ARIPO’s 49th Administrative Council Session Launches in Accra, Spotlighting Ghana’s IP Reforms and GI Registrations

The Registrar-General’s Department of Ghana has initiated stakeholder engagements to register prominent local products—including shea butter, Bolgatanga baskets, and the sugarloaf pineapple—as geographical indications (GIs), Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dr Dominic Ayine announced at the opening of the 49th Session of the Administrative Council of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) held in Accra.

Dr Ayine framed this initiative as part of a broader agenda to modernize Ghana’s intellectual and industrial property ecosystem. The reforms aim to position IP as a catalyst for industrialization, export diversification, and the enhancement of rural livelihoods.

He detailed that ongoing reforms encompass significant upgrades to the country’s patent administration systems, alongside efforts to strengthen the nexus between industrial design protection, export promotion, and national standards enforcement.

The four-day ARIPO meeting, organized in partnership with Ghana’s Registrar-General’s Department, provided a platform for discussing regional IP harmonization and capacity building.

Highlighting the momentum of Ghana’s IP reform agenda, Dr Ayine stated it was progressing “with purpose,” driven by a clear commitment to build efficient systems empowering innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, and rural producers.

He acknowledged ARIPO’s frameworks—particularly the Harare, Banjul, and Arusha Protocols—as instrumental in enabling member states to harmonize intellectual property laws. However, he called for increased commitment to fully leverage pooled regional resources for the benefit of Africa’s youth, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and knowledge-driven sectors.

Dr Ayine emphasized human capital development as fundamental to IP advancement, welcoming ARIPO’s investments in examiner training, policymaker capacity building, and public awareness initiatives. He underscored that for intellectual property to effectively drive development, it must be broadly understood and valued by society.

He urged member states to accelerate accession to key instruments, including the Arusha Protocol on Plant Variety Protection, to enhance regional coherence in safeguarding plant breeders’ rights and attracting agricultural investment.

Regarding Ghana’s progress, the Attorney General highlighted recent milestones such as the Plant Variety Protection Act entering into force, the official recognition of Kente cloth and the traditional spirit APIO as registered geographical indications, and the ongoing expansion of electronic IP services to improve transparency and accessibility for SMEs nationwide.

Dr Ayine also noted the government’s advancement of the Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, which aims to establish a dedicated intellectual property office. This development is expected to reduce processing times and enhance user support.

ARIPO Director-General Mr Bemanya Twebaze commended Ghana’s leadership and sustained commitment to regional IP development. He described the registration of Kente as a geographical indication as a landmark achievement that blends cultural preservation with economic empowerment.

Mr Twebaze reported that ARIPO’s Strategic Plan for 2022–2026 is over 80 percent implemented. He cited reforms in digitization, governance, capacity building, and operational efficiency as driving strong results, including increased patent and trademark filings and a rise in voluntary copyright registrations.

Registrar-General Mrs Grace Ama Issahaque emphasized intellectual property’s role as an indispensable driver of national transformation. She highlighted the critical importance of cooperation among African IP offices, particularly in digitalization, harmonization, and strengthening institutional resilience.

The session in Accra thus served as a pivotal forum for advancing IP reforms and regional collaboration, reinforcing Ghana’s position as a key player in Africa’s intellectual property landscape.