Heads of intellectual property in Africa seek to harmonize policies

KIGALI, June 6 (Xinhua) --

Heads of intellectual property (IP) offices in Africa are seeking to harmonize policies and strengthen cooperation in management and enforcement in this regard, an official said Tuesday, during a conference in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

The annual conference running until Thursday was organized by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and hosted by the Rwanda Development Board.

Opening the conference, Nelly Mukazayire, the deputy chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, said participants from WIPO member states in Africa would discuss and explore the critical role of intellectual property in shaping Africa's future.

She said the conference provided a platform for the participants to "share best practices, and strengthen cooperation in intellectual property management and enforcement."

"By aligning our strategies, harmonizing our policies, and building robust intellectual property ecosystems, we can effectively maximize the potential of our intellectual assets, foster innovation-driven entrepreneurship, and create an environment conducive to sustainable economic growth," she said.

The forum provided a platform for heads of IP offices to discuss IP-related developments in the ARIPO member states and adopt a coherent and efficient approach to implementing technical assistance offered by WIPO and other partners. It also aimed to promote cooperation and dialogue among member states in the spirit of sharing best practices and experiences in intellectual property rights (IPR) administration and management in the region.

Bemanya Twebaze, the ARIPO director general, said contemporary issues, as well as those that are unsettling the IP landscape, will form part of their discussions to galvanize the support required to deliver on their mandate.

A well-designed intellectual property system can be a powerful vehicle for economic growth and human development. Many sectors and industries rely on regulation that properly enforces IP rights such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights.