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Press Release
The
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) underscored the
role of Intellectual Property (IP) rights as a cornerstone for intra-African
trade as it announced participation in the upcoming Intra-African Trade Fair
(IATF) 2025, scheduled for 4 to 10 September in Algiers, Algeria.
“IATF
2025 is about expanding Africa’s trade opportunities, and IP rights play a
critical role in this shared goal, which will positively impact the continent’s
sustainable socio-economic growth,” said Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, Director General
of ARIPO. “Strong IP systems such as ARIPO’s regional framework enable the
protection of innovation, which is a strategic fuel for trade growth.”
Being
Africa’s premier platform for commerce and collaboration, IATF provides an
ideal stage for ARIPO to spotlight the vital link between trade, innovation,
and IP rights, shaping how Africa positions itself in the global marketplace.
As
a regional body entrusted with harmonizing IP policies, ARIPO’s mandate ensures
that jurisdictional barriers in how IP rights operate do not hinder
cross-border trade. By registering and granting IP titles on behalf of its Member
States, ARIPO provides African and international businesses with a system that
enables innovation to move across borders as designated by its owners.
Regarding
ARIPO’s mandate, Mr. Bemanya Twebaze emphasized that “A harmonized IP system
underpins Africa’s vision of seamless intra-African trade. By protecting
innovations, trademarks, patents, and creative works, ARIPO ensures that
African businesses can confidently trade, scale their ideas, and compete on the
global stage.”
ARIPO’s
participation at IATF 2025 is part of its broader strategy of engaging audiences
through leading commerce platforms and marketplaces to raise awareness on the
importance of IP rights. It also equips businesses, from entrepreneurs to Micro,
Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and large corporates, with knowledge on
how to use their IP asset portfolios to attract investment and expand their
markets. This was also the regional body’s agenda at the Zimbabwe International
Trade Fair (ZITF), Southern Africa’s largest multi-sectoral exhibition held in
April 2025, the Kenya Innovation Week (KIW) held in Nairobi in November 2024, and
many other regional and international business and innovation-related platforms.
ARIPO
has been in existence for almost 50 years, serving at the heart of Africa’s
innovation and trade agenda. As the Golden Jubilee approaches in 2026, the
Organization continues to strengthen intra-African trade by protecting innovation
and creativity, enabling the commercialisation of ideas, and fostering
competitiveness through IP.
ARIPO’s
presence at IATF 2025 is a rallying call to businesses across the continent to
leverage IP not as an afterthought, but as a cornerstone of their trade
strategies. Attendees are encouraged to visit the ARIPO stand and engage
directly with its experts on how IP can drive growth and competitiveness, as
well as open new frontiers for African trade.