Mauritius is the 20th country to join the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation ("ARIPO"). On 25 September 2020, Mauritius acceded to the Lusaka Agreement, which is an important step in the country's goal to harmonise and facilitate the protection of intellectual property in the African region.
The current member states of ARIPO are
- Botswana
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sudan
- eSwatini
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Mauritius has yet to sign any of the protocols, including the Harare Protocol for Patents, Utility Models and Designs, the Banjul Protocol for Marks, the Swakopmund Protocol for Indigenous Biological Resources and Traditional Knowledge and the Arusha Protocol for Plant Breeders' Rights.
In order to implement these treaties, Mauritius will need to amend its existing legislation adopted in 2019.
The Government of Mauritius places a strong emphasis on the importance of fostering creativity and innovation for economic growth and development in the country.
Reviewed by Ilse du Plessis, an Executive in ENSafrica's IP department.
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