Afro-IP visited Mali last year and left not too disappointed as experienced on visits to other Member States of the OAPI. Nothing has changed since our last visit to Mali; but considering its recent problems, intellectual property (IP) takes a back seat. (Afro Leo discovered that the copyright office www.bumda.cefib.com appears to be plagued by malware).
As well as bringing problems to the fore, this Leo has an interest in the range of IP-related technical assistance offered by developed nations and/or international agencies to developing countries (see here, here and here). A good example is the assistance offered by the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) - a division of the United States Department of Commerce. The CLDP runs a project in Mali and last year, it held an IP workshop for the benefit of Malian government officials. Hopefully, CLDP's work bears fruit in the long run.
Best wishes for Mali.
Other IP-related news
- Software Piracy: Still on malware, Microsoft's recent report highlights the indirect link between computer malware infection rates and the use of unlicensed software globally including certain parts of Africa;
- PAIPO: This blog has stirred the debate surrounding the establishment of an overarching IP office for the African continent, PAIPO, and recently posted an update by Afro-Leo's friend Caroline Ncube who reported that "....It is probable that the Council of Ministers decided to proceed with PAIPO in principle (in keeping with their earlier 2007 decision) but postponed adopting the text until it has been further consulted upon and reworked...." This Leo has further confirmation that PAIPO lives happily ever after; and
- Kenya: Tapping into Kenya's innovative use of mobile technology (cf. here), the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) has launched a SMS service whereby pending IPR applications can be tracked on your mobile phone. (Impressive, says Afro Leo)
