13th Session of Council of Ministers of ARIPO opens in Accra

Accra, Dec. 2, GNA - Dr Christine Amoako-Nuamah, Presidential Advisor in-charge of Policy Co-ordinating Unit, on Thursday expressed Ghana’s commitment towards the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) in the country and the continent as a whole.

She indicated that as a founding member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), Ghana shared in the objectives that the ability inherent in persons to generate ideas, innovate and create artifacts must be nurtured to improve their lives, build a prosperous and just society in order to eradicate poverty from the continent.

Dr Amoako-Nuamah made the pledge when addressing the opening session of the 13th Session of Council of Ministers of ARIPO in Accra.

The two-day Session on the theme: “Harnessing Intellectual Property for Development of Africa,” is organised bi-annually to provide suitable platform for members to share their experiences, discuss the progress and challenges of IP on the continent and strategise on how to improve upon these challenges. This year’s Session was however organised concurrently with the 35th ARIPO Session of the Administrative Council.

Dr Amoako-Nuamah said the Government recognising the importance of effective protection of intellectual property rights for economic growth had set up a National Intellectual Property Policy Committee, to draft a national IP policy which would set out the government’s vision in IP for the next decade. She said government had initiated reforms aimed at strengthening the infrastructure for the promotion of an effective intellectual property system through the modernisation of IP offices countrywide.

“Additionally, all Intellectual Property laws, which are Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) complaints have been reviewed to ensure that they fully reflect all the flexibilities under TRIPS Agreements,” she said. Dr Amoako-Nuamah said the bills containing the amendments are ready to be placed before Parliament.

She stressed on the importance of a balanced domestic IP systems, which would allow for more opportunities for national development.

She observed that a well branded trade mark play a key role in attracting Foreign Direct Investment in trade on the international market. Dr Amoako-Nuamah touched on other burning issues such as the Ratification of the Swakopmund Protocol on Traditional knowledge and expressions of folklore, the Regional Framework for Plant Variety Protection as well as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for networking and connectivity of Member States.

She indicated that while IP is recognised to provide development, it must be tailored to the needs of the people to safeguard their knowledge and eradicate poverty among local communities.

Dr Francis Gurry, Director-General, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) called for the need to search for new solutions to IP problems and challenges on the continent.

He noted that the component of knowledge is currently becoming more important and demanding to economies, but stressed that the challenges however are how to make IP balance to the development.

Dr Gurry said currently IP had become the basis for great competition especially in the field of ICT to properly brand products to enhance image and reputation of products from Africa on the global market. He pleaded for solid international co-operation among member states to enhance IP systems on the continent.

Mr Gift Sibanda, Director General of ARIPO, acknowledged the high level of collaboration between WIPO and ARIPO and thanked the Government for accepting to host both sessions of the meetings.