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BACKGROUND
You have approved the memo for the organization of the African Ministerial Conference 2015: Intellectual Property (IP) for An Emerging Africa (copy attached) to be held in Dakar, from November 3 to 5, 2015. This meeting will bring together high level policy makers, including Ministers responsible for trade and industry, science and technology, agriculture, creative industry and communications from across the continent; senior government officials, as well as public and private sector businesses and inventors; intergovernmental organizations, regional economic and IP institutions and opinion leaders (from within and outside Africa), to highlight the relevance of IP as an engine for promoting innovation, scientific and technological transformation of African economies.
Currently the African Population is estimated to be more than a billion people where over
60 % are young men and women under the age of 35, and the majority of those are faced with the challenge of unemployment, underemployment, lack of skills, relevant education, access to capital etc. Yet despite these challenges, the youth in Africa have a great potential, dynamism, and resourcefulness which calls for investing in youth empowerment and development.
With this in mind, WIPO is seeking to organize a one-day workshop prior to the Ministerial Conference, targeting young African creators, innovators and inventors, entrepreneurs with the objective of providing them with a platform to listen and learn from international/regional experts about the IP system, on how to use it to protect, develop and commercialize their innovations; to encourage and stimulate further creativity and innovation and to enable them to exchange views and experiences and encourage the SMEs to use it to enhance their business competitivity.
Following consultations with officials from Africa Innovation Fund (AIF), and Demo Africa, they have accepted to participate and share their experiences in promoti |