Thursday 28 February 2013

Afro Ng'ombe

Ethiopia Enacts Implementing Regulations for Trademark Law

 

The current Ethiopian Trademark Law was enacted in 2006.  As is all too common in many countries, it took some time to get the actual implementing regulations into shape.  Now, seven years later, Ethiopia has the tools to enforce its trademark law, at least the legal tools. [Little Leo says perhaps a very adventurous student could use the nice side-by-side Amharic/English trademark law and regulations to learn Amharic.]

Describe by some as an “orthodox regime,” the Ethiopian trademark law covers standard marks – no smells or sounds – for a period of seven years with the option to renew as often as desired.  It’s important to note that if you need to deal with the Trademark Office, everything needs to be done in writing or it won’t count.  ( Regulations, Section 3.)  Applicants have 90 days to make corrections and submit missing pieces of an application before the application is approved for review.  (Section 14.) And, if the application is reviewed and there’s an office action requiring further attention, the applicant again has 90 days to respond.  (Section 19.)  Opposition to published marks must be submitted within 60 days of publication of the notice.  (Section 27.)  The Office is supposed to reply to the opposition within 30 days.  (Section 29.)  

International Considerations

Registration filings can be completed by the mark’s would-be owner or by an agent. But, any agent must be registered as a trademark agent, which requires meeting specific criteria laid out in the second part of Section 51, including residing in Ethiopia.

Previous filings in a Paris Convention member-country can be beneficial for Ethiopian filings. (Section 13.)  Ethiopia is not a member of the Madrid System, AIRPO or OAPI.

Further Information

NJQ & Associates has a nice outline of the key points in the new law in their February newsletter.  And the Ethiopian Law Blog outlines the kinds of marks that are admissible under the current law.  Spoor & Fisher has identified a few areas of the law and implementing regulations that may need further clarification.

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Darren Olivier

Africa IP Forum 2013 - Reflections - David Cochrane


David
This is a first of a series of guest posts on the Africa IP Forum. This one is from the pen of experienced patent attorney, David Cochrane of Spoor & Fisher

"The Forum was very well organised and the speakers were excellent.  As a practitioner I gained valuable insight into the difficulties facing the African continent when it comes to IP related issues, and also possible solutions.

As the meeting started, there was a demonstration by members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).  Initially I felt that it was not correct to interrupt a meeting of this nature, but when I saw people taking part in the demonstration who were clearly suffering and also the importance of their message, I understood it. Mrs Zodwa Ntuli (the Deputy Director General for corporate & consumer regulation at the DTI) was very gracious and allowed a speaker from the TAC to take the microphone. The TAC called on the Minister of Trade and Industry (Dr Rob Davies) to publish the long-awaited IP policy, and called for South Africa to amend its patent laws to change from a depository system to an examination system, to allow for pre and post grant opposition of patents, and to provide administrative procedures for compulsory licensing. The TAC’s stance is that it is important that the rights of the patent holder be balanced with the right to health, and I am sure that no-one can argue with this.  These issues were dealt with in detail at the Forum and I hope that this aim can be achieved.

Dr Davies gave a very interesting talk on where South Africa is heading on the IP Front.  Dr Davies said that the South African Government is looking to adaptation and continuous development (not necessarily ground breaking developments), to improve the industrial development in South Africa.  Dr Davies said that the Government respects IP protection and seeks to strike a balance between IP protection and public policy, especially public health.  South Africa is signatory to International Agreements such as the TRIPS Agreement and the Government will be looking to the flexibilities which are available in the TRIPS Agreement to strike this balance.  Dr Davies also mentioned the stark distinction between generic medicines and counterfeit goods, and that the Government will do everything possible against the scourge of counterfeiting.  Dr Davies also mentioned that (in my view unfortunately) the Government is still looking to amend the IP laws to protect traditional knowledge instead of setting up a sui generis system for protection (as has been suggested by leading IP attorneys in South Africa). 

I attended a session on the benefits of a substantive examination of patents versus the depository system (currently used by South Africa).  Excellent presentations by Mr Kiige from ARIPO, a legal representative from the Kenyan Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) who discussed the patent examinations which are conducted by these bodies; and by Ms Lena Menhengany from Medicines Sans Frontiers who discussed the situation in India and the need for strong and effective patent examination.  Mr Danie Dohmen From Adams & Adams gave a very good talk on the depository system which has been used successfully in South Africa for so many years. The overall feeling from the discussion is that an examination system is better.  The main issue with an examination system however is that it must be implemented properly.  South Africa will need to find science graduates and train them to be effective examiners.  At the meeting it was mentioned that Kenya currently has only 11 patent examiners, and ARIPO even fewer.  South Africa has a shortage of science graduates and I think that finding and training patent examiners will be the greatest challenge to implementing an examination system in South Africa.  On the positive side, if the Government provides enough support and is able to increase the number of science graduates, an examining patent office could provide employment for these graduates and develop these skills in South Africa."
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Darren Olivier

Africa IP Forum 2013 - Reflections


Last evening was the end of what we hope to be the inaugural Africa IP Forum
Attendance was expected to be around 500 with as many signing up, including observers from Europe, the US and elsewhere  Although just over 50% actually attended during the course of the two days, the sessions were mostly full and the discussions engaging, thought provoking, at times heated and, in some cases, quite disturbing.

The overriding emotion was one of frustration. From the outset, despite the agenda focusing very much on developmental issues, there was picketing and security had to be called. The Forum was not tense but we heard very frustrated voices from some who have tried to invoke change for many years.

Afro-IP's coverage of the event will take place through volunteers who have kindly agreed or offered to do guest posts with their thoughts and observations. David Cochrane (Spoor & Fisher) opens this derivative work, so to speak, and his notes are published in the next post, to be followed by others.

For this Afro Leo, he left feeling somewhat bemused. Africans tend to be misunderstood and underestimated (sometimes by themselves) in terms of their perception and understanding of IP's affect on daily lives in developing countries. The value of IP also tends to be misunderstood and underestimated in terms of what it can do to help Africa and Africans, if properly utilised. There is an inherent danger of simply playing victim to achieve exceptions and limitations to IP laws or creating new ones for developmental reasons because we Africans are also proprietary and even opportunistic by nature. Yet, undoubtedly there are valid reasons why the laws need to be customised to achieve developmental objectives and sometimes the failure of IP to work to our advantage is because we tend to be disorganised and slow to implement good policies and objectives that come out of Forums such as this. Hopefully, this may now start to change.

For next time, Afro Leo would like to see better communication about the Forum (two weeks notice is not sufficient), more transparency about attendees (invoking proprietary rights over the attendee list seemed quite ironic), some sensitivity to IP by the organisers (distributing local mints packaged in the Italian flag and product "made in China" bearing DTI branding did not seem appropriate) and seeking balanced input and discussion from local industry would have been welcome. But overall, he is just chuffed it happened at all and was impressed with the turnout.
  
Those who want to share their views are encouraged to do so, either through the comments section or by submitting a post here. What did you think?
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Monday 25 February 2013

IPcommentator

A review of African official IP websites: no. 33: Mauritius


This island nation is not fazed by its beautiful tropical beaches or rich biodiversity; it also sees a credible case to maintain some information online for those looking for all things intellectual property (IP) in Mauritius. Though we are yet to see a dedicated website for its IP office, there is something to say 'cheers' to. This Leo is also pleased to learn that the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry offer IP advice to its members.

With a population of just over a million, Mauritius may not be doing that bad after all when compared to Mauritania.
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Afro Leo has spotted the things that you could do whilst in Mauritius, see here
Harney Westwood & Riegels (the law firm) expands into Mauritius, see here
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Friday 22 February 2013

Darren Olivier

TUKS Prestige Lecture Program: Louis Harms

The tragedy that is the Blade and The Beautiful is not the only news happening in Pretoria, South Africa at the moment.

We have heard from Dario Tanziani that former Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Louis Harms, an extraordinary professor in the Department of Private Law and the incumbent of the Adams and Adams chair in Intellectual Property at the University of Pretoria (TUKS), is taking part in their Prestige Lecture Program next month.

The TUKS invitation reads:

Prestige lecture Presentation by Judge LTC Harms, Adams and Adams Professor in Intellectual Property Law:

‘Plain packaging and its impact on trademark law’

The Faculty of Law of the University of Pretoria cordially invites you to the abovementioned presentation.
Date Wednesday 13 March 2013 Time 18:30 for 19:00
Venue Senate Chamber, University of Pretoria
RSVP By 1 March 2013, +27 12 362 5184 (f), rsvp.law@up.ac.za
Enquiries Mornay Hassen +27 12 420 4126

Amongst the considerable accolades for the former Judge is his most recent election as an Honorary Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple.
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Tuesday 19 February 2013

Darren Olivier

Are you an in-house IP attorney in Africa?


Legal Counsel Roundtable (LCR) Africa are hosting the first ever in-house counsel programme for African lawyers entitled "How to succeed as an in house lawyer" and are offering a 10% discount to Afro-IP readers. Register here and quote "Afro-IP" to get the discount.
Large in house IP departments in Africa are hard to find for a number of reasons, including that:
  • There is a general lack of understanding of what is IP within a business and then, as a result, its value within a business.
  • African IP systems are, with few exceptions, poorly used and managed which means that users tend to lack faith in formal IP as an asset of the business.
  • There is little information available publically on IP management and enforcement in Africa meaning that stereotypical views prevail that IP provides little protection or incentive to invest on the continent.
  • There is a relatively small group of people who choose IP as their profession and IP still remains a marginal subject at most Universities.
  • In most cases it is cheaper and safer to use external providers to manage significant trade mark or patent portfolios, often because those portfolios are not large enough to justify the costs internally.
In the cases where qualified professionals are entrusted to form internal legal departments dealing with IP, they often sit alongside counsel doing what the organisation often values as more esteemed corporate work. Though not always the case, they can be seen as a cost centre and struggle to get valued and as a result, budgets. This is not just the case in Africa by the way, it is a problem in places like Europe too. However, it is potentially more acute in Africa given the factors outlined above.

Legal Counsel Roundtable is an organisation devoted to providing in house lawyers with strategic and operational insights for in house lawyers by delivering training programs, mentoring, networking opportunities and on-line content. Although it is a members' organisation, membership is free if you are working as an in house lawyer in Africa. Afro Leo thinks this is a wonderful opportunity for in house lawyers, whether they feel undervalued or not. Who knows it may lead to the development of a much needed industry group focusing IP issues in Africa.

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Monday 18 February 2013

IPcommentator

Leading African patent firms of 2013..... according to MIP


Billed as the largest ever survey, the Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) Magazine has published its first annual IP survey results of leading law firms practising IP law in various jurisdictions for the year 2013. This publication (February issue) is dedicated to those leading in patent prosecution and contentious work as ranked by IP practitioners across the globe. The results for trade mark and copyright will be published in March and April issues, respectively.

Thanks to the free limited access, this Leo was able to view the patent survey results (may well end up being the same for trade mark and copyright). So, which African countries and law firms made the list? In country alphabetical order (without the tier hierarchy, subscribe to view this), here are the featured leading firms in patent law and practice across Africa:

Egypt: Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP); Haroun & Haroun (no website found); Hoda Abdel Hadi & PartnersA. Sadek Elias Law OfficeSaba & Co Intellectual Property; Ibrachy & DermarkarHelmy, Hamza & Partners (part of Baker & McKenzie international); Shalakany Law Office; and SNR Denton (Africa Practice).

KenyaKaplan & StrattonHamilton Harrison & Mathews;  Iseme, Kamau & Maema Advocates (part of DLA Piper Group);  Ndungu Njoroge & Kwach Advocates (no website found); Coulson HarneyDaly & Figgis, AdvocatesGichachi & Company Advocates; and Simba & Simba Advocates.

MoroccoAbu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP)Saba & Co Intellectual PropertyM. Mehdi Salmouni-Zerhouni (English website still under construction); Cabinet AksimanMorocco Intellectual Property ServicesNJQ & Associates; and Saud M A Shawwaf Law Office and Abu Setta & Partners (SMAS-IP);

NigeriaAllan & OgunkeyeJackson, Etti & EduDavid Garrick Kayode & CoO. Kayode & CoAdepetun Caxton-Martins Agbor & SegunAluko & OyebodeBentley Edu & CoGeorge Ikoli & Okagbue; and Banwo & Ighodalo.

South AfricaAdams and Adams AttorneysSpoor & FisherD M KischHahn & HahnVon SeidelsDessington de BeerDr. Gerntholtz Inc Patent LawyersMcCallum Rademeyer & FreimondBrian Bacon & AssociatesEdward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS); Galgut & Galgut; and Smit & Van Wyk.

Tunisia: Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP); Cabinet Sarah Hachaichi (no website found); Al-Mensi Law Firm (no website found); Cabinet Gueblaoui (no website found); Achour Law Firm (no website found); Saud M A Shawwaf Law Office and Abu Setta & Partners (SMAS-IP); Amani IP (no website found); Ben Salem Law Firm (no website found); and La Centrale Des Avocats Tunisiens.

Commentary
This Leo can extract three observations from this survey. First, by now you should know that Afro Leo likes to see an organisation with an online public image (corporate website and/or social media presence) and he is not surprised that nearly all of the above firms do, at least, have corporate websites. 

Second is that renowned international law firms have now formed some form of partnership or the other with some of these local firms (one or two appear as official branches). This trend, in this Leo's view, is expected to continue considering the positive economic growth figures posted by certain African countries and the increasing and available corporate/commercial work or transactions to be done. 

Third and final is that the survey features just six (6) out of fifty four (54) countries in Africa, namely: Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia. (The obvious bunch?) No wonder MIP had this caveat in its editorial: "The survey is not an exhaustive list of every firm in each jurisdiction..." (Certainly, says Afro Leo. He knows that there are other law firm(s) with IP practice out there, especially, in all or most of the remaining 48 African countries not featured). 

No doubt, the above firms are well-known in their respective countries and even beyond. In fact, a few of them have featured and/or contributed to this blog (Afro Leo is never satisfied; he wants more contributions even if it means doing so anonymously. So share those exciting IP cases with the rest of the world). Having said that, we need to go beyond the above list since there are other law firms with IP practice across the continent whose outstanding practitioners equally make up our readership and the little but ever-growing African IP community. 

Opportunity?
Afro-IP invites its readers to send us the names of these firms (your firm or another, including websites for verification purposes) as we are contemplating on featuring all the firms with IP practice across Africa in an A-Z country series. To make it worthwhile, the list would be published only if we can get enough names (especially those with websites) across a considerable number of countries. You may also include the name of a key practitioner within the firm - if you know.

Please send your suggestions here with the subject line "List of African IP law firms".
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Global technology companies have their eyes on Africa, see here
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IPcommentator

A review of African official IP websites: no. 32: Mauritania

Despite the disappointing news that Mauritania is yet to consider intellectual property (IP) to be that important to warrant a website for its IP office, it seems oil is a better value proposition as Tullow finds something to explore. 



In other news:
Forget IPRs and access to medicine or education; let us talk about IPRs and access to essential technology to tackle climate change. This Leo has learned that the representatives of African Civil Society Organizations and Networks under the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), have expressed concerns about the climate change negotiations in Doha last year (COP18/CMP8) and its implications for African countries. In a recent meeting in Kenya, they cautioned African governments against the new commitments and stated their position on IPRs and the technological aspect of climate change at paragraph 5:

"Developed countries must remove intellectual property rights, pay full incremental costs of technology transfer to protect developing countries and contribute for peaking and declining of global emissions. We oppose efforts to sell rather than transfer appropriate technologies, or to strengthen rather than relax intellectual property rights.

Developed and developing countries should support the adoption and development of indigenous and locally innovated technology as well as ensuring efficiency in technology transfer and deployment."

Comments welcomed as usual.
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Technologies and for Climate Change and Technology: Issues for Small Developing Countries, see here 
The Doha Deadlock: Intellectual Property and Climate Change, see here
Summary of Doha Climate Change Conference, see here

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Friday 15 February 2013

Darren Olivier

RSA: UJ's IP Seminar - Prof Alberts at work, again

Following last year's successful seminar held at the UJ campus, Prof Alberts has come up trumps again with a program dedicated to IP rights in the workplace. He is not alone and supported by the University of Johannesburg, The South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law and The Centre of International and Comparative Labour and Social Security Law... phew. Afro-IP supports it too. Check it out. Register, it's gratis, it's in March and it's for ... you!


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Thursday 14 February 2013

Darren Olivier

DTI's Africa IP Forum - the draft agenda


Just received from the conference organisers.

For background on Forum see yesterday's post here. Comments welcome.

DRAFT AGENDA
Africa IP Forum

Theme
Intellectual Property and Economic Growth and Development in Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Gallagher Convention Centre (SICC)
February 25- 27, 2013


Day 1 – 25 February 2013

4pm – 6pm : Registration

6pm : Welcoming Cocktail



DAY 2 – 26 February 2013

8h00 – 9h00                Registration

9h00-9h45                  Opening Ceremony
                                    Gallagher Convention Centre

Introduction of Minister : DG :Lionel October

                                    Welcome : Honorable Minister Dr Rob Davies

                                    Formal opening : DDG WIPO : Geoffrey Onyeama

Session Moderator: to be decided

9h45-11h00     Plenary 1

Promoting a Development Oriented IP system                  
Description: Developing an IP system appropriate to the level of development, to meet national development objectives

Panel:
Ø  Suggested speakers(30 min paper presentation)
·         Professor Carlos Correa, Special Advisor, South Centre - presenter
·       Johanna Von Braun, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape Town, South Africa – panel member
·         Dr. Padmashree Gehl, UNCTAD, Economic Affairs Officer, Division for Africa and the LDCs – panel member
·         Geoffrey Onyeama – DDG, Development Sector, WIPO – panel member

11h00-11h30      Coffee/Tea Break
11h30-13h00      Break out sessions
                       
Track 1: Achieving Development Objectives, Building technological capacity in Africa
Description: Developing IP system that meets development objectives, challenges and issues pertaining to technology transfer,

Moderator: to be decided
Suggested speakers(20 minutes each)
Sisule Musungu, President of IQsensato and Managing Director of IQsensato Consulting, Kenya - presenter
Sangeeta Shashikant, Legal Advisor, Third World Network  - presenter
Pedro Roffe, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Geneva – panel member
Prof Jonathan Youngleson , Head, NIPMO – panel member

Track 2: WIPO Development Agenda: What it means for Africa 
Description: Origins of the Development Agenda, Implementation of Development Agenda, Impact on Africa

Moderator : to be decided
Mohamad Gad, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt – panel member
Boumediene Mahi, Permanent Mission of Algeria, Coordinator of Development Agenda Group, Geneva - Presenter
Mr Herman Ntchatcho, Senior Director, Development Sector, Regional Bureau for Africa, WIPO - Presenter
Dr. Carolyn Deere-Birkbeck, Senior Researcher at the Global Economic Governance Programme, University of Oxford – panel member
                       
Track 3: Developmental challenges of Least Developed Countries

Description: This session will examine IP issues that specifically affect least developed countries.

 Moderator: to be decided
Makiese Augusto, Permanent Mission of Angola, (Coordinator Least Developed Countries in WTO in Geneva) - presenter
Ermias Biadgleng, Legal Officer, UNCTAD – panel member
Moses Mulumba, Executive Director of Center for Health & Human Rights (CEHURD), Uganda - presenter
Suerie Moon: Associate Research Fellow, Sustainability Science Program, the Center for International Development, Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Instructor and Special Advisor to the Dean, Harvard School of Public Health – panel member

13h00-14h00   Plenary Lunch
  
14h00-15h15     Plenary 2
                       
Access to affordable medicines, Incentivizing Local Production of Generic Medicines in Africa        
Description: This plenary will explore issues pertaining to access to affordable medicines and local production of generic medicines, such as use of patent flexibilities to promote access to medicines, and incentivize local production.
                                               
Panel:
Moderator :to be decided
Suggested speakers(30 minutes)
Anand Grover, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health – panel member
Tenu Avafia, Policy Specialist, Trade and TRIPS, UNDP New York - presenter
Martin Khor, Executive Director, South Centre  - panel member

15h15-15h45   Coffee/tea break
15h45-17h00   Break out sessions
                       
Track 1: Benefits of Substantive examination of Patents versus the depository system

Moderator: To be decided
Suggested speakers(30 miniutes)
Rep of Kenya - Presenter
Rep of Brazil – panel member
Rep of India – panel member
Rep of OAPI – panel member
Rep of ARIPO – panel member
Rep of WIPO  - Presenter

Track 2:  Promoting local production of generic medicines in Africa
Moderator: to be decided
Suggested Speakers
Prof. Sudip Chaudhuri, Professor of Economics, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. - presenter
Baguma George, Director / Chief Commercial Officer Quality Chemical Industries Ltd, Kampala, Uganda. – panel member
Frank Schmiedchen, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.  – panel member
Christopher Spenneman, Legal Expert, 
Intellectual Property Unit
, Division on Investment and Enterprise (DIAE), UNCTAD. – panel member
      
Track 3:  Facilitating research and development in diseases that predominantly affect Africa
Moderator : to be decided
Suggested Speakers
Bernard Pecoul, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDI),  - panel member
Dr. John H. Amuasi, Acting Head of Research and Development Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana – presenter
Peter Folb from the South African Medical Research Council (and ex-South African regulatory authority) – panel member
Zakir Thomas, Project Director, Open Source Drug Discovery Initiative, India – panel member


7pm – Gala Dinner

Keynote address : Honorable Minister Aaron Motsoaledi/

Chairperson: Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, Mrs Fubbs
END OF DAY 1

DAY 2


9h00-10h.30  Plenary 3: Bridging the knowledge gap in Africa: Role of Copyright Exceptions and Limitations

Description: The role of copyright exceptions and limitations to foster access, competition, creativity and innovation
                       
Panel:
Moderator: to be decided
Suggested Speakers(30 minutes)
Dr. Marisella Ouma, Executive Director, Kenya Copyright Board, Kenya – panel member
Dick Kawooya, Lead Researcher for the African Copyright and Access to Knowledge (ACA2k) project from 2007 to 2010, Senior Lecturer, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) - presenter
Prof. Nagla Rizk, Director, Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D), American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt – panel member


10h30-11h00   Coffee/Tea Break
11h00-12h30       Break out sessions
                       
Track 1: Exceptions and limitations for libraries, education and research
Moderator: to be decided
Suggested Speakers(20 minutes)
Denise Nicholson, Copyright Services Librarian, University of
the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa - presenter
Teresa Hackett, EIFL-IP Programme Manager, UK – panel member
Hala Essalmawi, Principal Attorney and Intellectual Property Rights Officer, Library of Alexandria, Egypt - presenter
Steven Mutula, Associative Professor and Head of the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana – panel member


Track 2:  Exceptions and limitations for people with disabilities in the digital age
Moderator : to be decided
Suggested Speakers(20 miniutes)
Jace Nair, National Executive Director of the South Africa National Council of the Blind (SANCB)  - presenter
Martin Kieti, Kenya Union of the Blind.  – panel member
Jamie Love, Director, Knowledge Ecology International  - panel member
Ruth Okediji, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School, US
WIPO rep to be confirmed - presenter
                      
12h30-13h30 Lunch Break


13h30-15h00              Break out sessions
                       
Track 1: Biopiracy: Theft of African knowledge and culture
Suggested Speakers(20 minutes)
Edward Hammond, Expert on Biopiracy - presenter
Maigari Buba, Africa Group coordinator, WTO TRIPS Council  - presenter
Rachel Wynberg, Biowatch, South Africa – panel member
Francois Meienberg, Berne Declaration, Switzerland  - panel member


Track 2: Public interest and Development issues in IP enforcement

Suggested Speakers
Moses Mulumba, Center for Health, Human Rights & Development, Uganda - presenter
Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Expression and Opinion  - panel member
Elizabeth Tamale, Assistant Commissioner at Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, Uganda – panel member
Mboi Misati, Kenya Intellectual Property Institute – presenter
Nirmalya Syam, Programme Officer, South Centre – panel member



Track 3: Achieving Food Security, challenges and issues in Africa
Moderator: to be decided
Suggested Speakers
Mamadou GOÏTA, IRPAD/Afrique, Mali – panel member
Peter Munyi, Chief Legal Officer, African Insect Science for Food and Health (ICIPE), Kenya – panel member
Andrew Mushita, Community Technology Development Trust, Zimbabwe - presenter
Bell Batta Torheim, Norwegian Development Fund,  - panel member
Lim Li Ching, Advisor, Genok. – presenter


15h00-15h30               Coffee/Tea Break

15h30-17h00 Plenary 4 and closing: Challenges & Issues in protecting Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources & Traditional Cultural Expression of Africa
                  
Panel:
Moderator: to be decided
Suggested Speakers(20 minutes)
Panel: 
Suggested speakers
Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food – panel member
Professor Carlos Correa, Special Advisor, South Centre – panel member
Chee Yoke Ling, Director, Third World Network - presenter
Wend Wendland, WIPO, Head: Traditional knowledge - presenter
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