An Intellectual Property Asset Management Workshop for Liberian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is underway in Monrovia. The workshop, organized by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) under the theme "Fostering Creativity and Innovation for Economic Growth and Development in Africa, " aims to raise SMEs' awareness of IP and help them manage their IP effectively for business growth and competitiveness.
The Deputy Minister for Small Business Administration in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Honourable Benedict Dolo officially opened the workshop scheduled to run from the 3rd to the 5th of September 2024. In his speech, the Deputy Minister commended ARIPO and LIPO's efforts to promote IP awareness and acquisition of intellectual property rights for SMEs to grow their businesses and achieve a competitive edge. The Director General of LIPO, Honourable Garmai Koboi, expressed gratitude to ARIPO and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for supporting LIPO's IP awareness creation efforts and promoting innovation and creativity.
The Assistant Minister for Tourism in the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Attorney Dougha Norris, also graced the occasion and highlighted the importance of creating awareness of intellectual property rights and how such rights impact creators, innovators and the national economy through promoting a culture of innovation and creativity.
During the ceremony, ARIPO was represented by Dr. Byson C. Sabola, Capacity Building Officer, and Mr. John Omiti, Patent Examiner. Speaking on behalf of the ARIPO Director General, Dr. Sabola appreciated the Government of Liberia for collaborating with the ARIPO Secretariat in organizing the Workshop. He reiterated ARIPO’s commitment to undertake and support initiatives that enhance IP awareness and build the capacity of stakeholders, including SMEs, to identify, protect and commercialize their intellectual property.