Ethiopia joins Paris Convention
We have previously written about Ethiopia’s accession to the Paris Convention. Now the next step, deposit by the government of Ethiopia of its instrument of accession to the Paris Convention, has been announced. Ethiopia will now formally become a member of the Paris Union on August 15, 2025. While we previously discussed the benefits to trade mark applicants, there are benefits for patent applicants as well, the most pertinent of which is that they will be able to file a complete patent application in Ethiopia for up to a year after filing their provisional application in another Paris Convention country, with the priority date of the application being retained from the provisional. This will make it more attractive to file patent applications in Ethiopia.
Legal Update | Fair Competition Commission (FCC), Tanzania
Tanzania FCC clarifies its position regarding the use of foreign trade mark certificates in support of the Mandatory recordation: 28 July 2026 | Fair Competition Commission (FCC), Tanzania. The Fair C...
October 02 2026
Niger accedes to the Marrakesh Treaty
The Republic of Niger, a member state of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), has acceded to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, V...
August 19 2026
OAPI highlights IP’s role in African craft innovation
At the Ninth International Handicrafts Fair of Cameroon (SIARC 2026), held in Yaoundé from 27 July to 5 August, the OAPI showcased the importance of IP protection in promoting innovation and competit...
August 19 2026