The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) hosted Member and Observer States for a Workshop on the Accession to ARIPO Protocols in Balaclava, Mauritius, from 31st May to 2nd June 2023. Hosted in collaboration with Mauritius’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Industrial Property Office of Mauritius (IPOM), and Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI), the workshop aims to promote the accession to ARIPO IP Protocols by the ARIPO Member States.
Following the prevailing trends in the uptake of protocols and the year-on-year statistics for applications and registration of industrial and intellectual property, consultations with Member States revealed the need to expound on the benefits lying dormant within the ARIPO Protocols.
The three-day event was officially opened by Mauritius’ Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, Honourable Soomilduth Bholah. In his keynote address, the Honourable Minister indicated that Mauritius is in the process of considering accession to all the available ARIPO Protocols, citing that “…this Workshop comes at an opportune time to further engage with ARIPO and AfrIPI on the benefits to be derived from accession to these Protocols, especially in relation to our economic development.” Further efforts in the IP Industry by Mauritius were detailed by Mr. Ranjive Beergaunot - Acting Controller IPOM. Read more