The 43rd destination of Afro-IP's intrepid web-explorer Kingsley Egbuonu around official African IP websites takes him to Sierra Leone. Sadly, he has no good news to report at this stage from a country which, in recent years, has had much to contend with. This is what he writes:
"Overview
Sierra Leone is a Contracting Party to a number of treaties on intellectual property (IP) -- which do not include the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Sierra Leone is also a member of ARIPO.
Copyright Office
• The Sierra Leone Intellectual Property Organisation (SLIPO) is the competent office responsible for copyright and related rights in Sierra Leone.
• The office has no website.
Industrial Property Office
• The Administrator and Registrar-General's Department is the competent office responsible for the administration of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in Sierra Leone.
• This office has no website.
Social Media Presence
None
Intellectual Property update in Sierra Leone
None
Conclusion
The civil war in Sierra Leone ended not too long ago. It is therefore appropriate that this is taken into consideration in appraisal.
Afro-IP also discovered that, as in the case of the Seychelles, UK IP rights holders can extend their rights to Sierra Leone.
It is hoped that stability in Sierra Leone will attract more investment in its key sectors (here and here) and prosperity, which could then help towards IP sensitisation.
Interested in reading a report on IP technical assistance in Sierra Leone? see here".
Kingsley tweets as
@IPinAfrica
