Friend and colleague in Zimbabwe, Sara Moyo has just sent Afro Leo news of Zimbabwe's accession to Madrid:
“In consequence
of high level consultations held by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) with Government, commerce and various IP stakeholders in
Zimbabwe in August 2012 on the Madrid System for the International Registration
of Marks, the Government of Zimbabwe made a decision to accede to the Protocol
relating to The Madrid Agreement Concerning The International Registration Of
Marks.
The Madrid
Protocol was approved by House of Assembly on 15 May 2013 and further approved
by the Senate on 22 May 2013.
However the
Madrid Protocol is not yet in force in Zimbabwe.
This is because
in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (both the old
Lancaster House Constitution as well as the new 2013 Constitution),
international conventions and agreements concluded by the Executive Government
are not binding on Zimbabwe until such international conventions and agreements
have been approved by the joint Houses of Parliament, and incorporated into law
by or under an Act of Parliament.”
