23 Nov 2023

Government is working towards integrating the Intellectual Property (IP) system into its economy, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

 Speaking during a  courtesy call with Mr Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), President Masisi highlighted the need for a national IP policy that could  guide and foster the use of IP for economic development.

President Masisi emphasised the crucial role of Intellectual Property rights in driving the economies of both developed and developing countries, as they served as catalysts for innovation and creativity.

He expressed his satisfaction with the launch of the Botswana Intellectual Property Policy, which constitutes a major milestone as it was the first National Intellectual Policy to be developed for Botswana with the potential to contribute to the country’s economy.

President Masisi acknowledged the evolving nature of wealth generation in modern economies, with a shift from natural resources to an ‘economy of ideas’ where intellectual property played a determining role in economic success.

This, he said would also benefit consumers and society through a continuous stream of innovative, competitive products and services as well as an expansion of society’s overall state of knowledge.

Further, he said it was important to strengthen the intellectual property system in order to stimulate local creativity, innovation, and cultural development, ultimately leading to the economic empowerment of citizens.

“I find attributes of a knowledge based economy to be eternally exciting, because if there is anything that liberates an individual, it is the opportunity given to exhibit their talents in a protected manner and there is no better way to nurture such talent than through the Intellectual Property rights,” he said.

President Masisi also raised disappointment regarding the Rural Industries Innovation Centre (RIIC) located in Kanye, which, despite being a hub of innovation in the past, witnessed the wastage of numerous innovative ideas due to the lack of a supportive ecosystem for protection.

Thus, he said  government aimed to invest more resources in innovation and research, with the goal of positioning Botswana as a thriving innovation hub.  The President  appealed to WIPO for assistance in providing the necessary human capacity development programmes.

For his part,  Mr Tang expressed his satisfaction with Botswana's shared vision with WIPO regarding the protection of intellectual property.  He said WIPO was committed to supporting Botswana's entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives in commercialising their ideas and utilising IP as a driving force for development.

Mr Tang emphasised that by embracing IP, Botswana would be on the right path to transform into a knowledge-based and digitalised economy.

He also stressed the importance of exploring how intellectual property could be used to support and promote the use of traditional medicines and knowledge, ensuring their preservation and utilization for Botswana's future development. Ends