The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) launched the ARPET programme under the 2021 Annual Work Plan (AWP1) through the Module A introductory training. In the AWP2, the programme focused on Module B – Advanced Patent Examination. 

On 14 March 2023, the first webinar on institutional capacity building for geographical indications (GIs) in the Organisation Africaine de la Propiété Intellectuelle (OAPI) region titled ‘Technical support to the development of the institutional framework for geographical indications in OAPI countries’ was organised by AfrIPI and the OAPI.

ARISE+ IPR has launched an online guidebook to help micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the ASEAN region understand the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection. Many businesses in the region have only partial knowledge of the benefits of IP protection, which can be a major hindrance to their growth and success. The Guidebook on Regional IP Management for SMEs in ASEAN aims to raise awareness and provide practical information on IP protection and related issues.

The African Union – European Union agricultural ministerial conference allows AU and EU agriculture ministers to exchange views and share best practices on the development of more sustainable food systems and responses to crises.

While there is a common understanding about the importance of GIs in OAPI Member States, some countries have not tracked their evolution. It is assumed that mapping the existing GIs in some of those countries would help build momentum at national level. 

In 2022, AfrIPI recruited an expert to conduct a screening study on GIs in Chad. 

Outcome 3 of the six strategic outcomes of the Continental Strategy for GIs in Africa (2018-2023) highlights the importance of developing and registering GI products as pilots and drivers for rural and sustainable development to provide learning and demonstrative effects. 

The objective of this activity is to produce a study that will identify, before the legal registration, the various options available for enhancing the origin-product and will draw conclusions on the various results that could be achieved from the social, environmental, and economic standpoints.

Since 2021, AfrIPI has contributed to training over a hundred students of the OAPI Masters’ Programme in IP. The Master’s programme, which is in its 12th edition, is jointly delivered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation and the OAPI and is hosted by the University of Yaoundé II. The Master’s programme is sponsored by the Government of Japan through the Japanese Patent Office.

It is crucial to strengthen and improve the copyright and related rights environment for the development of a cultural industry, especially a digital one, on the African continent. Several parties at various levels are involved in its implementation: States, regional economic organisations, intellectual property organisations, NGOs, collective management organisations, and rights holders.

The goal of the workshop is to come to an understanding on a coordinated and unified strategy for exploiting cultural content in the digital context among OAPI Member States.

Access to quality seeds and plant varieties for OAPI Member States is a major issue for all their populations, as these constitute the basis of plant production. To meet this challenge, it is necessary to provide them with suitable plant material through an effective plant variety protection system.

AfrIPI will provide technical support for capacity building to four examination centres in collaboration with the Community Plant Variety Office. 

The first workshop for magistrates from OAPI Member States was organised by AfrIPI in 2021, with a focus on the Bangui Agreement and problems with IP litigation in national courts.

In 2022, the Association of Judges for OAPI Member States was formally established by AfrIPI, and a bureau was chosen to manage the organisation's affairs. This organisation will act as a potent professional institution for promoting and enforcing intellectual property law in the OAPI region.