Geneva, 22 May 2026 – Mr. Timur Sultangaziev, First Vice Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with Mr. Kairat Torebayev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO and international economic organizations, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for Global Challenges and Partnerships, and representatives of the relevant WIPO divisions.

During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of intellectual property, including improvements to legislation, development of institutional capacity of government authorities, and strengthening of intellectual property rights protection mechanisms, with due regard to the need to maintain a balance between supporting innovation, ensuring access to medicines, and sustaining the healthcare system.

The Kazakhstani side presented its approaches to regulating intellectual property in healthcare and provided an update on ongoing work to improve the regulatory framework. Particular attention was given to combating the circulation of counterfeit products, including falsified medicines and medical devices.

Kazakhstan also shared its experience in implementing a digital drug traceability system, which enables tracking of products throughout the entire supply chain from manufacturer to end consumer. This tool contributes to increased market transparency and the fight against counterfeit goods.

The parties also discussed possibilities for conducting a joint analysis of existing regulatory mechanisms, implementing capacity-building programmes for specialists, and exchanging international expertise. WIPO expressed its readiness to support further cooperation and expert engagement in these areas.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their mutual interest in strengthening cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WIPO, as well as in developing joint initiatives aimed at building an effective intellectual property protection system and enhancing the resilience of the healthcare sector.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-wto/press/news/details/1226916?lang=ru