The Ministry of Justice and Attorney general's Department in Ghana, in collaboration with ARIPO and the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI), hosted a 3-day workshop to promote intellectually property rights and innovation in ARIPO member states. AfrIPI is an international cooperation project funded and directed by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The workshop, which took place in Ghana from 3 -5 October, sought to raise awareness regarding the significance of intellectual property, in particular in relation to the manner in which intellectual property promotes technological advancement and sustainable development, and drives human progress.
The program covered several topics, including an overview of ARIPO and AfrIPI, intellectual property rights principles and concepts, the role of IP Offices in promoting innovation, the use of intellectual property rights for business growth and competitiveness by MSMEs in Africa.
The workshop brought together participants from different ARIPO Member States, universities, technical institutions, MSMEs, and representatives from the Registrar-General's Department in Ghana.
The attendees highlighted that intellectual property rights were becoming increasingly more important to all economies worldwide, and this was evidenced by the increase in IP applications filed over the last 5 years worldwide.
Following the workshop, the Chief State Attorney of the Registrar -General Department of Ghana, indicated that her office would continue to collaborate with ARIPO, donor partners and stakeholders, to promote awareness and encourage the use of intellectual property to drive innovation and creativity.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
