WIPO resolves to change copyright landscape in Africa

This highly resolved and committed statements were made at the Fourth Annual Copyright Symposium for ARIPO Member and Observer States on the theme “Shaping The Copyright and Related Rights Landscape In Africa”  held from  19-21 October 2022, In Harare, Zimbabwe.

The meeting provided opportunities and platform for delegates to meet face to face after a long spell by COVID 19 outbreak and have direct interactions, discussing and approving matters affecting effective and sustainable development of Copyright and Related Rights in member countries. The meeting was a follow up to the high level virtual conference held in October 2021, where the need to have an effective and sustainable implementation of the Nairobi Strategic Plan was discussed and finalised by WIPO, ARIPO and OAPI.

The delegates drawn from ARIPO English Speaking member and observer states, were prepared on updated information on progress made and challenges faced on the status of Copyright and Related Development in their countries

This year’s conference was preceded by two days training of statisticians from ARIPO member countries on collection and analysing data relating to economic contribution of creative industries to the gross domestic product (GDP) of member countries.

Objectives of this sub-regional meeting of Copyright and Related Rights champions were not limited to discussing critical Copyright and Related Right issues and exploring ways to address them, especially critical and important issues relating to Copyrights in the digital environment for the benefit of right holders, users and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ms Sherine Greiss, Senor Program Officer, Copyright and Creative Industries Sector at the World Intellectual Property Organisation, urged and inspired participants and stakeholders to do more and develop intellectual property (IP), especially Copyright and Related Rights in Africa, saying that, there is no shortage of creativity in Africa and that Africa is blessed with a very youthful population with a lot of potentials that needs to be tapped to develop the sector.

According to the WIPO Senior Program Officer, there is a need to raise awareness for intellectual property (IP) development in Africa and that African arts is vibrant citing the music, fashion, advertising, film and other industries as examples over the need to have the sector developed. She emphasised the need for Africa to look at intellectual property (IP) as a very important sector development of Africa, despite challenges faced by many countries in the continent.

Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, Director General (DG) African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), described the program as timely and very welcome as far as development of intellectual property (IP), especially Copyright and Related Rights in Africa is concerned. He cited continued support by WIPO to ARIPO and also cited Cape Verde as the latest African Country becoming an ARIPO member state.

Ms Sylvie Forbin, Deputy Director General (DDG) of World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), addressed participants on the second day of the meeting with inspirational words about the need to have an effective Copyright and Related Rights development in Africa and readiness of WIPO to support such programs on various scales, especially through Copyright Offices and Collective Management Organisations.

Ms Maureen Fondo, Head of Copyright Division at African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) chaired the sessions that generated energy among participants and their resolve to do more for effective development of Copyright and Related Rights in Africa, in line with theme of the program “Shaping Copyright and Related Rights Landscape in Africa”.