AFRIPI

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization, are delivering a comprehensive Intellectual Property (IP) Master’s Programme in English to three universities in Africa: the Africa University in Zimbabwe, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) in Tanzania.

During 2022, AfrIPI and the Egyptian Trademarks and Designs Office (TIDO) management held several meetings to set up the basis of an initiative under which AfrIPI would help TIDO develop their national trade mark and design manuals. The final goal is to draft a full set of trade mark and design examination and registration guidelines. Once published, they will benefit the business community by increasing the transparency and predictability of TIDO’s decisions.

This is a multiannual activity that will continue in 2023 and 2024.

AfrIPI, in collaboration with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), hosted a virtual workshop for Communication Practitioners from ARIPO Member and Observer States and the representatives of the national IP offices on 16 March 2023.

The fourth meeting of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) sub-group of the ad hoc working group on geographical indications (GIs) took place online on 15 March 2023. It had representatives from six ARIPO Member States – Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Zambia was the chair of the session. 

The aim of the meeting was to review the:

This activity  aims to raise awareness of the benefits and economic value of industrial designs and utility models in Liberia. In addition, it will promote the ARIPO regional system for registering industrial designs and utility models and demonstrate the ARIPO online application and registration procedures for industrial designs and utility models.

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.

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.