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and 
Zambia.  Additionally, MCC had completed progra mmes with Sao Tome and Principe, and Vanuatu, 
both LDCs in the WTO accession process.  US tr ade-related assistance is earmarked for port, 
transportation and irrigation infrastructure, m odernized payment and settlement systems, land 
administration reform, creation of agricultural bus iness centers, industrial park development, and 
border management systems - all of which will serve  as incentives for incre ased US private sector 
trade and investment, which are the major avenues through which private sector tech transfer occurs. 
X. US TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 
56. The US Trade and Development Agency (U STDA) advances economic development in 
developing and middle income countries.  The Agen cy funds various forms of technical assistance 
(e.g. early investment analysis, training, rever se trade missions, and business workshops) that support 
the development of modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment.  USTDA is 
dedicated to promoting public-priva te partnerships; through its provisi on of grant funding, the Agency 
assists its partners during the critical planning phases of priority infrastructure development projects that support economic growth and promote the effectiv e transfer of technology to LDCs.  Recognizing 
the importance of trade to LDC growth, USTDA wo rks closely with the Office of the US Trade 
Representative (USTR), other US Government agencies, and regional economic communities to develop trade capacity and apply private sector solu tions to development challenges worldwide.  In 
FY2010, USTDA provided a little over US$5.1 million in assistance activities designed to create an 
enabling environment for increased trade a nd investment in LDCs.  For example: 
 Rwanda:  USTDA provided a US$547,000 gr ant to Rwanda's national bank, Banque 
Nationale du Rwanda (BNR), for technical assistance on the modernization of BNR's information and communication technology infrastructure.  This project assisted BNR in building the technical capabilities to provide real-time cash balance information to 
policymakers.  These capabilities will build capacity for more effective fiscal policy 
formulation and budget execution at the Ministry of Finance.  Specifically, this activity may improve the Government of Rwanda's cash management and reduce unnecessary borrowing 
and enable more accurate cash fo recasting and budget implementation. 
 
 Haiti:  In August 2010, USTDA provided a gr ant in the amount of US$813,000 to the 
Autorite Aeroportuaire National (AAN), Haiti's  national airport authority, to conduct an 
analysis of priority airport infrastructure m odernization projects.  This assistance was IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 16  
 
  provided to enable it to design and implement important upgrades at Haiti's principal 
international airport in Port-au-Prince.  The pr ojects to be analyzed through this technical 
assistance grant include the construction of a para llel taxiway, a new air traffic control tower, 
a sewage collection system, and a wastewater tr eatment plant, a power generation facility and 
other high priority post-earthquake upgrades and repairs.    
 
XI. US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION   
57. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) plays an important role in maintaining the 
strong, interconnected global transportation system vital for economic growth in the United States and 
abroad.  DOT is engaged in a wide range of activ ities designed to enhance the transportation capacity 
and infrastructure of sub-Saharan African countries.  
58. The Safe Skies for Africa Programme (SSFA) is based on the premise that "Safe Skies" are a 
prerequisite for increased trade and investment a nd long-term economic development in Africa.   
Safer air travel promotes the business contacts through which private sector technology transfer occurs.  The safety and security components compleme nt US Government efforts to conclude Open 
Skies agreements with key African countries and promote code-share agreements between US and 
African airlines.  Since 2008 the SSFA continued in  its mission to promote sustainable improvements 
in aviation safety in Africa as a means of advancing economic development and increased investment between the United States and Africa.  The overa rching goal of the programme is to increase the 
number of African nations meeting International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for 
safety and security.  Recently Nigeria, with techni cal assistance from the FAA, met ICAO standards 
for safety and security.  Aviation safety and security has been enhanced in each of the countries where 
equipment and training have been provided.  The SSFA programme supports a regional approach to 
the development and implementation of an ICAO-co mpliant Civil Aviation Authority.  The DOT has 
trained African experts at the Federal Aviation Administration facility in Oklahoma City, and in-
country where appropriate, resulting in hundreds of personnel receiving state-of-the-art training to 
address airworthiness, operations and navigation throughout the continent .  
XII. US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
A. US
 NATIONAL PLANT GERMPLASM SYSTEM (NPGS):   TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN THE FORM 
OF GERMPLASM AND RELATED INFORMATION  
59. All countries rely heavily on production of non-i ndigenous crops to meet food needs.  This 
inter-dependence highlights the need for cooperation in conservation and exchange and use of plant 
genetic resources that support agricu ltural production everywhere.  It is increasingly important that 
countries cooperate to enable world food production to  meet the needs of future generations.  The US 
Government has been actively involved in the co llection and preservation of plant germplasm since 
the early 1800s.  Today, the US National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) has the primary federal 
responsibility for the ex situ preservation of germpl asm collections of crop plants and their wild 
relatives.  The NPGS has long recognized that all c ountries are inter-dependent in their need for plant 
genetic resources (PGR).  The activities of the NPGS embody this recognition, not only through the 
conservation and distribution of ge rmplasm and associated information to scientists worldwide, but 
also through the support and capacity building fo r genetic resources conservation in many other 
countries.  This collaboration has taken the form of  both contributions that will benefit all countries 
and individual support to specific countries.  To assi st all nations, the NPGS partnered with Bioversity 
International and the Global Crop Diversity Tr ust to develop a new germplasm information 
management system, GRIN-Global, which will beco me the global standard for safeguarding this 
invaluable information.  Version 0.9 of GRIN-G lobal was released in July 2011 and is currently 
undergoing testing by users.  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 17 
 
 
  60. The demand for germplasm from the NPGS is gr eat.  Although germplasm is used extensively 
for cultivar improvement, it is also used for a wide variety of other scientific studies, most of which 
ultimately contribute to improvements in crop produc tion.  In response to requests from researchers, 
breeders and administrators world-wide, the NPGS  distributed an average of more than 160,000 
accessions annually between the years 2000 – 2010.  Approximately 70 per cent of the accessions 
were distributed to US scientists and 30 per cent to  foreign scientists, including CGIAR (originally the 
Consultative Group on International Agricultural R esearch) Centers.  Scientists in 160 countries 
received germplasm, notably including:  Afghanist an, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, 
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lesotho, Madagascar , Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, 
Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanz ania, Uganda and Zambia.    
61. In recent years, the US government has provided funds for many additional projects on 
germplasm conservation and utilization.  NPGS scientists have collaborated with USDA/Foreign 
Agricultural Service and the USDA/ARS Office of  International Research Programmes on these 
projects. In Bangladesh, scientists at the Bangl adesh Agricultural University in Mymensing, 
Bangladesh, with the technical cooperation of NPGS scientists,  collected, evaluated, preserved and 
distributed germplasm of landraces and wild relatives of traditional fruits and vegetables.  Over 
several decades, in addition to the "technology tr ansfer" by distributing germplasm, NPGS personnel 
have provided training in all as pects of germplasm maintenance,  evaluation, documentation, and 
enhancement to many scientists from numerous co untries.  In some cases, organized programmes 
involved training of numerous scientists from one country.   
62. The NPGS has also provided extensive training in germplasm documentation to collaborators 
from multiple countries.  During 2011, in prepara tion for the full release of GRIN-Global, NPGS 
personnel have been developing trai ning material, assisting various countries with installation of the 
beta version of GRIN-Global, a nd supporting Biodiversity Internati onal specialists as they train 
international users in the software.  
Distribution According to LDC WTO Members or Observer Countries (2000 – 2010) 
 
COUNTRY COUNT 
Afghanistan 152 
Bangladesh 27 Burkina Faso 6 Burundi 66 CGIAR 9427 
Cambodia 28 
Ethiopia 2388 Haiti 24 Lesotho 4 Madagascar 19 Mali 24 
Myanmar 20 
Niger 763 Rwanda 24 Senegal 45 Sierra Leone 97 Sudan 287 
Tanzania 248 
Zambia 11 IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 18  
 
  XIII.  US AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
63. USAID is the principal US Government agency involved in implementing the goal of 
promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in developing countries around the world.  
USAID's overarching goal in economic growth is to help partner countries achieve rapid, sustained 
and broad-based growth that includes all vulnera ble groups.  Encouraging technology transfer and 
respecting IPR is important in reaching this overarching goal.   
64. In support of economic growth, agriculture, a nd trade, USAID endeavors to:  (1) develop 
well-functioning markets in developing countries;  (2) enhance access to productive opportunities for 
the poor, women and other disadvantaged groups; and (3) strengthen the international framework of 
policies, institutions and public goods that sup port growth prospects and opportunities for poor 
countries.  Examples include research and developm ent of special initiatives on agricultural, health 
and other problems specific to developing countries  and promoting international standards - from 
trade to IPR - that provide sound models  for developing economies to emulate. 
65. Helping LDCs integrate into the world economy is a major feature of USAID's economic 
growth and trade activities, which focus on trade a nd investment policy, institutional analysis and 
reform, trade capacity building and technical tr aining, environmentally  sound natural resources 
management, and the promotion of US-Africa private sector development.  As mentioned, USAID plays a key role in providing Aid for Trade or Trad e Capacity Building (TCB) assistance to the least 
developing economies.  USAID is the second largest US provider of TCB after MCC.  From 1999 to 
2009, USAID provided over US$805 million in TCB assi stance to 43 least developed countries.  
66. The programmes below are examples of USAID programmes that directly or indirectly 
promote technology transfer. 
A. A
FRICAN GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE  
67.  As one of USAID's main TCB programmes in  sub-Saharan Africa, the African Global 
Competitiveness Initiative (AGCI)   has supported th e incubation and expans ion of USAID-managed 
Regional Trade Hubs for competitiveness in sub-Saha ran Africa (Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal).  
The five-year (2006-2010), US$200 million AGCI was designed to help expand African trade and 
investment with the United States, with other inte rnational trading partners , and regionally within 
Africa by improving the export competitiveness of  sub-Saharan African enterprises.  AGCI's 
objectives were:  (1) to improve the business climat e for private sector-led trade and investment;  
(2) to strengthen the knowledge and skills of sub-Sa haran African private sector enterprises to take 
advantage of market opportunities;  (3) to increase access to financial services for trade and 
investment;  and (4) to facilitate investments in infrastructure.  Fu rther information about the Hubs 
can be found on the Internet at  http://www.watradehub.com/  (for the two hubs in West Africa),  
http://www.satradehub.org/  (for Southern Africa), and  http://www.competeafrica.org/  (for Eastern and 
Central Africa).  A compendium of African trade-related success stories and case studies from 2011 
can be found here "( http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-
saharan_africa/initiatives/docs/2011_SuccessStoriesCompendium.pdf )". 
B. FEED THE FUTURE .   
68. Feed the Future, the United States Govern ment global hunger and food security initiative, 
supports country-driven approaches to address the root causes of hunger and poverty.  Through this Presidential Initiative, the United States is helpi ng countries transform their own agricultural sectors 
to grow enough food sustainably to feed their people .  As a result, valuable food aid can be used for 
unforeseen catastrophes rather than for chronic food  insecurity or predictable cycles of drought or 
flooding.  USAID is charged with leading Feed th e Future (FTF), which involves coordinating efforts  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 19 
 
 
  with eight other US agencies.  W ith the establishment of the Bureau for Food Security within USAID, 
experts in agriculture, research, nutrition, and the pr ivate sector have been brought together to guide 
and coordinate the Agency's efforts around food security.  
69. At the 2009 G-8 Summit, the President pledged at least US$3.5 billion for agricultural 
development and food availability over three years to leverage and align more than US$18.5 billion 
from other donors in support of a common approach .  Under the direction of the US Global Hunger 
and Food Security Coordinator, USAID seeks to advance global food security by comprehensively 
addressing the underlying causes of hunger and under- nutrition, investing in country-led plans; 
strengthening strategic coordinati on;  leveraging the benefits of multilateral institutions; and making 
sustained and accountable commitments.  Under Feed the Future, USAID- private sector partnerships 
will catalyze agricultural-led economic growth a nd development by:  bridging the gap between 
innovative agricultural productivity solutions and sustainable market demand; improving the enabling environment for market led growth, and linking large commercial institutions with smallholder 
partners.  USAID is working in collaboration with  its partners on: innovativ e co-investment models, 
private sector partnerships, reducing risk, improvi ng the enabling environment, commercialization of 
new technologies, and capacity building.  In pr oviding technical assistance, USAID also seeks to 
expand markets and trade in LDC countries and FTF focus countries by expanding market 
information, post-harvest market infrastructure,  and access to business development and financial 
services, all of which promote technology transfer and trade.  Moreover, the FTF's technical assistance will enhance animal, plant, and food safet y by:  improving standards and creating strong 
regulatory frameworks; reducing the time and cost of border movement of goods, and creating an 
enabling environment for agribusiness growth. 
C. USAID
 GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE (GDA) 
70. The Global Development Alliance (GDA) mob ilizes the ideas, efforts and resources of 
governments, businesses, and civil society by forging public-private alliances  to stimulate economic 
growth, develop businesses and workforces, addre ss health and environmental issues, and expand 
access to education and technology.  The GDA busin ess model links US foreign assistance with the 
resources, expertise, and creativity of governme nts, business, and civil society.  Through 
public-private partnerships, USAID and its partners combine their assets to address pressing development problems and achieve a solution that would not be possible for any individual partner 
alone.  Through fiscal year 2009, USAID has cultivat ed more than 1,000 alliances with 3,000 unique 
partners, leveraging billions  of dollars in combined public-pri vate resources for development.    
Working with multinational corporations, regional a nd local companies, USAI D is building alliances 
that can have a significant impact on major deve lopment challenges.  USAID has partnered with 
Starbucks in the last 10 years to build capacity in the global coffee supply chain.  The USAID/Starbucks partnerships improve coffee qua lity, certify sustainable practices and provide 
premium prices, which raise local incomes.  Work ing in several countries in Africa, Latin America 
and Asia, the impact has been substantial.  Fo r instance, USAID/Mexico's programme directly 
affected nearly 12,000 people in 45 communities by improving best practices in the coffee supply 
chain and thereby raising the quality of production.  In Rwanda, Starbucks tripled the amount of beans 
it sourced from local farmers from 2006 to 2008, when it first sold Rwandan coff ee as part of its high-
end Black Apron Exclusives line.  
71. In 2005, USAID created a new obligating instru ment – the collaboration agreement – to 
provide funding directly to non-traditional partners .  For example, the Private Financing Advisory 
Network (PFAN), an alliance of private sector companies and investors, receives funding from USAID to help developers of cl imate-friendly technologies in deve loping countries find financing.  
Through the alliances of the GDA, USAID has not only gained additional financial resources for 
development activities, but also new technologies, in tellectual capital, and technical and managerial 
expertise that enhances its ability to address an in creasingly complex set of development challenges. IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 20  
 
  D. USAID
 GLOBAL BROADBAND AND INNOVATIONS (GBI) 
72. The US Agency for International Developm ent's new Global Broadband and Innovations 
(GBI) programme has been designed to focus the Agency's attention and resources on leveraging the 
adoption of Information and Communication Tec hnologies (ICTs) across its development portfolio. 
The GBI Programme focuses strategically on two priority areas: 
 Extending the reach of broadband, including enhanced mobile networks, into more 
remote rural areas as a key infrastructure for extending the reach of socioeconomic 
services through USAID's NGO and contractor partners, as well as others working within the international, national, and local development community, and 
 Leveraging the extension of these broadba nd and mobile networks for delivering 
network-enabled value-added application s upport across USAID's development portfolio. 
73. A fundamental component of achieving this second pr iority is the leveraging of public-private 
partnerships (PPPs).  Toward this end, the GBI Pr ogram and NetHope have come together to form the 
GBI Alliance.  This relationship places a priority  on the second of these two focus area, recognizing 
that within the NetHope ecosystem, ther e is a connectivity component as well. 
74. NetHope is a consortium of 32 of the largest international non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs) working in over 180 countries.  NetHope's  partners include several US-based high tech 
companies such as Intel, Cisco, Microsoft, and Googl e and international industry associations such as 
the Global VSAT Forum (GVF).  Other supporting organizations include the Rockefeller Foundation, 
the Gates Foundation, and the W.G. Kellogg Foundati on.  NetHope's core mission is to serve as a 
catalyst for ensuring its members have access to th e best information and communication technology 
and practices when serving people in the developing world. 
75. Their focus is on five strategic initiatives: 
 Connectivity 
 Field Capacity Building 
 Emergency Response 
 Shared Services 
 Innovation 
76. Through the GBI Alliance, USAID will be work ing closely within the NetHope ecosystem to 
target high priority areas needing special atten tion, develop requirements for common ICT solution 
sets, and ultimately develop and make available acr oss the NGO community, shar ed solutions that can 
be implemented by NGOs as core components of their projects.  The goals of this collaboration are to 
reduce implementation time, lower implementation and operational costs, enhance the quality of 
support through shared solutions, and help ensure ri cher and more scalable, replicable, and sustainable 
use of ICT solutions. 
E. USAID
 WEST AFRICA POWER POOL   
77. Increased availability of low cost, environmenta lly friendly electricity is critical to economic 
development and trade with West Africa.  In FY200 5, USAID's West Africa Programme continued to 
provide support to the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP), an industry organization created by electrical 
utilities in the region with the goal of increasing i nvestment in the sector.  The WAPP entered a new 
phase of its development with the approval in prin ciple by the Energy Ministers of the ECOWAS 
States at the end of October 2005 of the Articles of  Agreement for a Power Pool organization.  In  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 21 
 
 
  FY2005, construction began on the West Africa Gas Pipeline by a consortium of US and 
West African companies and the first deliveries of gas occurred in 2010.  USAID's investment in the 
pipeline helped regulators and governments create th e enabling environment allowing for this US$615 
million investment that will bring low cost fuel to power plants in Benin, Ghana, and Togo. 
78. USAID also provides technical assistance to th e Southern, West, and Central Africa Power 
Pools.  The objective of this support is to increase access to reliable, affordable electricity through 
economically based, cross-border energy trading, wh ile also building the capacity of the continent's 
electricity utilities to deliver essential se rvices in a commercially viable manner. 
F. USAID' S SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR ENERGY (SARI/E NERGY ) 
79. The SARI/Energy program focuses on regional approaches to meet South Asia's energy 
security needs through increased trade, investment and access to clean energy.  Three of the eight 
partner countries in SARI/Energy are WTO Member LDCs, specifically Nepal, Bangladesh, and the 
Maldives.  There have been numerous accomplis hments in the FY 2009-2011 period that embody 
technology transfer.  Recent significant SARI initiatives include: 
 Supplying Bangladesh and Nepal with:  (i)  US energy efficiency technologies and 
practices in the manufacturing sector; (ii) US and Sri Lankan commercial energy 
efficient lighting standards; (iii) US small distributed rooftop solar photo-voltaic (PV) 
systems models and technologies, and (iv) smart grid technologies that enable integration of distributed solar resources in remote areas, in particular through the use of micro grids 
to connect nearby homes and businesses to small-scale distributed renewable resources. 
 Providing Bangladesh and Nepal with inform ation regarding: (i) European National 
Renewable Energy Action Plans to ensure binding targets and a regulatory framework 
that encourages investment; (ii) recomme nded practices to optimize security and 
reliability in supervisory control and data  acquisition (SCADA) and substation design, 
including "smart" technologies and  recommended green building design codes and practices; (iii) Canadian  models for waste-to-energy generation as a clean energy source, and (iv) US recommendations regarding tariff rate structuring and utility benchmarking 
for renewable energy. 
 Providing Maldives with a planning and investment strategy for the optimization of 
power generation systems through under-sea cable interconnection of the country's 
islands. 
G. C
ORAL TRIANGLE INITIATIVE ON FOOD SECURITY , CORAL REEFS AND CLIMATE CHANGE  
80. The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on Food Secu rity, Coral Reefs and Climate Change is a 
multilateral partnership to safeguard the Southeast Asia region's extraordinary marine and coastal 
biological resources.  Recognized as the global cen ter of marine biological diversity, the Coral 
Triangle region embraces six countries - Indonesia,  Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, 
Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands.  The CTI wa s officially launched in December 2007 during the 
13th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framewor k Convention on Climate Change in Bali, and 
endorsed by the six heads of state at the CT I Summit in May 2009.  Home to some 363 million 
people, one third of whom are directly dependent on coastal and marine resources for their 
livelihoods, the region faces immediate risk from a range of factors, including over-fishing, 
unsustainable fishing methods, land-based sources of po llution and climate change.  Over the first five 
years of the initiative, USAID and the Department of State plan to invest at least US$55 million 
(US$54 million from USAID plus US$1 million from th e Department of State) in the regional 
initiative plus bilateral support to the initiative in  Indonesia and the Philippines.  Investments will 
strengthen the capacity of community groups, govern ments, and public and private organizations to IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 22  
 
  conserve the Coral Triangle's globally important bi odiversity, improve fisher ies management, enhance 
resiliency and promote climate change adaptation
. 
H. CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH   
81. USAID supports the Consultative Group on Inte rnational Agriculture Research (CGIAR).  
The CGIAR is a global research-for-developmen t partnership consisti ng of a Consortium of 
international agricultural and natu ral resources research centers and its funders, working with partners 
to achieve the CGIAR vision.  The CGIAR's visi on is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve human 
health and nutrition, and enhance ecosystem resilie nce through high-quality international agricultural 
research, partnership and leadership.  The CGIA R was established in 1971, and its donors include 
both developing and developed countries, internat ional and regional orga nizations and private 
foundations.  
I. SUPPORT FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY  
82. Agricultural biotechnology offers an important  tool, which along with traditional breeding, 
new technologies, and improved resource management , enhances crop, livestock, and aquaculture 
productivity.  This increases the incomes of small-s cale agricultural producers in an environmentally 
sustainable way by: 
 Reducing pesticide use and excess fertilizer use that pose threats to biodiversity and 
human health;  
 Battling damaging plant diseases and pests by de veloping new resistant crop varieties;  
 Making widely grown food crops  more resilient and stress tolerant, thereby helping 
farmers adapt to a changing climate;  
 Enhancing the nutritional quality of key staple  crops to counter ma lnutrition and improve 
the health of farmers and consumers, and  
 Enabling better livestock disease diagnosis a nd the development of more effective 
livestock vaccines. 
83. USAID takes an integrated approach to ensu re that countries can safely access biotechnology 
if they choose to do so and that a broader range of  technology is available for the benefit of small 
scale farmers.  This is accomplished by building tec hnical capacity in crop research and development 
and making sure that decision makers have the res ources they need to make informed decisions about 
biotechnology and biosafety. 
84. Since 1989, USAID has taken an innovative approach to biotechnology, integrating 
technological development with policy reforms n ecessary for safe and effective application in 
developing countries.  Through USAID's collabor ative agricultural biotechnology programmes, 
developing countries build the capacity to develo p the crops they need in a safe manner.  The 
programmes engage the expertise of faculty and st aff from US and developing country universities, 
private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and in ternational institutions, such as the CGIAR, to 
form an integrated strategy for de veloping and managing this technology. 
85. The Programme's goals include:  
 Developing new crops for small holder farmers to improve the availability of food and 
strengthen livelihoods;  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 23 
 
 
   Developing and strengthening biosafety systems to regulate biotechnology; 
 Increasing developing countries' capacity for technology development;   
 Increasing public understanding of biotechnology and biosafety; 
 Helping public research systems address regulat ory and IPR issues as they move crops from 
lab to field, and 
 Supporting environmental research to inform biotechnology risk assessment and 
management. 
 
J. PROGRAMME FOR BIOSAFETY SYSTEMS  
86. The Programme for Biosafety Systems (PBS), managed by the International Food Policy 
Research Institute (IFPRI), supports the devel opment and implementation of national biosafety 
systems in Africa and Asia.  PBS addresses biosafet y through an integrated programme of research, 
capacity development, and outreach.   
K. SOUTH ASIA BIOSAFETY PROGRAMME  
87. The South Asia Biosafety Programme is de dicated to assisting the Governments of 
Bangladesh and India in further strengthening institutional governance of biotechnology.  The 
programme builds on existing efforts to advi se governments on enhancing and streamlining 
government systems to realize the benefits of agricu ltural biotechnology within a transparent, efficient 
and responsive regulatory framework that ensures the safety of new foods and animal feeds, and 
protects the environment. 
L. AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY SUPPORT PROGRAMME II 
88. Agricultural Biotechnology Support Programme II, a USAID-funded consortium of public 
and private sector institutions managed by Corn ell University, focuses on the safe and effective 
development and commercialization of bioengineer ed crops as a complement to traditional and 
organic agricultural approaches.  Current ABSPII partner countries include India, Bangladesh, the 
Philippines, Indonesia and Uganda with several in-country ABSPII representatives. 
M. AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION  
89. The African Agricultural Technology Foun dation (AATF) facilitates public-private 
partnerships to access proprietary technology and to ensure the delivery of biotechnology through the 
local private and public sectors. Through US AID support, AATF's management of these linkages 
upstream and downstream of public sector research has established international partnerships to 
develop insect-resistant cowpea and nitrogen-use effi cient rice varieties using modern biotechnology. 
AATF works in several African countries, including Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Ghana, 
Tanzania and South Africa.  
XIV.  GENERAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY  RIGHTS-RELATED PROGRAMMES  
A. UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE , GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
ACADEMY  
90. The USPTO trains and offers technical assist ance on IPR protection and enforcement to 
countries around the world, including LDCs.  Without a strong system of IPR protection, foreign businesses will be hesitant to make their technology available to developing  country partners and 
developing country innovators will not be able to  capitalize on their creativity.  In FY 2010, the 
USPTO's Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIP A) conducted more than 75 training, technical 
assistance, and capacity building programmes for over 4,500 participants from 122 different countries.  
Most participants came from developing and least-developed countries.  USPTO's website IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 24  
 
  at http://www.uspto.gov/  hosts six IPR e-Learning modules in Arabic, English, French, Russian and 
Spanish, with at least 3,000 hits per month.  In  addition, the USPTO has IPR Attachés posted at 
several US embassies or consulates.  These Atta chés work with host governments and NGO's to 
provide IPR technical assistance and capacity buildi ng programmes of particular interest to one or 
more countries in their region.  
91. In 2006, the USPTO completed construction of  GIPA that includes a 20,000 square-foot 
training facility at its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.  Through this dedicated space, the USPTO 
efficiently delivers targeted training to foreign IP officials.  Training focuses on pertinent information 
for IP office administrators, examiners, judges, pr osecutors, customs officers, and other government 
and law enforcement officials.  LDC representa tives attended 12 GIPA programmes in the United 
States in 2010 as well as additional programmes at  the USPTO such as the State Department's 
International Visitor Leadership Programme and the Foreign Mission Embassy Programme.  
Countries represented at these programmes include d: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, 
Cambodia, Gambia, Haiti, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Ma lawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New 
Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia . 
92. The USPTO's GIPA and IP Attachés also provide IP-focused technical assistance and 
capacity building to foreign officials in their hom e countries.  Programmes have focused on IP rights 
enforcement as well as patent, trademark, and copyri ght policy and best practices.  Participants at 
these in-country or regional programmes offere d in FY2010 included government officials 
from: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, 
Nepal, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samo a, Sierra Leone, Sudan,  Tanzania, The Gambia, 
Uganda, and Zambia. 
93. USPTO conducts regional technolog y transfer programs around the world.  For example, in 
September 2010, in cooperation with the NGO Public  Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture 
(PIPRA), the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa and the University of 
Cape Town, USPTO co-hosted several regi onal workshops on technology transfer and 
commercialization:  Workshop on IP and Innovation in  the South African Public Sector; Workshop on 
IP Strategy for Small & Medium Sized Enterpri ses, and a Regional Workshop on IP Management and 
Technology Commercialization.  These programmes drew participants from the South African 
Development Community.  USPTO al so held a technology transfer programme in conjunction with 
the PIPRA, WIPO, the African Regional Intellectua l Property Organization (ARIPO), and the Kenya 
Intellectual Property Institute (KIPI).  Overlappi ng with the seminars, USPTO conducted a workshop 
for participants from participating ARIPO memb er countries, including Ghana, Gambia, Kenya, 
Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  
94. The United States provides further elaborati on of its technical assistance, training and 
technology transfer activities specific to IPR in its 2010 Report on activities carri ed out in relation to 
Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement . 
XV. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FROM US UNIVERSITIES  
95. A major avenue for technology transfer from th e United States is our university system where 
foreign students are educated and then bring that training to private and public employment, often in 
their home countries.  
96. Since US universities are largely established as non-for profit (tax exempt) entities, the 
education they provide is subsidized by the US taxp ayer in the form of foregone tax revenues.  The 
private endowments that enable foreign students to  attend US universities on financial aid were built 
with tax exempt donations.   IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 25 
 
 
  97. In 2010, there were 690,923 international stude nts enrolled in US institutions of higher 
education, representing 3.5 per cent of the total US higher education enrollment.  Many of the foreign 
students gravitate to the same US universities where the portion of foreign students may reach 
20 per cent or higher.  The top three countries of or igin for foreign students in the United States were 
China (127,628 students), India (104,897) and South Korea (72,153).  The LDC with the most 
students enrolled in US institutions of higher edu cation in 2010 was Nepal with 11,233 students. The 
chart below shows enrollment by students from a ll LDCs at US universities for the 2009/10 academic 
year.  
98. The top five most popular fields of study for international students in the United States in 
2009/10 were Business and Management (21 per cent of total), Engineering (18 per cent), Physical 
and Life Sciences (9 per cent), Mathematics and Computer Science (9 per cent), and Social 
Sciences (9 per cent).1 
99. Some foreign students at US universities ente r the US as non-immigrant exchange visitors 
("J-1") subject to Section 212(e) of the Immigrati on and Nationality Act residency requirement that 
makes the student ineligible to remain in the Un ited States after completing his studies.  This law 
applies to all students participating in programs s ponsored and/or funded by the US Government or 
for nationals of certain countries based on an establis hed exchange visitor skills list.  In these cases, 
the J-1 visa requires that the student spend 24 mont hs outside the United States before s/he can be 
issued a permanent residence or a work visa to the United States, although travel to the US for 
temporary business or tourism is acceptable.  Foreign students subject to the Section 212(e) requirement may also apply for this requirement to be waived if there is no objection from the foreign 
government, direct interest from a US Government  agency, OR if the visa holder is subject to 
persecution in his home country or usual foreign resi dence.  However, generally, the Section 212(e) 
requirement encourages students to return to their home countries after completing their studies and thereby further supports technology transfer abroad.  
International Student Totals By Place Of Origin, 2009/10
2 
 
Origin 2009/10 
Afghanistan 426 
Angola 615 
Bangladesh 2,619 
Benin 342 
Bhutan 126 
Burkina Faso 680 
Burundi 113 
Cambodia 347 
Central African Republic 32 
Chad 96 
Comoros 50 
Congo, Dem. Rep. of 249 
Djibouti 3 
                                                      
1"(http://www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/Ne ws-and-Events/Press-Center/Pre ss-Releases/2010/2010-11-15-
Open-Doors-International-Students-In-The-US )" 
2 Institute of International Education, International Student Totals by Place of Origin, 2008/09-2009/10, 
Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange .  Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
Page 26  
 
  Origin 2009/10 
Equatorial Guinea 78 
Eritrea 164 
Ethiopia 1,553 
Gambia 299 
Guinea 180 
Guinea-Bissau 15 
Haiti 1012 
Kiribati 31 
Lesotho 48 
Liberia 231 
Madagascar 142 
Malawi 274 
Mali 500 
Mauritania 52 
Mozambique 88 
Myanmar/Burma 695 
Namibia 76 
Nepal 11,233 
Niger 228 
Rwanda 451 
Samoa 43 
São Tomé & Príncipe 1 
Sierra Leone 173 
Solomon Islands 8 
Sudan 213 
Tanzania 1,098 
Timor 26 
Togo 310 
Tuvalu 2 
Uganda 852 
Vanuatu 5 
Yemen 265 
Zambia 641 
Total 26,685 
  IP/C/W/558/Add.6 
 Page 27 
 
 
  100. Common practices that encourage technology transfer from US universities are: 
 Publication of research results in the open acad emic literature that is accessible globally 
through the internet, and read by scientists, engineers, and researchers in all sectors; 
 Personal interaction between creators an d users of new knowledge (e.g. through 
professional meetings, conferences, semina rs, industrial liaison programmes and other 
venues); 
 Collaborative research projects;  
 Entrepreneurial activity of faculty and students occurring outside the university without 
involving university owned in tellectual property (IP) and 
 Licensing of IP to established firms or to new start-up companies.3 
 101. After completing their studies, graduates are mob ile.  They are employed globally in public 
and private sectors, which furthers the transfer of knowledge, technology and best practices.  They 
bring to their home countries an understanding of  the important role that rule of law, good 
governance, IPR and limited government intervention in the economy play in creating the conditions 
necessary for entrepreneurship, innovation and th e utilization of new technologies to address the 
needs of their home countries. 
__________  
                                                      
3 National Research Council, Managing University Intellectual Property in the Public Interest   
(Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 2011) p.2.