Africa: A changing continent heading for ‘greater heights’

Getting young people on board with IP and seeing its socioeconomic impact across member states are just two things that are close to Bemanya Twebaze’s heart. The current director general of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) talks to WIPR to explain how he hopes to position the organisation as a driver of creativity and innovation, ready for the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions.

What do you enjoy most about your role, and what are its most challenging aspects?

I am in my third year as the DG, and the organisation is heading toward greater heights.

What I enjoy the most is seeing the impact IP is making on our member states’ socioeconomic development, especially for SMEs. The statistics have shown a marked improvement for all IP rights filings, with designs and utility models almost doubling last year. We also registered considerably fewer lapses or expirations of patent applications.