Despite lacking a dedicated website for its intellectual property (IP) office, we were happy to discover that Namibia was making progress in ensuring that IP is not pushed way behind other national issues. Regrettably, nothing has changed; but here are some IP-related news or information on Namibia:
Conference in Namibia on Intellectual Property and Cultural Industries:
The International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI) recently held a conference at the Windhoek Country Club and Resort from November 15 to 17; (year not stated) which hosted guests including Namibian Government officials, Police and Customs officers, Namibian museum and theater managers and SMEs. The conference was staged to discuss the benefits of IP. To read more, see here
Namibia plans for a Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA)
The Ministry of Trade and Industry’s plans for a Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), to complement the operations of the Registrar of Companies, is making good progress, Trade and Industry Minister Calle Schlettwein has said. To read more, see here
Microsoft and Ministry of Information and Communication Technology recognise the need to protect IP
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa said at an IP awareness event “that all stakeholders discuss in earnest the need to reconfigure the entire legal regime governing copyright”. Whilst Warren La Fleur, Senior Business Development Manager for Microsoft in East and Southern Africa, said that, “IP infringement has a real effect on any company’s decision to move into a new market or region. To read more, see here and here
Beyond Tariffs: EU-EPA Negotiations for Namibia
Bridget Dundee (Namibian Competition Commission) talks about the implications of the EU-EPA on a developing country such as Namibia including the obligation to protect or have a development agenda which protects IP. She argues that "...at present, Namibia benefits from duty-free quota-free access to the EU. If Namibia does not finalise a new EPA by 2016, it would fall under one of the schemes of the new Generalised System of Preference (GSP) that affords it fewer trade concessions." To read more, see here
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For IP protection in Namibia, see the excellent Namibia Business Innovation Centre (NBIC) here
