Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana is an African country bordering Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The geographical position of Botswana is both an advantage due to its strategic location for commercial purposes and a disadvantage, considering the enormous opportunities for the smuggling of counterfeiting products and services.
In Botswana, Industrial Property rights are protected through the Industrial Property Act (2010) and the rights covered under this act include trademarks, patents, utility models, industrial designs, geographical indications, traditional knowledge, and integrated circuits.
The Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA), formerly the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property (ROCIP), is the entity responsible for the grant of such rights and was established by an act of parliament in 2011 (Companies and Intellectual Property Authority Act, (Cap. 42:13) to promote and enable the full protection of the rights of investors and right holders obtained under the Companies Act, Registration of Business Names Act, Industrial Property Act and Copyright and Neighboring Rights Act. CIPA is now a parastatal body under the parent Ministry of Trade and Industry. Read more