The 43rd   Administrative and 17th Ministerial Council Meetings of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) officially opened on Monday, November 18, 2019   at the Farmington Hotel, within the vicinity of the Roberts International Airport in Harbel, Lower Margibi County. The gathering, running up to 22nd, November is being presided over by  host Country, Liberia.

Liberia’s selection puts her in the driver’s seat, relative to providing   leadership guidance to ARIPO member countries for a two-year period in her capacity as Chairman of the Administrative and Ministerial Councils.

Speaking at the opening of the four-day Meeting, Liberia’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Wilson K. Tarpeh, pledged the CDC-led Government’s commitment to supporting his Country’s Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) as a means of fast tracking the ratification of all outstanding intellectual treaties.

From all indications, the Liberian Government is making frantic efforts for the full utilization of Intellectual Property to enhance economic growth so as to equally expand Liberia’s middle class.

 It can be recalled that Minister Tarpeh, recently signed an Administrative Regulation for the birth of Liberia’s first ever Collective Management Society, intended to enable the Country’s Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) adequately improve on   its mandate, mainly the war against piracy and other forms of IP-related theft.

The official signing of the Collective Management Society document took place on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with the Director General of   LIPO,   Atty. Adelyn Cooper, signing for her Office.

“As a Government, we are going to do everything possible for the full utilization of Intellectual Property Rights in Liberia and create a favorable avenue for its commercial exploitation, as well as vigorous enforcement processes to hugely reduce Intellectual Property theft across the Country in order for creators to make a profit out of their creativity,” Professor Tarpeh noted during the program at Farmington.

For her part, the Director     General of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office, Atty. Adelyn Cooper, hailed ARIPO and other partners for Liberia’s preferment for Chairmanship.
“The airport through which you came to Liberia was used as a base for the Allied forces as a strategic front where the enemies would know of its existence but could not see. Historians have coined the term “Smell no taste,” Madam Cooper said.

“Liberia accepts the preferment to serve as your chair of this august body for the next two years with humility and deep sense of reflection on the enormous task of ARIPO history,” the LIPO boss observed. Atty. Cooper also paid tribute to   the fallen Director General Emeritus of ARIPO, Mr. Gift Sibanda and others whose contributions led to progress being made today.  

“I am told, it was under his leadership as Director General for ARIPO Secretariat, Liberia joined this noble organization,” she concluded.

The gathering is graced by observers from other ARIPO cooperative partners, to include the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), State Intellectual Property (SIPO) of the People’s Republic of China, the United States Patent Office (USTPO), Organisation Africane de la Propriete Intellectualle (OAPI) and Japan Patent Office.

The membership-based African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), amongst other cardinal functions accelerates collaboration amongst its members so as to tweak limited capitals, by   promoting    protection, development, and advancement of Intellectual Property-related issues in Africa.

Jacob N.B. Parley
Communications Director
Emails:jparley@staff.moci.gov.lr/jacobtheancestor@yahoo.com
0886560455/0777504576
WhatsApps: 0881336137