BY MTHANDAZO NYONI THE African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (Aripo) has recorded “remarkable successes” in all areas with industrial property (IP) applications increasing by 26%, the organisation’s top executive has said.
In his remarks during the opening ceremony of the 45th session of the Aripo administrative council in Victoria Falls yesterday, the organisation’s director-general Bemanya Twebaze said in the past two years, they had demonstrated resilience in a special way.
Twebaze said Aripo’s operations were not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When I assumed office in January this year, the world was still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and this continued throughout the year. Despite those challenges, Aripo continued to demonstrate resilience with its operations running undisrupted and has recorded remarkable successes in all areas including operations, finances and co-operation,” he said. “Among other things, industrial property applications have increased by 26%, the finances are stabilising, and the partnerships are becoming more focused and impactful.”
Twebaze added: “We continue to work daily to position the organisation to be a premier office in delivering IP services that will support the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063, which aims at transforming our economies and creating a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics and will complement and support member States’ interventions in realising the objectives of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.”
The Aripo boss said he was delighted to highlight that the organisation was registering membership growth.
Outgoing Aripo administrative council chairperson Adely Cooper said during the past two years, the organisation registered “notable achievement relating to registration and grant of intellectual property rights, legal development, information and technology development, awareness creation and capacity building, and other areas.”
Aripo is Africa’s leading intellectual property hub that fosters creativity and innovation for economic growth and development in Africa.
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