Benin accepts TRIPS protocol on affordable medicines
Benin yesterday accepted the 2005 protocol amending the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) agreement on TRIPS, a protocol intended to ease poorer WTO members’ access to affordable medicines.
The provision allows exporting countries to grant compulsory licences to their generic suppliers to manufacture and export medicines to countries that cannot manufacture the medicines themselves.
Eloi Laurou, ambassador of Benin, who presented the instrument of acceptance to WTO director-general Roberto Azevêdo, said in a statement that by ratifying the protocol, Benin “reaffirms its commitment to promoting trade and to introducing flexibilities to help developing countries, and in particular least developed countries, face the challenges related to public health”.
He added: “Benin thus aims to contribute to multilateral efforts to help developing countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacities in the pharmaceutical sector to improve their capacity to procure medicines to treat certain diseases.”
Almost 65% of WTO members have submitted their instruments of acceptance of the TRIPS protocol.