AFRICA IP FORUM – 26 FEBRUARY 2013
Sessions commenced with Plenary session 1. The topic was “Promoting a Development Oriented IP System”. The speaker was Prof. Carlos Correa, Special Advisor, South Centre, who gave an excellent and thought-provoking presentation. This was followed by very interesting panel discussions by Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, DDG, Development Sector, WIPO; Prof. Esme du Plessis of Adams & Adams IP Center at UP; Ms Desire Markgraaff from the Independent Producers Organisation of South Africa; and Mr. Theo Doubell, President, South African Licensing Society.
This session was followed by two parallel Tracks, namely:
Track 1 – Topic: Achieving Development Objectives, Building Technological Capacity in Africa – Speaker: Mr. Ahmed Adbul Latif, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Geneva. Panel Members: Mr. McLean Sibanda, CEO, The Innovation Hub SA; Mr. Trod Lehong, IP Manager, TIA and Ms Mavis Nyatlo, Director, Advisory & Support, NIPMO.
Track 2 –Topic: WIPO Development Agenda: What it means for Africa. Speaker: Mr. Herman Ntchatcho, Senior Director, Dept. for Africa & Special Projects, Development Sector, WIPO; Ms Elvine Apiyo, Legal Officer, Kenya Industrial Property Institute and Prof. Steve Cornelius, Law Faculty IP Centre, University of Pretoria.
Plenary session 2– Title: Access to Affordable Medicines: Incentivising Local Production of Generic Medicines in Africa – Speakers : Mr. Tenu Avafia, cluster Leader, Human Rights & Governance, HIV, Health & Development Group, UNDP, New York, and Prof. Dudip Chaudhuri, Professor of Economics, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. Panel Member: Dr. Skhumbuzo Ngozwana, Deputy CEO, Cipla Medpro.
The speakers highlighted the issues and difficulties in the production of generic medicines and how intellectual property impacts on this. Prof Chaudhuri shared an interesting comparative study done on the production of generics in India and Ghana.
Track 1: Topic: Benefits of Substantive examination of Patients versus the Depository System - Speakers: Mr. Sylvance Sange, Deputy Managing Director, Kenya Industrial Property Institute; Mr. Christopher Kilge, Director Industrial Property, ARIPO. Panel Members: Ms. Leena Menghaney, MSF; Mr. MacDonald Netshitenzhe, DTI, Prof. Carlos Correa, Special Advisor, South Centre, and Mr. Danie Dohmen, Adams & Adams,
Track 2:Topic: Facilitating research and development in diseases that predominantly affect Africa. Speaker: Ms Elvine Aplyo, Legal Officer, Kenya industrial Property Institute with Panel member: Mr. Andre Kudlinski, DTI.
Presentations were of a high standard and very informative. Discussions were very interesting with different opinions being shared and lively debates throughout the various sessions. The first day was followed by a Gala Dinner.