17 Mar 2016

Botswana has been a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since May 1995 and is bound by agreements dedicated to the enforcement of Intellectual Property (IP) rights, says director, Compliance, Awareness and Clients Services at the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) Ms Ntesang Sebetso.

Speaking at the national seminar on Fostering Creativity and Innovation for Economic Growth and Development in Africa, Ms Sebetso said as a result, Botswana has put in place legislation to protect intellectual property holders.

She said this was done to assure society that it can benefit from the IP system and to promote and enable full protection of the rights of investors and right holders obtained under the Companies Act, the Registration of Business Names Act, the Industrial Property Act and the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act.

She said bundles of intellectual property rights are obtainable under the Copyright Act, the Neighbouring Act as well as the Industrial Property Act.

Ms Sebetso said CIPA ,in collaboration with the Botswana Police Service, has been undertaking anti-piracy campaigns in some areas in Botswana and a total of 12 300 items at an estimated value of P984 000 pirated works have been confiscated between October 2015 and January this year.

A trade marks examiner at CIPA, Ms Keorutwe Baitsemi, said the key reasons for patenting inventions, includes strong market positioning as well as high returns on investments.

She said a trademark is a sign that distinguishes goods or services produced or provided by one enterprise from those of others. Ends