Towards a more effective intellectual property system   Local delegates learn more on Harare protocol on patents and industrial designs |23 April 2022

The delegates in a souvenir photo (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

Through accession to the Harare Protocol and securing the membership of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation, Seychelles stands to benefit significantly financially through the patent registration system and also from the vast opportunities for technical assistance, capacity building and training.

Principal secretary for trade, Ronald Cafrine said this during the launch of a day-long workshop hosted by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (Aripo) aimed at putting in motion the post-accession process for the implementation of the organisation’s protocols.

Seychelles being a member of Aripo, the working session was to familiarise the delegates with the Harare Protocol, precisely on how to apply it as part of the country’s processing of intellectual property (IP) rights registration and administration.

It was also the opportunity to learn how the IP can contribute to the economic development of the country.

The workshop held at the Care House building in Victoria on Thursday gathered delegates from various governmental and private institutions directly involved in intellectual property.

Aripo is an intergovernmental organisation that grants and administers IP titles on behalf of its member states and provides IP information to its clientele in the form of search services, publications and awareness creation. 

Membership of the organisation is open to all member states of the African Union (AU) or of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Its present members – 21 in total – are Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, the Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe where the organisation’s  secretariat is based.

The Aripo delegation is made up of director general Bemanya Twebaze, John Kabare, Perpetua Sireu and Pierre Runiga.

It was in 2019 that the Cabinet of Ministers approved for Seychelles to become a member of Aripo through accession to the Harare Protocol with the aim of accessing the Harmonised System Convention which established the Harmonised System nomenclature for the classification of goods, allowing Seychelles to benefit from technical assistance and membership on the Harmonised System Committee.

The Harare Protocol empowered Aripo to grant patents and to register utility models and industrial designs and to administer such patents on behalf of contracting states in accordance with the provisions of the protocol.

Mr Cafrine noted that other than the area of capacity building where Seychelles will secure training for government officials, along with those from the private sector and the general public in the area of IP, its membership will also allow easier access to regional markets, for domestic business and entrepreneurs, and will also work as a platform for improving cooperation with fellow African countries in light of the various trade initiatives.

He added that the Aripo membership takes Seychelles one step closer towards strengthening IP protection.

Also present at the launch, Registrar General Wendy Pierre noted that the shared roles in regards to IP, trade – for policy matters – and the Office of the Registrar General – for registration and administration of IP rights –, the two entities should work closely together to reach their common goal which is to develop the IP sector and optimise the opportunities and benefits which IP can bring to the country.

She added that IP does remain a topic that needs to be constantly worked on to be demystified.

Addressing the delegates, Mr Twebaze urged the local authority to make use of the range of opportunities and interventions that will be prepared for Seychelles with the goal of increasing the rate of patenting, thus creating building blocks to the development of Aripo member states and the African region.

He explained that the range of interventions available to Seychelles include the Master’s programme where local staff can be sent to specialise in wider and deeper areas of IP, patent examination training, patent drafting, IP seminars among others.

Since January 1, 2022, applicants of the Aripo system are able to designate Seychelles in their patent and design applications, after President Wavel Ramkalawan signed the instrument of accession to the Harare Protocol on August 26, 2021.

The Harare Protocol on Patents, Utility Models and Industrial Designs governs the regional procedures and substantive requirements for the protection of IP rights amongst its member-states, within the Aripo framework.

Roland Duval