A comprehensive manual on geographical Indicators in Africa has been developed by several experts under the auspices of the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation project in Africa (AfrIPI). The manual is available online in English and French. Geographical...
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Winds of change in OAPI Top Management
The Board of Directors authorised the launch of a recruitment procedure for a new CEO, subsequent to the dismissal, with immediate effect, of the Deputy Director General (DGA) of OAPI, Mr Jean-Baptiste Noël Wago on 13 May 2022. This is unfortunately a further...
OAPI CALLS ON BURKINA FASO FOR SUPPORT
A Delegation from OAPI visited Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso on 13 May 2022 as part of the 8th extraordinary session of the Board of Directors of OAPI to meet with the prime minister, Mr Albert Ouédraogo. The aim of the meeting was to obtain the support of the Burkinabe...
LIBERIA: MINISTRY CRACKDOWN ON PIRATES TO PROTECT CREATORS
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) in Liberia recently took drastic action against piracy by shutting down businesses offering local and international pirated goods, related primarily to the entertainment industry. The aim is to get rid of any black-market...
Kenya – Copyright Amendment act
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the 2021 Copyright Amendment Act into law[1] on 4 April 2022. It introduces a new royalty sharing formula which entitles musicians and performing artists to receive a guaranteed 52% of revenues generated from the licensed use...
SOUTH AFRICA: COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL
On 12 May 2022, the Constitutional Court[1] heard argument on whether it should confirm the 2021 Gauteng High Court ruling (in the matter of Blind SA v. Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and others[2]) which declared the Copyright Act unconstitutional for...
Nigerian Copyright Commission
The Nigeria Copyright Commission, located in Abuja, destroyed pirated works in a public display in the state of Akwa Ibom, assisted by the State Waste Management Board. The pirated works not only included books, CDs and the like, and also infringing items such as...
ARIPO patent examination
A training programme for examiners of patent applications is scheduled to take place from 11 to 26 July 2022, which will be hosted in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The training programme is a partnership between The African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO),...
ARIPO and OAPI sign a MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
A delegation from ARIPO, led by the Director General, Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, visited the OAPI headquarters in Yahounde from 16 to 18 May 2022. The Director General of OAPI, Mr Denis Bohoussou, hosted the delegation for discussions on intellectual property issues as...
KENYA: COMPULSORY REGISTRATION OF IP RIGHTS IN KENYA
The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (“ACA”) launched the Anti-Counterfeit Authority Integrated Management System (“AIMS”) on 28 February 2022 and, thereafter, adopted a three (3) phased out implementation approach. The ACA issued a public notice on 26 April 2022, setting a...
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