SMEs take part in webinar on intellectual property |15 May 2021

Minister Vidot

A webinar on Intellectual Property was organised on the afternoons of Thursday and Friday this week to mark World Intellectual Property Day which is celebrated every year on April 26.

The event was organised by the Trade department, and the Registration Division in collaboration with the US embassy in Mauritius.

Some thirty participants, from government organisations and the private sector registered for the webinar, which is targeting small and medium business entrepreneurs.

The Minister for Finance, Economic Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan, officially opened the webinar, which was held under the theme ‘Intellectual Property Rights and SMEs: Learn About Why IP Matters for Your Business.’

He focused his address on the importance for the small and medium enterprises in Seychelles to spearhead the government’s vision to diversify the economy, especially at this juncture where the Covid-19 pandemic has proven that over-reliance on one economic sector is detrimental to the country.

“We have seen how the pandemic has accentuated the need for more innovations in the business environment, moving away from the traditional way of doing business and fuelling diversification.”

He said the government is creating the right environment to allow businesses to grow, not only on the local market but growing beyond our borders, thus it is important for local businesses to register and protect their innovations, creativity and ideas.

“I am convinced that through the development and continuous awareness on the importance and benefits available through Intellectual Property rights, we will surely empower more businesses to be more innovative for the betterment of their businesses and the country’s economic development.”

The Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Investment, Devika Vidot, participated in the second session of the webinar held on Friday May 14 (yesterday). Addressing the participants she stressed on the need for continuous education of Intellectual Property among small medium enterprises in Seychelles.

“While the benefits of IP adoption by SMEs locally are very clear, we remain cognizant to the fact that there are challenges that we still need to overcome, specifically in IP up-skilling, due processes and its usage,” said Minister Vidot.

She highlighted the importance of government working collaboratively with the private sector to promote IP integration and adoption locally within businesses.

The department of Trade is responsible to produce policy on Intellectual Property while registrations are done at the Office of Registration, Independence House.

Press release from the department of Finance