Uganda to Host International Conference about Copyright and Intellectual Property
By: Kyeyune Ali
Uganda set to host the Diplomatic conference for the adoption of the voluntary Registration of copyright.
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), with support from the government of Uganda through the Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) and the European Union intellectual property office set to organize a Diplomatic conference for the adoption of the voluntary registration of copyright and related Rights.
The conference that will take over a week is to take place in Kampala, Uganda from 20th to 28th August 2021at Speke Resort in Munyonyo.
The Diplomatic conference will be attended by Ministers in charge of intellectual property from the 20 ARIPO member States , Heads of Industrial property and copyright and related Rights office.
Today at Media Center in Kampala, the State Minister for foreign Affairs, Hon.Henry Okello Oryem, the deputy attorney General Hon. Jackson Karugaba Kafuuzi and the URSB Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwisho addressed the media about the upcoming conference and it’s benefits to the community.
While delivering his remarks Hon. Okello Oryem says; “There are many opportunities for Uganda to reap from hosting the conference, As the ministry of foreign affairs we are hopeful that the conference will enhance Uganda’s cooperation with the member States on issues related to intellectual property and copyright. Studies by the World Intellectual Property Office show that the creative industry contributes greatly to GDP as well as employment to countries in the union”.
The Register General Mercy Kainobwisho said that having a regional voluntary Registration of copyright and related Rights in Africa will contribute to a conducive environment to ensure respect for the copyrighted work.
“Adoption of this protocol in Kampala gives visibility to Uganda and also in line with the government’s sustained plans to grow intellectual property and related Rights for economic growth”.
This conference is coming at a time when the Ugandan creative industry especially, musicians are crying to government to have a law governing the industry and copyright that make them earn from their works.
The ARIPO 20 member States are; Botswana, The kingdom of Eswatini, Ghana, The Gambia, Kenya, Uganda Liberia , Malawi, The kingdom of Lesotho, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius, Zambia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone and Somalia .