Kampala, Uganda; 21st February 2023: Starting 21st February 2023 to Friday 24th February 2023, the World Intellectual Property Organization in collaboration with Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) with support of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) are hosting the National Intellectual Property Week, at Serena Kampala Hotel.
The overall objective of National Intellectual Property Week is to highlight the role of intellectual property (Intellectual Property) as a policy tool for economic development, general IP awareness, Institutional IP policies and their implementation, technology transfer and appropriate technology.
The national IP week brings together policymakers, heads of IP offices, IP experts and businesses to discuss the role of IP. Influential personalities led by the Registrar General, Ms Mercy K. Kainobwisho, Dr Outule Rapuleng, the Head, ARIPO Academy, Emmanuel Rugomboka, Counsellor, Division for Africa at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), HE. FUKUZAWA Hidemoto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Uganda, important delegates delivered welcome speeches. bringing together policymakers, heads of IP offices, IP experts and businesses to discuss the role of IP.
Mercy K. Kainobwisho, URSB’s Registrar General said the national intellectual property week presents yet another opportunity to learn, exchange ideas and deliberate on the various aspects of intellectual property and the critical role it plays in stimulating innovation for economic development.
FUKUZAWA Hidemoto, the Ambassador of Japan in Uganda, said intellectual property is essential for creating innovations with appropriate utilization of intellectual property rights.
Emmanuel Rugomboka, Counsellor, Division of Africa, WIPO added that IP and intangible assets will help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) navigate an innovation-driven business model that will support their sustainability.
In July 2015, the Government of the Republic of Uganda, represented by URSB, in collaboration with WIPO embarked on a partnership to implement a Bilateral Project on Appropriate Technology (BPoAT) for Uganda.
In September 2015, a multi-sectoral National Expert Group (NEG) was established to steer the implementation of the project.
At the start of February, the NEG presented the two identified needs areas based on the prevalent societal challenges and their interface with emerging global issues: Rainwater harvesting and treatment, and alternative technologies to fired bricks. Prototypes of the two innovations have since been developed and are ready for adoption.
The week-long event will feature a global forum on Intellectual Property discussions where hot topics such as key highlights of Uganda’s National Intellectual Property Policy,2019, fostering the use and exploitation of IP in Universities and Research and Development Institutions, IP Policies and the basis for effective knowledge transfer and IP commercialization.
The role of IP in promoting innovation for sustainable and green technologies as well as leveraging Technological Innovations will also be debated.