"This workshop will seek to further develop the quality of IP protection in Rwanda and the East African Community (EAC) by improving the skill and knowledge level necessary to provide fair, efficient, and consistent adjudication of IP cases based upon the standards of protection afforded by the EAC, its member countries and international law."
Readers will recall that Rwanda recently enacted new laws on IP and is widely regarded as a rejunevated state following its turbulent recent past.
According the CLDP website, approximately 70 Rwandan and East African judges from EAC member countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) and IP enforcement officials will be exposed to the importance of intellectual property protection, and its impact on stakeholders. In addition to the Department of Commerce expertise, CLDP will utilize the expertise of a U.S. Federal Court judge and an intellectual property attorney to provide practical exercises, case studies, and IP scenarios. The workshop will also benefit from the contributions of private sector stakeholders in the consumer goods and creative industries.
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| Paul Asiimwe gets his views across |
Afro Leo is encouraged by interest from the US in developing IP on the continent. He recently met up with a number of African IP professionals, Jeremy and Aurelia at the INTA meeting in San Francisco at a meeting chaired by the eminent Dr Bankole Sodipo about an African Summit to be organised next year in conjunction with the CLDP. More on that later. Meantime, Afro-IP author, Paul Assimwe pictured alongside shares his views at the meeting.
Afro Leo would love to link to the Kigali program if anyone knows its wherebaouts? CLDP's efforts in sub saharan Africa can be located here.
