“Develop Policies And Adopt Laws That Are IP Friendly” —Minister Tarpeh Urges ARIPO Participants

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOC) Minister, Wilson Tarpeh, has urged the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) member states’ participants to develop policies and laws that are Intellectual Property (IP) friendly- stating that Africa needs a good IP regime to maximize its youthful potential.Minister Tarpeh said that Africa is the leading continent in creativity, as such, it is important that they as political actors need to formulate policies that will provide the legal space for IP instruments to get commercial recognition.
He added that no creator in Africa must be requested to provide collateral of tangible assets before acquiring loan at his or her own African Banks, adding that IP is perhaps the only economic and financial issue that is not affected by the price of international trade or global market.
The Commerce Minister was speaking yesterday when he served as guest of honor at the forty-third session of the Administrative Council of ARIPO aimed at “shipping the IP landscape in Africa” at the Farmington Hotel in Charlesville, Margibi County.
Among other things, Minister Tarpeh noted that “it is hard to think of a global issue today that does not have a significant intellectual property dimension, considering public health, innovation and access to medicines as well as climate change and the development of green technologies.”
He further warned ARIPO member states to create the incentive for young boys and girls to stop the willing migration to slavery back to where their parents fought for freedom,.
“We must act in the interest of IP now and provide the needed local resource mobilization,” Min. Tarpeh stressed.
The Commerce boss then lauded the ARIPO Director General and Chairman for choosing Liberia as the host for the 43rd session, indicating that they as government is proud to play their rightful part as one of the oldest African countries that has helped in the building of the civil African society by the formation of the regional and international institutions.
Earlier, Fernando Dos Santos, Director General of ARIPO, disclosed that during the 42nd session of the council, he reported on an achievement that was recorded in the diplomatic arena, ranging from the tripartite agreement between WIPO, ARIPO and the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) that was signed in the margins of the 58th series of meetings of the WIPO Assemblies in October 2018, also known as then WAO Agreement.For his part, ARIPO’s Administrative Council Chairman, Chikumbutso Namelo noted that during the tenure 2018-2019, he witnessed an important development in the collaboration of ARIPO and some of its partners, namely the signing of the tripartite agreement between WIPO, ARIPO and their sister organization, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI).
He further stated that during the biennium 2018-2019, ARIPO made tremendous development in the implementation of the mandate on copyright in particular the advocacy, strengthening the administration of copyrights offices, Collective Management Organizations and Enforcement Agencies.
Chairman Namelo then lauded members of the ARIPO Administrative Council for the support and trust imposed in him as chair of the Administrative Council of their Organization.