News & Insights
Adams & Adams Mozambique Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary
On 7 July 2023, Adams & Adams’ flagship office in Mozambique celebrated its 15-year anniversary as a member of the Adams & Adams Africa Network (AAAN). The network currently stands at 23 Associate Offices across Africa and includes offices in the headquarter countries of the OAPI and ARIPO regional organisations, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe respectively. The […]
July 11 2023
Is Failure to Adhere to Insurance Policy Conditions Always Problematic
Introduction It is almost impossible to think of an insurance policy that does not have any conditions and/or warranties. Most insurance policies, if not all, have various conditions and warranties which, if they are not adhered to, may lead to a lawful rejection of one’s claim. The conditions and warranties perform extremely important functions in […]
July 10 2023
Navigating Risks and Seizing Opportunities: The Transition to a Green Economy
The global business community is undergoing a transition towards a green economy driven by a shared recognition of the urgent need to address climate change, protect natural resources, and promote sustainable development. As businesses in South Africa and elsewhere adopt sustainable practices and environmentally conscious strategies, they can expect to encounter two categories of risks […]
July 04 2023
SOUTH AFRICA - Imprisonment of counterfeiters
In following on the successful operations shutting down a manufacturing plant of counterfeit oil and lubricant products in 2022 (previous publication at: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jan-harm-swanepoel-563534136_adams-anti-counterfeiting-team-deals-another-activity-6963798312311271424-JGHP?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios), our Anti-Counterfeiting team assisted the Police and the National Prosecuting Authority to achieve successful criminal convictions of the Accused persons. Both the Accused persons were convicted for contravening the Immigration Act and […]
July 04 2023
ZIMBABWE - Cabinet approves establishment of Deeds, Companies and IP Authority
Cabinet ministers of the Zimbabwean government considered and approved the establishment of a Deeds, Companies, and Intellectual Property Authority of 6th June 2023, which is to be a semi-autonomous entity. Previously, in October 2022, the Cabinet had approved principles that sought to separate the Company and Intellectual Property section from the Department of Deeds. Cabinet […]
July 04 2023
RWANDA - Headquarters of African Medicines Agency to be established in Kigali
The headquarters of the first ever African Medicines Agency (AMA) is to be established in Kigali, Rwanda. Agreement to this effect was concluded between the Rwanda and the African Union Commission (AUC) on 10 June 2023. This marks a further step towards making the Agency operational. Rwandan Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, indicated that the […]
July 04 2023
OAPI - OAPI and CEIPI to collaborate on issues
A cooperation agreement between OAPI and the Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) was signed on 31 May 2023. This reflects a renewal of the collaboration between these institutions, with a view to addressing current issues faced by OAPI. Current issues that OAPI would like to see addressed include the construction of an intellectual […]
July 04 2023
KENYA - New Managing Director of KIPI appointed
With effect from 1 June 2023, Ms Norah Ratemo has been appointed as the new Acting Managing Director of the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI). The appointment marks the end of Mr John Onyango’s tenure as Acting Managing Director of KIPI which began on 1 December 2019. The last permanently appointed MD of KIPI was […]
July 04 2023
ETHIOPIA - The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority appoints a new Director General
Mr. Woldu Yemessel Baraki was appointed as the new Director General of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA) in April 2023. Mr. Weldu holds a law degree and he previously managed Fana Broadcasting Corporate, an Ethiopian media company. He is taking over responsibility as the new Director General of the EIPA from Mr Ermias Yemanebirhan […]
July 04 2023
ARIPO - ARIPO countries engage on joining more ARIPO Protocols
the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), In collaboration with Mauritius’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Industrial Property Office of Mauritius (IPOM) and Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI), hosted a workshop from 31st May to 2nd June 2023 to promote the accession to more ARIPO IP Protocols by ARIPO Member States. The […]
July 04 2023
ARIPO - Heads of IP of ARIPO Member States convene for their second annual conference
The heads of Intellectual Property (IP) offices of the ARIPO Member States convened in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Heads of IP Offices Conference (HIPOC). The conference, which was being held for a second time and has become an annual event, took place from 6-8 June 2023. It was organized by the African Regional Intellectual Property […]
July 04 2023
MISSING TITANIC SUBMARINE BRINGS UP QUESTIONS OF PRESUMPTION OF DEATH AND NON-INDEMNITY INSURANCE POLICIES
For the past few days, the international news has been dominated by the missing Titanic submarine. Social media platforms have also been abuzz with the missing submarine. One of the interesting questions that seemed to be prominent was the question of whether insurance claims could be submitted if the passengers of the submarine were not […]
June 23 2023
Adams & Adams Named Africa Firm of the Year at Prestigious Managing Intellectual Property Awards
Adams & Adams, the leading intellectual property (IP) law firm in Africa, has been honoured with the coveted Africa Firm of the Year award at the annual Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) Awards for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In addition, the firm has emerged as the winner of the South Africa Patent Firm […]
June 22 2023
The Constitutionality Dilemma of Regulation 7 to the Road Accident Fund Act, As Amended
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, in its supremacy status, requires all three arms of the State, (i.e., the legislature, the executive and the judiciary) to adhere to, and uphold all its principles. This article seeks to discuss the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution, with regards to Regulation […]
June 15 2023
Trade Mark Reservations in South Sudan
The Republic of South Sudan, commonly known as South Sudan, gained independence from the Republic of Sudan on 09 July 2011. South Sudan is a relatively new country and is in the process of developing and passing most of its legislations. For example, the country does not have any enacted legislation governing the protection of […]
June 14 2023
PRODUCT LABELLING IN SOUTH AFRICA: LITTLE MARGARINE FOR ERROR
Round 3 was decided with Clover winning the war (despite losing a battle along the way) after a favourable decision was recently churned out by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). Readers may remember that the writer first reported in June 2021 that Clover’s urgent application to interdict the use of STORK BUTTER SPREAD by […]
June 13 2023
ARIPO three-day conference on the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa
On 3 – 5 May a three-day conference was held by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in partnership with the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI), the Government of the Republic of Namibia, represented by the Business Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ). The event […]
June 13 2023
LIBYA - The Libyan Trade Marks Office opens its operations to foreign trade mark applicants
Libya’s trade mark office suspended the acceptance of trade mark applications and registrations of trade marks filed by foreign applicants on 1 November 2022, by way of an dministrative directive that was issued by the Office of the Ministry of Economy & Trading in Libya. On 28 May 2023, the Libyan Trade Marks office confirmed […]
June 13 2023