WIPO Global Symposium of Intellectual Property Authorities - Developing Global Intellectual Property Infrastructure for Promoting Innovation and Branding Worldwide Geneva, Switzerland September 17 & 18, 2009 IP Office Automation in Africa IP Office Automation in AfricaBy G H Sibanda Director General [ARIPO]

PRESENTATION OUTLINE - Introduction - IP Office Automation - Automation in ARIPO - Automation Projects in ARIPO member states - Current Status - ARIPO’s involvement - Conclusion

INTRODUCTION Status Inter-Governmental Organization; Created by a Diplomatic Conference; Conference adopted - Lusaka Agreement; Purpose Purpose Pooling of resources together for promotion, development and harmonization of IP laws and policies.

INTRODUCTION Membership open to UNECA and AU Current Members - Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe Observer States include -Angola, Burundi, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles and South Africa

Geographical Distribution of Member States of ARIPO Botswana Kenya Mozambique Somalia The Gambia Lesotho Sierra Leone Swaziland Tanzania Ghana Zimbabwe Malawi Zambia Uganda Sudan Namibia West Africa Central & Southern Africa East Africa

IP Office Automation in Africa Automation provides Automation provides - timely and cost effective IP Administration -accurate, fast and timely dissemination of information, -limited human resource required - easily accessibility by third parties

AUTOMATION IN ARIPO The current System POLITe software was developed by the European Patent Office Functions Administration of IP; Generation of reports; Automatic generations of deadlines activities; Generation of the ARIPO journal. Commutation of fees for distribution to member states

Automation projects in ARIPO Memberstates Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS): - a comprehensive solution ideal for small to medium sized Industrial Property Offices. It is a collection of tried and proven, continually enhanced with new functionality and value added services based on feedback from the IPOs. - covers the lifespan of TMS, patents and ID processing, including application, formality checking, search and examination, generation of office and user documents and notifications, certificates, publication of gazettes / journals as well as post registration actions i.e. renewals, amendments and assignments etc - covers the lifespan of TMS, patents and ID processing, including application, formality checking, search and examination, generation of office and user documents and notifications, certificates, publication of gazettes / journals as well as post registration actions i.e. renewals, amendments and assignments etc - comprises a Madrid Module which allows for e-communication with the Madrid System over the Internet for automatic processing of electronic notifications into the national database. This tool is useful for countries which are members of the Madrid System.

Current Status IPAS Users : Country (date of 1 st IPAS deployment) IPAS moduleRemarks Botswana March 2004 Trademarks/Patents/Industr ial Designs/Madrid module Ethiopia January 2005 PatentsTrademarks deployment scheduled for end of 2009 Ghana June 2005 TrademarksPatents &Industrial Designs and Madrid module pending Kenya November 2003 Trademarks/Patents/Industr ial Designs and Madrid Module Pilot office for ARIPO/KIPI project for exchange of electronic data Lesotho September 2003 TrademarksProject on hold due to external factors which have impacted on the system use

Current Status continued IPAS USERS: Madagascar December 2008 TrademarksPatents/Industrial Design and Madrid module pending Malawi September 2005 TrademarksPatents deployment pending Mozambique October 2002 Trademarks/Patents/Madrid ModuleFurther capacity building mission planned. Namibia April 2003 TrademarksPatents & Madrid module pending Nigeria December 2007 TrademarksSystem use stagnating due to external factors impacting on the project Tanzania (BRELA) July 2004 Zanzibar January 2005 Trademarks/Patents Trademarks Further capacity building missions planned for both IPOs Uganda May 2009 TrademarksFollow-up training planned ZambiaTrademarks/PatentsMadrid module pending Zimbabwe September 2005 Trademarks Urgent need for new PCs

ARIPO’s Involvement AUTOMATION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT -Provide support to WIPO’s automation initiatives in ARIPO MS IPAS -Provide support to WIPO’s automation initiatives in ARIPO MS IPAS Project Project - Maintain the WIPO, WIPOCOS server (Copyright) and IPAS server ( industrial Property - Maintain the WIPO, WIPOCOS server (Copyright) and IPAS server ( industrial Property -WIPO-ARIPO Project for online linkages between ARIPO and its MS -WIPO-ARIPO Project for online linkages between ARIPO and its MS - Scanning Project of Patent documents at ARIPO and its MS in pursuance of PatentScope development plans. - Scanning Project of Patent documents at ARIPO and its MS in pursuance of PatentScope development plans. - Training of IT experts in MS in the management of IPAS and WIPOCOS - Training of IT experts in MS in the management of IPAS and WIPOCOS - WIPO Regional Consultant provides technical support and follow-up to the project in the IPOs, based in ARIPO - WIPO Regional Consultant provides technical support and follow-up to the project in the IPOs, based in ARIPO

Conclusion Automation has become indispensible in the development of IP It is pivotal in bridging the digital divide between developed and developing countries EPO-ARIPO Roving Seminars targeting SMEs It is pivotal in bridging the digital divide between developed and developing countries EPO-ARIPO Roving Seminars targeting SMEs

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