Africa’s largest Intellectual Property (IP) firm has won again – this time being crowned South African IP Law Firm of 2020 (MIP) and certified as a Top Tier IP Law Firm 2020 (Chambers Global Directory).

It has been confirmed that official fees in Angola are set to increase. The Presidential Decree no. 62/20 authorizing the increase was published in the Government Gazette of 4 March 2020. It has been advised that the new official fees will come into force on 20 March 2020.

Adams & Adams has been crowned South Africa’s Intellectual Property (IP) Law Firm of 2020. Africa’s largest IP law practice received top honours at the prestigious Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) awards ceremony held on 5 March 2020.

There are currently 6 WIPO External Offices worldwide. The first WIPO External Office in Africa was successfully opened less than a year ago in Algiers, Algeria and preparations for the opening of a second WIPO External Office in Africa are underway.

A round-up of recent economic, political and legal developments and trends that have taken place in Africa

The Somalia Registry is now operational and it is possible to file trade mark applications in Somalia.

The Tunisian Patent and Trademark Office (INNORPI) has announced a 100% increase in official trade mark fees, effective from 27 January 2020.

At the recent meeting of the ARIPO Administrative Council, held in Liberia between 18 and 20 November 2019, a number of amendments to the Banjul and Harare Protocols were adopted and came into force on 1 January 2020.

On Friday 29 November 2019, Mr Slyvance Sange’s tenure as the Managing Director of the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) came to an end. Deputy Managing Director of KIPI, Mr John Onyango, has been appointed as Acting Registrar by the Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industrialisation.

Proprietors of trade marks in Rwanda should take note of an upcoming trade mark renewal deadline which may be relevant to their marks in this country.