Legal and technical assistance for AfCFTA Secretariat for the phase II negotiations on IP Rights

In September 2022, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area finalised the negotiation on the intellectual property (IP) protocol, submitted to the Council of Ministers for adoption in February 2023.

Following this development, the protocol’s entry into force is expected to create a new institutional and legal landscape for IP in Africa, making overlaps with other existing IP regimes and institutions more likely. Like with 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 September 2023, AfrIPI will partner up with the Trade Law Centre and key stakeholders to deliver an expert dialogue on the general issues of overlapping trade agreements, with a focus on IP regimes.