Botswana Concludes ARIPO Leadership as CIPA Participates in 49th Administrative Council Session

Botswana Concludes ARIPO Leadership as CIPA Participates in 49th Administrative Council Session. Botswana has formally handed over its chairmanship of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization’s (ARIPO) Administrative Council to the Republic of Ghana during the organisation’s 49th session, held in Accra, Ghana. The transition marks the end of Botswana’s two-year leadership role, represented through the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA).

CIPA Caretaker Registrar General, Mr Godfrey Molefe, attended the session and delivered remarks reflecting on Botswana’s tenure. He expressed gratitude to ARIPO member states for their support, noting that the period was characterised by collaborative achievements and steady advancement in strengthening intellectual property (IP) systems across the region.

According to Mr Molefe, ARIPO recorded progress in several critical areas over the past two years. These included improvements in the registration and granting of IP rights, enhancements to legal frameworks governing intellectual property, the expansion of digital transformation initiatives and the rollout of capacity building and awareness programmes. He further highlighted efforts to advance financial sustainability within the organisation.

Mr Molefe is accompanied by CIPA Registrar Industrial Property, Mr Timothy Moalusi. The session is being attended by representatives from all 22 ARIPO member states, underscoring the organisation’s commitment to regional cooperation in protecting intellectual property and promoting innovation.

Botswana’s participation comes at a time when intellectual property continues to play an increasingly important role in fostering economic growth, creativity and enterprise development. For Botswana’s business community, ARIPO’s ongoing initiatives contribute to a more predictable and secure environment for innovators, entrepreneurs and companies seeking to protect their intellectual assets.

As Ghana assumes the chairmanship, ARIPO continues its mandate to support member states in strengthening IP systems and enabling a more competitive and innovation-driven regional economy.