IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
3 octobre  2017 
(17-5277) Page: 1/5 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce  Original:  anglais  
 
  
ACTIVITÉS DE COOPÉRATION TECHNIQUE : RENSEIGNEMENTS  COMMUNIQUÉS  
PAR D'AUTRES ORGANISATIONS  INTERGOUVERNEMENTALES  
ORGANISATION RÉGI ONALE AFRICAINE DE LA  
PROPRIÉTÉ  INDUSTRIELLE (ARIPO)  
Addendum  
À sa réunion du 13  juin 2017, le Conseil des ADPIC est convenu d'inviter les organisations 
intergouvernementales ayant le statut d'observateur au Conseil à actualiser les renseignements 
concernant leurs programmes de coopération technique et financière en rapport avec la mise en 
œuvre de l'Accord sur les ADPIC.  
 
Le présent document reprend les renseignements que l'Organisation régionale africaine de la 
propriété in tellectuel le (ARIPO) a fournis dans une communication datée du 22 septembre  2017. 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.  Ce document rend c ompte  des principaux programmes et activités de coopération organisés par 
l'ARIPO du 1er janvier au 2 0 septembre  2017 qui ont un lien ave c l'Accord sur les ADPIC  et d'autres 
composantes de la propriété intellectuelle , suite à l'invitation  du Président du C onseil des ADPIC de 
l'OMC du 4 juillet  2017 à fournir des renseignements actualisés sur ces activités.  
2.  Conformément au mandat inscrit dans son acte constitutif (Accord de Lusaka  du 
9 décembre  1976), l'ARIPO organise des activités et des programmes seule ou  en collaboration 
avec ses partenaires,  comme l'OMPI ou d'autres,  dans le but premier  d'assister ses États membres 
et l'Afrique dans son ensemble pour tout ce qui concerne  la propriété intellectuelle . S'agissant de 
la sensibilisation aux questions relative s à la propriété intellectuelle, l'ARIPO a continué à organiser 
des séminaires itinérants  dans les États membres , mais cette année a été marquée par la 
participation des principaux organismes créateurs  de droits de propriété intellectuelle, à savoir les 
universités et les instituts de recherche . Un certain nombre de séminaires ont eu lieu dans 
certaines universités en vue d'améliorer la sensibilisation à la propriété intellectuelle au sein des 
universit és et instituts de recherche afin qu'ils puissent tirer profit du  système de la propriété 
intellectuelle à l'échelon national et régional  pour que les instituts, les titulaires de droits et le pays 
en général bénéficient des retombées économiques.  
3.  Le table au ci-après contient des détails sur les activités de coopération technique et financière  
organisées par l'ARIPO  en lien avec l'Accord sur les ADPIC et d'autres composantes de la propriété 
intellectuelle . Sont couvertes  des initiatives de formation  et des activités de sensibilisation , 
l'assistance aux offices nationaux de la propriété intellectuelle  au sein des États membres de 
l'ARIPO ainsi que des États membres potentiels , et des publications en lien avec la propriété 
intellectuelle.  
_______________   
  IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
 
- 2 - ANNEX E1 
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 train trainers of the PCT in ARIPO member States and 
observer States on the use of the PCT system due to the low number of users from African 
countri es. 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; Intern ational Search and International Preliminary Examination;  Filing and 
Processing Patent 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 rais e the awareness among the PCT users, (patent agents, 
academia, IP officials and inventors/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 
prote ction through the system. The seminar also aimed at providing information on ARIPO 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 was 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, government 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 observer States.  
 
                                                
1 En anglais seulement .  
  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, Ken ya, Mozambique, 
Nigeria and Uganda attended the workshop.  
 
Regional Workshop on Strategic 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 entr epreneurs.  
Participants discussed pertinent issues on copyright and related rights 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 initiated to develop a critical mass of Intellectual Property experts for the 
development of the Intellectual Property system in Afr ica.  
The 9th cohort graduated in June 2017. Another intake (10th cohort) is expected to graduate early 
next year. So far, the programme 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 Salaam, United Republic of 
Tanzania, 20 –21 July 2017  
 The Roving Seminars in member States were initiated i n 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, Njala University 
Campus, Sierra Leone,  
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 member 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 University. 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 NATIONAL 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 Lesotho  
 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 Or ganisation 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, China, 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 Memb er States. The visit aimed at  promoting 
the exchange and cooperation on Intellectual Property between China and Africa. The seminar 
allowed participants to learn from China on IP system and policies.   
  
  IP/C/W/633/Add.4  
 
- 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 member States and the public at large in IP matters, ARIPO endeavors to 
publish guiding tools and avail other publications in IP fi eld. In 2017, the following publications were 
registered3:   
- Guide to contracts, Music genre  
- Translated brochures on various ARIPO resources in Portuguese4  
- Comparative Study of Copyright Laws (Volume 2)  
- African Journal of Intellectual Property (jointly pu blished twice a year by ARIPO and the 
Africa University)   
 
__________  
 
                                                
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 expec ted 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 w ell as other Portuguese -speaking audiences in other parts of the world.