( ) Page: 1/5 TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

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1 3 October 2017 ( ) Page: 1/5 Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Original: English TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AFRICAN REGIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (ARIPO) Addendum At its meeting of 13 June 2017, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental organization observers to the Council to update the information on their technical and financial cooperation programmes relating to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. The present document reproduces the information which has been received from the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) by means of a communication dated 22 September This document presents a report on main cooperation programmes and activities undertaken by ARIPO from 1 January to 20 September 2017, which are relevant to the TRIPS Agreement and other IP components, following the invitation of the Chairman of the WTO Council for TRIPS of 4 July 2017 to provide updated information on such activities. 2. Pursuant to its mandate enshrined in its constitutive text (the Lusaka Agreement of 9 December 1976), ARIPO organizes activities and programmes either solely or in conjunction with its partners such as WIPO and others. These programmes and activities are mainly aimed at assisting ARIPO's member States and Africa as a whole in intellectual property matters. For the awareness on IP matters component, ARIPO continued roving seminars in member States, but this year's flagship was the engagement of the main generators of Intellectual Property rights, i.e. the Universities and Research Institutions. A number of seminars were conducted in some Universities with the objective of raising IP awareness in the universities, colleges and research institutions, so that they can utilize the intellectual property system nationally and regionally for accruing economic benefit to the institutions, individual rights holders and the country at large. 3. The following matrix provides details on technical and financial cooperation activities relevant to the TRIPS Agreement and other IP components undertaken by ARIPO, and they cover training initiatives and awareness activities; assistance to National Intellectual Property Offices in ARIPO member States as well as potential member States; and IP related publications.

2 - 2 - ANNEX 1 1. TRAINING INITIATIVES AND IP AWARENESS ACTIVITIES (including organization of workshops, symposiums and conferences) Regional Seminar on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, February 2017 The Seminar was organised by WIPO in collaboration with ARIPO. The main objective of the Seminar was to train trainers of the PCT in ARIPO member States and observer States on the use of the PCT system due to the low number of users from African countries. Participants came from 16 Countries. The Seminar covered a number of topics including: the Introduction to the Patent System and Challenges Facing Developing Countries; Overview of the ARIPO Regional system; Filing an International Application; International Search and International Preliminary Examination; Filing and Processing Patent Applications under the Harare Protocol including statistics; the use of the patent system and the PCT in promoting Research and Development and Stimulating transfer of Technology. Treaty (PCT) in The Gambia Banjul, The Gambia, July 2017 The seminar was organized by WIPO in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia and ARIPO. The objective of the seminar was to raise the awareness among the PCT users, (patent agents, academia, IP officials and inventors/innovators) on the benefits of using the PCT system for the protection of their inventions, and to provide information on the registration procedures and patent protection through the system. The seminar also aimed at providing information on ARIPO and the procedures of its regional system for protection of patents and utility models, and information on industrial property in general. Treaty (PCT) in Mozambique Treaty (PCT) in Malawi Treaty (PCT) in Ethiopia Patent Drafting Course for Patent Agents Maputo, Mozambique, March 2017 Blantyre, Malawi, July Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1 7 August, 2017 ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 4 8 September 2017 The Seminar was organized by WIPO in cooperation with the Industrial Property Institute (IPI) of Mozambique. ARIPO provided a resource person who presented the procedures of ARIPO regional system for protection of patents and utility models. The Seminar was organized by WIPO in collaboration with the Department of the Registrar General in the Ministry of Justice. The Seminar was attended by patent agents, government officials and researchers. The Seminar was organized by WIPO in collaboration with the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office. It was attended by patent agents, government officials and researchers. The training course was organized by WIPO in cooperation with ARIPO and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) for the benefit of Patent Agents from ARIPO member States and observer States. 1 In English only.

3 - 3 - Sub-regional workshop on Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, September 2017 The workshop was organized by WIPO in cooperation with ARIPO and with the assistance of the Japan Patent Office (JPO). The Seminar focus was on National Phase Examination and Utilizing Work Products from Other National Phases. 14 participants from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Uganda attended the workshop. Regional Workshop on Strategic Plan for Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, June 2017 The Workshop was organised jointly by ARIPO and the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and aimed at equipping CEOs of CMOs on how to prepare strategic plan for a better management of the their offices. Symposium on Copyright and Related Rights ARIPO Headquarters, Harare, 5 7 July 2017 The Symposium was jointly organised by ARIPO and WIPO on the theme: Shaping the Copyright and Related Rights System in Africa. The symposium brought together copyright offices, collective management organisations from ARIPO Member States and entrepreneurs. Participants discussed pertinent issues on copyright and related rights and ARIPO's role on shaping the copyright and related rights system in Africa. The finalization of the Copyright Agenda for Africa is among the main outcomes of the Symposium. Capacity Building conducted by the ARIPO Academy: Offering sponsorship to students to undertake the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP programme) Roving Seminars in ARIPO Member States Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe Lilongwe & Blantyre, Malawi, March 2017 Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania, July 2017 Dar Es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, July 2017 The MIP programme is jointly organized by ARIPO, WIPO, the Japan Patent Office and Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The programme was initiated to develop a critical mass of Intellectual Property experts for the development of the Intellectual Property system in Africa. The 9 th cohort graduated in June Another intake (10 th cohort) is expected to graduate early next year. So far, the programme has graduated 250 students from the 1 st to the 9 th cohort from ARIPO member States and other countries in Africa. The Roving Seminars in member States were initiated in 2014 and it is expected that all member States will be covered by the end of this year (2017) 2. A number of topics were covered during the Seminars but the member States were given room to choose the field of IP they wanted focus to be put on. During the Seminars, ARIPO experts also trained the staff of the national IP Offices on ARIPO procedures as well as other technical matters especially patent drafting. The Seminars also offered to ARIPO an opportunity to conduct awareness campaign in member States targeting various stakeholders. Roving Seminars in Universities & Research Institutions in ARIPO Member States Sierra Leone, Njala University Campus, Sierra Leone, June 2017 Lusaka, July 2017 University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni Campus, Swaziland, August 2017 The Seminar was organised by ARIPO in cooperation with the University of Sierra Leone. More than 100 participants from different academic institutions attended the Seminar. ARIPO organised the Seminar in partnership with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) of Zambia, with the cooperation of the University of Zambia. 75 participants from 18 institutions attended the Seminar. The Seminar was organised by ARIPO in cooperation with the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) Over 120 participants attended the seminar; they were from the Government, Industry and academia. 2 Only two ARIPO member States are yet to be covered: the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of Zimbabwe

4 - 4 - Intellectual Property Awareness Workshop at the Africa University Intellectual Property Rights Workshop at the Kwekwe Polytechnic, Zimbabwe Mutare, Zimbabwe, 4 April 2017 Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, 6 April 2017 The objective of the workshop was to help the Africa University in their initiatives aiming particularly at adopting an Intellectual Property Policy of the University. The workshop targeted students from selected departments as well as lectures and other members of the staff. The IP awareness workshop was jointly conducted by ARIPO and the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office (ZIPO). The objective of the seminar was to bring about awareness on the importance of IP protection and the roles of ARIPO and ZIPO in facilitating IP protection. 2. ASSISTANCE TO NATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICES IN ARIPO MEMBER STATES AND POTENTIAL MEMBER STATES Training of officials of the Ethiopian Patent Office (EIPO) Addis Ababa, 30 January 03 February 2017 The training workshop targeted newly recruited officials of EIPO on Intellectual Property matters. 28 staff members of the Office were trained by ARIPO experts. Ethiopia is not party to a number of International and/or regional IP Treaties. The workshop was an eye opener, and commitment was expressed to join international IP treaties. Seminar on The Middle Path of the National Plan of Development of Intellectual Property of São Tomé and Príncipe National Seminar on the Protection of GIs in Mozambique São Tomé and Príncipe, April 2017 Maputo, 8 9 May 2017 The seminar was organized by the National IP Office of São Tomé and Príncipe (SENAPI) to assess the level of implementation of the National Plan for the development of IP ARIPO was invited to take part to the Seminar and give presentations related to the contribution of ARIPO in the development of IP in São Tomé and Príncipe. The Seminar was organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with the Industrial Property Institute of Mozambique (IPI). ARIPO was represented at the workshop and its representative shared the activities of ARIPO on Geographical Indications. Meeting on the establishment of a Collective Management Organisation (CMO) in Lesotho Maseru, Lesotho, 9 10, 2017 The objective of the meeting was to explore ways of assisting Lesotho in its initiative to establish an operational Collective Management Organisation in the Kingdom of Lesotho for the benefit of all genres in the creative industries to ensure the balance between the users who are to be licensed and the right holders to get royalties while at the same time the rights are protected. China-Africa High-Level Seminar on Intellectual Property System and Policies Guangdong, China, July 2017 The Seminar was jointly organised by SIPO and WIPO in collaboration with ARIPO. ARIPO coordinated the visit of Heads of IP Offices in ARIPO Member States. The visit aimed at promoting the exchange and cooperation on Intellectual Property between China and Africa. The seminar allowed participants to learn from China on IP system and policies.

5 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RELATED PUBLICATIONS Publication of Guiding tools to assist Member States and other publications ARIPO, Harare, 2017 In its overall aim to assist member States and the public at large in IP matters, ARIPO endeavors to publish guiding tools and avail other publications in IP field. In 2017, the following publications were registered 3 : - Guide to contracts, Music genre - Translated brochures on various ARIPO resources in Portuguese 4 - Comparative Study of Copyright Laws (Volume 2) - African Journal of Intellectual Property (jointly published twice a year by ARIPO and the Africa University) 3 ARIPO and WIPO are collaborating on the publication of Guidelines that will assist Universities and Research and Development Institutions in Africa in formulating IP policy for effective use of the IP System. The publication is expected early next year. 4 Currently, ARIPO counts among its Member States two Portuguese-speaking Countries (Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe). The initiative aims at reaching out a large part of the public in the awareness raising in these countries as well as other Portuguese-speaking audiences in other parts of the world.