AFRIPI

Strengthening national and regional IP offices is one of the four main pillars of the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI) Project. In accordance with this objective, the AfrIPI Project Management team in collaboration with the Nigerian Trademark Registry is organizing a three-day workshop on absolute grounds, opposition procedure, and geographical indications starting on Wednesday, 16 June to Friday, 18 June 2021.

The AfrIPI project seeks to promote the African IPOs’ awareness of the advantages of the existing international system of IP. Within this framework, three training sessions on the Vienna Classification (VCL) system were given to trade mark examiners in the Ethiopian IP office: the first two sessions (10 & 11 May 2021) focused on giving a general introduction to the VCL.

The 3rd edition of the Trademark Awards of the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) officially kicked off on 13 May 2021 in Douala, Cameroon.

With the support and participation of the Africa Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project #AfrIPI, the opening event featured a tailored dinner discussion with business leaders from OAPI member countries. The discussion covered the new opportunities brought about by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

The EUIPO is enlarging its presence in Africa. Following an official welcome by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the EU-funded AfrIPI project set up its leading office in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 27 April.

In one of its first engagements in Nigeria, on 22 April 2021 the Africa Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project (AfrIPI) delivered a high-level public sector capacity building workshop on Geographical Indications (GIs), in partnership with 

The Continental Strategy for GIs in Africa (2018- 2023) highlights the importance of the development and registration of GI products as pilots and drivers for rural and sustainable development to provide learning and demonstrative effects.

Having adequate legal frameworks in place is essential for protecting Geographical Indications (GIs). In view of the need of further-fine tuning and harmonisation of national and regional GI legislation in Africa, AfrIPI will provide technical assistance to identify gaps in existing GI legislation in targeted African countries/ regions, and issue recommendations for addressing these gaps. It will also assist to strengthen an effective institutional environment as regards GI protection.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are important drivers of growth in economies across Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for up to 90 % of all businesses in these markets. Intellectual property represents a valuable tool for SMEs to remain competitive on the global market.