ARIPO’s Kampala seminar advances audiovisual rights and treaty uptake

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), in partnership with WIPO, Fundación AISGE, the Global Audio-visual Alliance (GAVA), and Uganda’s Registration Services Bureau (URSB), hosted the 4th African Regional Seminar on Copyright and Related Rights in the Audiovisual Sector in Kampala from 10–11 September 2025.

The event brought together representatives from collective management organizations, national copyright offices, policymakers, and stakeholders from ARIPO member and observer states, including Nigeria and South Africa. The seminar focused on accelerating the ratification and implementation of key international treaties such as the Kampala Protocol on Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights, the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, and the Berne Convention.

Delegates discussed best practices in collective management, including ARIPO’s toolkit on tariff-setting principles for audiovisual CMOs, and addressed challenges such as piracy, low awareness, and the need for stronger copyright ecosystems.

Uganda’s Registrar General, Mercy K. Kainobwisho, emphasized the importance of collaboration to empower creators and unlock Africa’s creative potential, stating, “By working together, we can build a robust copyright ecosystem, empower creators, and unlock Africa’s creative potential. Together we can also tackle key challenges, including piracy and low awareness.”

The seminar also highlighted Uganda’s progress in aligning national laws with international standards and its growing role as a regional leader in copyright compliance.

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