By Musa Saho
A Gambian delegation including the Registrar General, and the Director of National Arts and Culture attended the 46th Session of the Administrative Council of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in Maputo, Mozambique.
The session was graced by all the 22 Member States of ARIPO, including the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the African Intellectual Property Organisation, the European Patent Office, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the IP office of Singapore.
According to the Registrar General, Mr. Abdoulie Colley, the Administrative Council Session deliberated and took stock on the administrative matters of the ARIPO secretariat, regarding human capital, audit and finance, including the proposed budget and programme of activities for 2023.
He said The Gambia played a pivotal role in the ARIPO activities and presides over a number of ARIPO Technical Committee.
Mr Colley concluded by reiterating The Gambia Government’s determination to continue its dynamic partnership with ARIPO, strengthen intellectual property for economic and technological development in the African continent.
For his part, the Director General of the ARIPO, Mr. BemanyaTwebaze, expressed his office’s intention to ensuring that intellectual property addresses challenges not only from Member States but the continent at large and these include access to medicines, food security, employment creation and climate change.
“I am happy to note that ARIPO Member States are adopting or updating their legal and policy frameworks related to intellectual property,’’ DG concluded.
