Call to protect intellectual property rights

ZIMBABWE will leverage on the relationship between strong economies and intellectual property (IP) laws to create a robust and sustained economic trajectory in line with the African Union blueprint for development and industrialisation, an official has said.

In a speech delivered on her behalf by director for provincial affairs in her office Mr Kennedy Mugarisanwa, Minister for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Cde Monica Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe was proud to be among the countries on the continent that were actively reformulating their laws and policies regarding IP to promote the implementation of IP regimes that best serve the public interest.

She was speaking at the Masters in Intellectual Property Day at Africa University in Mutare last week. Delegates from across the African continent, IP gurus, business executives, lawyers and academics attended the event.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the continent was basking in awe at the accomplishments the MIP programme has achieved through tireless dedication, resilience and faith to the vision of ensuring that Africa is enriched with highly skilled, qualified and capable professionals who safeguard its ideas, innovations and resources allowing the brilliant minds of its people to be celebrated and rightly recognised for their creations.

“IP professionals are the custodians of our future and I wish to extend on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe, my heartfelt thanks to you the partners - the government of Japan, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), African Region Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) and Africa University for your unfailing efforts in raising awareness and educating our nation and others in this important and critical discipline,” said Cde Mutsvangwa.

She said that the birth of the IP movement came after Africa adopted the World Intellectual Property Development Agenda in 2007, which took into account the importance of designer policies and support structures respecting the contextual situations of individual countries and stimulated a critical engagement with pertinent issues regarding implementation of IP law and rights in Africa.