IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
 
3 October  2017 
(17-5277) Page: 1/5 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATIO N ACTIVITIES: INFORM ATION FROM  
OTHER INTERGOVERNMEN TAL ORGANIZATIONS  
 
AFRICAN REGIONAL INT ELLECTUAL PROPERTY O RGANIZATION (ARIPO)  
Addendum  
At its meeting of 13  June 2017, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental 
organization observers to the Council to update the information on their technical and financial 
cooperation programmes relating to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.  
 
The present document reproduces the information which has been received from the  African 
Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) by means of a communication dated  
22 September 2017.  
 
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1.  This document presents a report on main cooperation programmes and activities undertaken 
by ARIPO from 1 January to 20 Sept ember 2017 , which are relevant to the TRIPS Agreement and 
other IP components, following the invitation of the Chairman of the WTO Council for TRIPS of 
4 July 2017 to provide updated information on such activities.  
2.  Pursuant to its mandate enshrined in its constitutive text (the Lusaka Agreement of 
9 December 1976), ARIPO organizes activities and programmes either solely or in conjunction with 
its partners such as WIPO and others. These programmes and activities are mainly aimed at 
assisting ARIPO 's member States and Africa as a whole in intellectual property matters. For the 
awareness on IP matters component, ARIP O continued roving seminars in m ember States, but this 
year's flagship was the engagement of the main generators of Intellectual Property ri ghts, i.e. the 
Universities and Research Institutions. A number of seminars were conducted in some Universities 
with the  objective of raising IP awareness in the universities, colleges and research institutions , so 
that they can utilize the intellectual pr operty system nationally and regionally for accruing 
economic benefit to the institutions, individual rights holders and the country at large .   
3.  The following matrix provides details on technical and financial cooperation activities relevant 
to the TRIPS A greement and other IP components undertaken by ARIPO, and they cover training 
initiatives and awareness activities; assistance to National Intellec tual Property Offices in ARIPO 
member States as well as potential m ember States; and IP related publications.  
 
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- 2 - ANNEX 1 
Activity  Location and date  Brief description  
 
1. TRAINING INITIATIVES AND IP AWARENESS ACTIVITIES (including organization of workshops, symposiums and conferences ) 
Regional Seminar on the Patent 
Cooperation Treaty (PCT)  ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 13 –
15 February 2017  The Seminar was organised by WIPO in collaboration with ARIPO.    
The main objective  of the Seminar was to trai n trainers of the PCT in ARIPO m ember States and 
observer States on the use of the PCT system due to the low number of users from African 
countries. Participants came from 16 Countries.  
 
The Seminar covered a number of topics including: the Introduction to the Patent System and 
Challenges Facing Developing Countries; Overview of the ARIPO Regional system; Filing an 
International Application; International Search and International Preliminary Examination;  Filing and 
Processing P atent Applications under the Harare Protocol including statistics; the use of the patent 
system and the PCT in promoting Research and Development and Stimulating transfer of 
Technology.  
 
Seminar on the Patent Cooperation 
Treaty (PCT) in The Gambia  Banjul , The Gambia,  
10–12 July 2017  The seminar was organized by WIPO in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia and 
ARIPO.  
 
The objective of the seminar was to raise the awareness among the PCT users, (patent agents, 
academia, IP officials and i nventors/innovators) on the benefits of using the PCT system for the 
protection of their inventions, and to provide information on the registration procedures and patent 
protection through the system. The seminar also aimed at providing information on ARIP O and the 
procedures of its regional system for protection of patents and utility models, and information on 
industrial property in general.  
 
Seminar on the Patent Cooperation 
Treaty (PCT) in Mozambique  Maputo, Mozambique,   
27–28 March 2017  The Seminar w as organized by WIPO in cooperation with the Industrial Property Institute (IPI) of 
Mozambique. ARIPO provided a resource person who presented the procedures of ARIPO regional 
system for protection of patents and utility models.  
 
Seminar on the Patent Cooperation 
Treaty (PCT) in Malawi  Blantyre, Malawi,  
17–18 July  The Seminar was organized by WIPO in collaboration with the Department of the Registrar General 
in the Ministry of Justice. The Seminar was attended by patent agents, government officials and  
researchers.  
 
Seminar on the Patent Cooperation 
Treaty (PCT) in Ethiopia  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,  
1–7 August, 2017  The Seminar was organized by WIPO in collaboration with the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office. 
It was attended by patent agents, governm ent officials and researchers.  
 
Patent Drafting Course for Patent 
Agents  ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 4–8 
September 2017  The training course was organized by WIPO in cooperation with ARIPO and the Japan Patent Office 
(JPO) for the benefit of Patent Agents from ARIPO member  States and o bserver States.  
 
                                                
1 In English only.   
  IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
 
- 3 - Activity  Location and date  Brief description  
 
Sub-regional workshop on Patent 
Cooperation Treaty (PCT)  ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 18–
22 September 2017  The workshop was organized by WIPO  in cooperation with ARIPO and with the assistance of the 
Japan Patent Office (JPO). The Seminar focus was on National Phase Examination and Utilizing Work 
Products from Other National Phases. 14 participants from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, 
Nigeria and Uganda attended the workshop.  
 
Regional Workshop on Strat egic Plan 
for Collective Management 
Organizations (CMOs)  ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 20 –
23 June 2017  The Workshop was organised jointly by ARIPO and the International Confederation of Societies of 
Authors and Composers (CISAC) and aimed at equipping CEOs of CMOs on how to prepare strategic 
plan for a better management of the their offices.  
  
Symposium on Copyright and Related 
Rights  
 ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 5 –7 
July 2017  The Symposium was jointly organised by ARIPO and WIPO on the theme: Shaping the Copyright and 
Related Rights System in Africa. The symposium brought together copyright offices, collective 
management organisations from ARIPO Member  States and entrepreneurs.  
Participants discussed pertinent issues on copyright and related ri ghts and ARIPO 's role on shaping 
the copyright and related rights system in Africa.  
The finalization of the Copyright Agenda for Africa is among the main outcomes of the Symposium . 
 
Capacity Building conducted by the 
ARIPO Academy: Offering sponsorship 
to students to undertake the Master of 
Intellectual Property (MIP programme)  Africa University, Mutare, 
Zimbabwe  The MIP programme is jointly organized by ARIPO, WIPO, the Japan Patent Office and Africa 
University in Mutare, Zimbabwe.  
The programme was init iated to develop a critical mass of Intellectual Property experts for the 
development of the Intellectual Property system in Africa.  
The 9th cohort graduated in June 2017. Another intake (10th cohort) is expected to graduate early 
next year. So far, the p rogramme has graduated 250 students from the 1st to the 9th cohort from 
ARIPO member  States and other countries in Africa.  
Roving Seminars in ARIPO Member  
States  Lilongwe & Blantyre, Malawi, 20 –
24 March 2017  
Zanzibar, United Republic of 
Tanzania, 17 –18 July 2017  
 
 
Dar Es S alaam, United Republic of 
Tanzania, 20 –21 July 2017  
 The Roving Seminars in member  States were initiated in 2014 and it is expected that all member  
States will be covered by the end of this year (2017)2. 
A number of topics were covered during the Seminars but the member  States were given room to 
choose the field of IP they wanted focus to be put on. During the Seminars, ARIPO experts also 
trained the staff of the national IP Offices on ARIPO procedures as well as other technical matters 
especially patent drafting.  
The Seminars also offered to ARIPO an opportunity to conduct awareness campaign in member  
States targeting various stakeholders.  
Roving Seminars in Universities & 
Research Institutions in ARIPO Member 
States  Sierra Leone, Njal a University 
Campus, Sierra Leo ne,  
14–15 June 2017  The Seminar was organised by ARIPO in cooperation with the University of Sierra Leone.  More than 
100 participants from different academic institutions attended the Seminar.  
Lusaka, 13 –14 July 2017  ARIPO  organised the Seminar in partnership with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency 
(PACRA) of Zambia, with the cooperation of the University of Zambia. 75 participants from 18 
institutions attended the Seminar.  
University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni  
Campus, Swaziland, 
28-29 August  2017 The Seminar was organised by ARIPO in cooperation with the University of Swaziland (UNISWA)  
Over 120 participants attended the seminar; they were from the Government, Industry and 
academia.  
                                                
2 Only two ARIPO m ember States are yet to be covered: the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of Zimbabwe   
  IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
 
- 4 - Activity  Location and date  Brief description  
 
Intellectual Property Awareness 
Workshop at the Africa University  Mutare, Zimbabwe, 4 April 2017  The objective of the workshop was to help the Africa University in their initiatives aiming particularly 
at adopting an Intellectual Property Policy of the Un iversity. The workshop targeted students from 
selected departments as well as lectures and other members of the staff.  
 
Intellectual Property Rights Workshop 
at the Kwekwe Polytechnic, Zimbabwe  Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, 6 April 2017  The IP awareness workshop was jointly conducted by ARIPO and the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property 
Office (ZIPO). The objective of the seminar was to bring about awareness on the importance of IP 
protection and the roles of ARIPO and ZIPO in facilitating IP protection.  
 
2. ASSISTANCE TO NAT IONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICES IN ARIPO MEMBER STATES AND POTENTIAL MEMBER STATES  
 
Training of officials of the Ethiopian 
Patent Office (EIPO)  Addis Ababa, 30 January – 03 
February 2017  The training workshop targeted newly recruited officials of EIPO on Intellectual Property matters. 28 
staff members of the Office were trained by ARIPO experts.  
 
Ethiopia is not party to a number of International and/or regional IP Treaties. The workshop was an 
eye opener, and commitment was expressed to join international IP treaties.  
 
Seminar on “The Middle Path of the 
National Plan of Development of 
Intellectual Property of São Tomé and 
Príncipe”  São Tomé and Príncipe,   
25–26 April 2017  The seminar was  organized by the National IP Office of São Tomé and Príncipe (SENAPI) to assess 
the level of implementation of the National Plan for the development of IP 2013 – 2018.  
ARIPO was invited to take part to the Seminar and give presentations related to the co ntribution of 
ARIPO in the development of IP in São Tomé and Príncipe.  
National Seminar on the Protection of 
GIs in Mozambique  Maputo, 8 –9 May 2017  The Seminar was organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation 
with the Industrial Property Institute of Mozambique (IPI). ARIPO was represented at the workshop 
and its representative shared the activities of ARIPO on Geographical Indications.  
 
Meeting on the establishment of a 
Collective Management Organisation 
(CMO) in Leso tho  
 Maseru, Lesotho, 9 –10, 2017  The objective of the meeting was to explore ways of assisting Lesotho in its initiative to establish an 
operational Collective Management Organisation in the Kingdom of Lesotho for the benefit of all 
genres in the creative  industries to ensure the balance between the users who are to be licensed 
and the right holders to get royalties while at the same time the rights are protected.  
 
China -Africa High -Level Seminar on 
Intellectual Property System and 
Policies   Guangdong, Ch ina, 23 -29 July 
2017 The Seminar was jointly organised by SIPO and WIPO in collaboration with ARIPO. ARIPO 
coordinated the visit of Heads of IP Offices in ARIPO Member States. The visit aimed at  promoting 
the exchange and cooperation on Intellectual Proper ty between China and Africa. The seminar 
allowed participants to learn from China on IP system and policies.   
  
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- 5 - Activity  Location and date  Brief description  
 
3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RELATED PUBLICATIONS  
 
Publication of Guiding tools to assist 
Member States and other publications  ARIPO, Harare, 2017  In its overall aim to assist m ember States and the public at large in IP matters, ARIPO endeavors to 
publish guiding tools and avail other publications in IP field. In 2017, the following publications were 
registered3:   
- Guide to contracts, Music genre  
- Transl ated brochures on various ARIPO resources in Portuguese4  
- Comparative Study of Copyright Laws (Volume 2)  
- African Journal of Intellectual Property (jointly published twice a year by ARIPO and the 
Africa University)   
 
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3 ARIPO and WIPO are collaborating on the publication of Guidelines  that will assist Universities and Research and Development Institutions in Africa in formulating IP policy 
for effective use of the IP System. The  publication is expected early next year.  
4 Currently, ARIPO counts among its Member States two Portuguese -speaking Countries (Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe ). The initiative aims at reaching out a 
large part of the public in the awareness raising in these countries as well as other Portuguese -speaking audiences in other parts of the world.