Expert Dialogue on overlapping trade and IP agreements within the framework of the implementation of the AfCFTA

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AfrIPI provides technical assistance to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. Through a dedicated expert working with the Secretariat in Accra, AfrIPI has contributed to dialogue among African Union Member states leading to the drafting and adoption of the protocol on Intellectual Property (IP).

The protocol’s entry into force is expected to create a new institutional and legal landscape for IP in Africa, possibly creating overlaps with other existing IP regimes and institutions. Similar to existing trade agreements among the regional economic communities, there is a need to find a working link that enables all IP regimes on the continent to jointly promote IP development.

In 2024, AfrIPI hopes to improve collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat by identifying areas for common action in trade and IP-related issues. This is the rationale justifying the initiative to fund a continental discussion at expert level on the future of overlapping memberships in trade and IP.

The objectives of the workshop will be to bring together key stakeholders from the AfCFTA Secretariat, representatives of Regional Economic Councils (REC), the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), and the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) to:

discuss emerging and persistent challenges to the implementation of the AfCFTA;
identify and discuss potential issues ensuing from overlapping or potentially overlapping instruments/regimes in trade and IP within the context of the AfCFTA;
afford expert recommendations to institutional leadership on how to navigate such issues in a way that supports the continental integration process while preserving existing institutions;
create the opportunity to start an expert dialogue (technical level) between the Secretariat, the RECs, ARIPO, and OAPI on issues related to the implementation of the IP protocol;
put in place an expert platform to encourage further dialogue around the issues of overlapping regimes in trade and IP, related to the interaction between existing institutions and regional regimes.