African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)

(http://www.aripo.wipo.net)

The History of ARIPO

• Created in Lusaka, Zambia, on December 9, 1979 (Lusaka Agreement)
• Headquarters:  Harare, Zimbabwe
• Member States are: Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Organs of ARIPO

• Council of Ministers
• Administrative Council
• Board of Appeal
• Finance Committee
• Secretariat

The Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs (Harare Protocol)

• Entered into force on April 25, 1984
• 15 States are party to the Harare Protocol (all ARIPO members States except Somalia)
• The Protocol empowers the ARIPO Office to grant patents, register industrial designs, marks and utility models
• Single application
• Substantive examination by ARIPO
• Fees shared between ARIPO and the designated States

The Protocol on Marks (Banjul Protocol)

• Entered into force on March 16, 1997
• The protocol empowers ARIPO to register and administer marks on behalf of the contracting States
• Contracting States are: Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe

Program of Activities / Tasks of ARIPO

• Substantive examination of patent applications
• Granting of patents and registering of industrial designs
• Administration of the granted patents and registered industrial designs
• Providing documentation and information for:
• • small enterprises
  • governments
  • research institutions
  • local inventors
• Advising and assisting member States
• Training the staff of the intellectual property offices of member States
• Organizing awareness campaigns