The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (www.ARIPO.org) yesterday officially launched its 50th Anniversary year celebrations and unveiled its commemorative Golden Jubilee logo at a high-level ceremony held at the ARIPO Secretariat. The event, which was streamed live to stakeholders across Africa and beyond, marked the beginning of a year-long programme of activities celebrating five decades of advancing intellectual property (IP) protection, innovation, and creativity across the continent.
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Under the theme “Fostering innovation, creativity, and a sustainable future for Africa,” ARIPO’s golden jubilee year launch brought together government representatives, diplomats, development partners, IP lawyers, innovators, creators, academia, industry leaders, and members of the media. The unveiling of the 50th Anniversary logo symbolised ARIPO’s enduring legacy and its renewed commitment to shaping Africa’s innovation-driven future.
Honourable Nobert Tichaona Mazungunye, Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, representing Honourable Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. He underscored the strategic role of intellectual property in national and regional development, reaffirming the commitment of ARIPO Member States to strengthening IP systems as a catalyst for innovation, industrialisation, investment, and sustainable growth across Africa.
“Our appreciation to the current and former Directors General of ARIPO and their teams for ably leading this great institution over the years and for formulating robust protocols that have empowered inventors, creators, and businesses across the region”, said Honourable Mazungunye.
Delivering opening remarks at the ceremony, ARIPO Director General, Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, described the Golden Jubilee as both a moment of reflection and a call to action.
“Fifty years is a significant milestone for any institution. For ARIPO, it represents five decades of service to our Member States; five decades of delivering intellectual property services across our region; and five decades of supporting inventors, creators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and communities as they transform ideas into impact,” he said.
Mr. Twebaze paid tribute to the visionaries who laid the foundation of ARIPO, acknowledging their foresight in recognising the central role of intellectual property in development. He further reaffirmed his commitment to stewarding the Organization into its next phase of growth, alongside a dedicated Secretariat and responsive governing bodies.
“As we gather here, we do so with gratitude for those who came before us. Visionaries unified by a shared belief that intellectual property would be central to Africa’s development. I stand before you humbled by the faith you have placed in me, honoured to serve, and proud to lead a team that ensures excellence is not the exception, but the standard,” he said.
Mr. Willie Mushayi, the Chief Registrar of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property Zimbabwe (CIPZ) gave remarks on behalf of the ARIPO Administrative Council, highlighting the importance of robust IP administration, institutional cooperation, and capacity building in delivering effective and accessible intellectual property services across the region, and commended ARIPO for five decades of excellence and impact.
As part of the Golden Jubilee commemorations, ARIPO will convene high-level symposia throughout 2026, each dedicated to a critical pillar of the intellectual property ecosystem. These strategic platforms will foster high-level policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, and partnerships aimed at strengthening Africa’s IP landscape and support innovation, industrialisation, creative industries, and sustainable development.
The anniversary year will culminate in a flagship main event on 9 December 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia, at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the home of the Lusaka Agreement, which established ARIPO. The landmark gathering will feature the ARIPO IP Africa Conference, bringing together policymakers, global experts, innovators, investors, and development partners to shape Africa’s future IP agenda.
This historic event will serve as both a tribute to ARIPO’s origins and a forward-looking platform to chart the strategic direction for the Organization’s next 50 years of innovation-led growth, regional integration, and sustainable development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).
Contacts:
Mrs. Susan Mwiti
Head Communications
smwiti@aripo.org
Ms. Cathrine Denga
Communications Associate
cdenga@aripo.org
About ARIPO:
ARIPO is an intergovernmental organization that facilitates cooperation among its Member States in Intellectual Property (IP) matters. The purpose of ARIPO is to pool resources for the promotion, development, and harmonization of the IP laws and policies of its Member States. The objective of ARIPO, amongst others, is to establish common services and organs for IP coordination, development and harmonization. The Member States of ARIPO comprise Botswana, The Kingdom of Eswatini, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, The Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé&Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. You can read more about ARIPO at www.ARIPO.org
- Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs
- About the Banjul Protocol on Marks
- About the Swakopmund Protocol on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Folklore
- About the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants
- About the Kampala Protocol on Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights
About ARIPO@50:
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) will mark its 50th Anniversary in Lusaka, Zambia, on December 9, 2026, under the theme “Fostering innovation, creativity, and a sustainable future for Africa.” The celebrations will feature the Africa IP Conference, which will showcase ARIPO’s achievements, review major milestones, and outline future goals for IP in Africa. Over 500 attendees from governments, organizations, partners, the private sector, academia, and IP professionals are expected to participate.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, ARIPO will convene a series of high-level symposia throughout 2026, each dedicated to a critical pillar of the IP ecosystem:
- Brands and Trademarks Symposium (April 2026 in Banjul, The Gambia)
Theme: “Building Value Through Branding: Unlocking the Power of Brands and Trademarks for Business Growth and Competitiveness”
This symposium will explore how strong and effective trademark systems can support African enterprises, boost competitiveness, and build trusted brands in regional and global markets. - Nurturing Agricultural Innovation: Advancing The Protection Of New Plant Varieties For Food Security And Sustainable Agriculture In Africa (June 2026 in Arusha, Tanzania)
Theme: “Nurturing Agricultural Innovation: Advancing the Protection of New Plant Varieties for Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Africa”
Discussions will focus on plant variety protection as a tool to stimulate agricultural research and development, strengthen food security, and support climate-resilient farming systems. - Protecting Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Folklore Symposium (August 2026 in Swakopmund, Namibia)
Theme: “Harmonising Heritage and Innovation: Protecting Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Expressions of Folklore”
This symposium will examine policy and legal frameworks for protecting Africa’s rich heritage while enabling responsible research, innovation, and benefit-sharing. - Copyright and Related Rights Symposium (September 2026)
Theme: “Empowering Creativity: Harnessing IP for Sustainable Development in Africa”
Focusing on creators, cultural industries, and the digital environment, this symposium will address how copyright and related rights can drive inclusive economic growth and safeguard African creative works.
To enrich the ARIPO @ 50 experience, exhibition slots will be made available for institutions, companies, innovators, creators, and partners to showcase their IP-related products, services, and success stories. These exhibition spaces will be offered at a fee.
For more information, visit www.ARIPO.org
