A to Z of African official IP websites no.41: Senegal

This week's stop-off on Kingsley Egbuonu's marathon alphabetical trek around the official IP websites of African nations brings him to Senegal. After last week's rather fruitless trip to São Tomé and Príncipe, Afro Leo's readers must be hoping for better news from sunny, sandy Senegal. If they do, they will be disappointed.  This is what Kingsley reports:

Overview

Senegal is a Contracting Party to a number of treaties on intellectual property, including the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. It is also an OAPI member.

Copyright Office

• The Senegalese Copyright Office is the competent office responsible for copyright and related rights in Senegal. 

• This office has no website.

Industrial Property Office

• The Senegalese Agency of Industrial Property and Innovation (ASPIT) is the competent office responsible for the administration of intellectual property rights in Senegal. 

• This office has no website.

Social Media Presence

None.

Intellectual Property update in Senegal

No recent update.


Conclusion

Despite learning that Senegal recognises IP as crucial to its development, Afro-IP is highly disappointed that both IP offices and the responsible ministry in Senegal cannot be found online.

Considering reports that Senegal spent $27 million for a controversial monument in which the President apparently claimed proprietary rights, it is very difficult to say that a website is beyond its means.

Since the Senegalese President is conversant with IP rights and how valuable they can be, Afro-IP is hopeful that Senegal will one day spend less than 1 percent of the figure paid for its monument on a website for its IP office.

Kingsley tweets as @IPinAfrica