SAIIPL's new pres, transhipment and Afro-IP stats

Tshepo Shabangu

At the AGM of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law this week Tshepo Shabangu was appointed President of the Institute for 2010. Afro Leo could not make the meeting - this exciting news filtered back from council member Debbie Marriott. Afro-IP congratulates Tshepo and wishes her well during her tenure.

Developments in Europe likely to be considered with interest in Africa will be the outcome of the EU transhipment case heard yesterday where Nokia is arguing that the interpretation of EU customs rules could encourage the EU as a safe harbour for counterfeiters. RSA's SCA decision on transhipment in 2005 can be located here.

Other exciting news this week is that the Afro-IP blog has reached it 500th email subscriber and its associated Afro-IP Linkedin Group its 100th member. The blog itself has been in existence for just over 1000 days and has attracted 70000 hits with a current hit rate of 2000 per month - encouraging milestones for a blog covering a continent full of innovation but regarded by many as a backwater for IP rights, enforcement and policies. Afro-IP wishes to thank those who read, support, contribute and promote news and views about African IP.