The 32nd Session of the Administrative Council of ARIPO held in Somerset West, SA
28/11/2008

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) held its 32nd Administrative Council session concurrently with a round table on topical intellectual property policy issues in Somerset West, Cape Town. The session was hosted by ARIPO, WIPO and The Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO). Adams & Adams was the only Intellectual Property Law Firm invited by ARIPO Director General to observe the proceedings. The session was attended by heads of Intellectual Property Offices and government officials from the 15 ARIPO member states and observer states including Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda and Seychelles.

The following organizations were also represented at the session:
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• International Trademarks Association (INTA)
• African Union (AU)
• African Intellectual Property Organization(OAPI) and
• African Regional Centre for Technology (ARCT)

The topics of discussion included the following amongst others:
• Harmonization of the ARIPO and OAPI IP systems
• Finalization of the draft protocol in respect of traditional knowledge
• WIPO assisting ARIPO in respect of Intellectual Property Development Plan to encourage intellectual property as a power tool for economic growth
• ARCT’s role in assisting members with technology innovation and development of food processing
• Amendments of the Banjul and Harare Protocols
• Guidelines in respect of applications for protection of transgenic plants and animals
• Assistance by foreign Patent Offices ( e.g China) in respect of substantive examination of patent applications
• Promotion of awareness regarding protection of utility models, designs and geographical indications
• WIPO’s assistance in respect of providing computerized patent search systems for ARIPO
• Intellectual property training provided by ARIPO and WIPO at the Africa University in Zimbabwe.

For further information or updates on any of these topics, please contact nickyg@adamsadams.co.za or nthabi-p@adamsadams.co.za

Written by: Nthabi Phaswana
Associate
Adams & Adams