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Tag: WIPO

  • Nigeria modernizing IP law in line with current realities – Malami

    Nigeria modernizing IP law in line with current realities – Malami

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, says the Federal Government is working to ensure that the country’s Intellectual Property (IP) law and administration are in line with current realities.

    Malami said this on Monday when the Senior Counsellor, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Ms Lorreta Asiedu, led a delegation to pay him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.

    The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba.

    “I assure you that we are committed to modernizing the entire IP system in Nigeria. This will include the Trade Mark Act, the Patent and Design Act.

    “There are also legislative work that we will be looking at to ensure that it is in line with the new copyright law.

    “We hope that this will also serve as catalyst for needed reforms in all aspect of IP law and administration and then bring them in line with current reality in this digital age,’’ Malami said.

    Earlier, Asiedu said the visit was to seek the minister’s support on WIPO’s efforts in developing National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy for the country.

    She said that WIPO had been working with the Nigerian Copyright Commission, consultants and relevant stakeholders in developing the National IP Policy and Strategy for Nigeria.

    “This request is a long standing one and we are happy that finally we are able to bring it to this level.

    “This is where we can invite stakeholders to look at the document, appreciate it, add their input before it is finalised and validated for consideration by policymakers.

    “We are here to seek your support by adopting the National IP policy and strategy,’’ the WIPO official said.

    According to her, with this development, Nigeria will be joining other African countries that have adopted IP policy and strategy.

    “What does this stand for the country is that it creates a framework within which WIPO and its partners can support the exploitation of the IP to make impact in the lives of IP users.

    “Under our medium strategic plan, the five-year vision aimed at supporting IP so that it makes an impact in the lives of ordinary citizens.

    “We want to harness the IP potential of youths in the country through the framework of the National IP policy and strategy.

    “We are looking at supporting the youth entrepreneurs to understand and appreciate IP system; we want to engage in mentorship and coaching programmes,’’ Asiedu said.

    According to her, WIPO also wants to use IP to support the country’s Development Goals.

    “Within a framework of the National IP policy and strategy, we are able to identify the comparative advantage that the country has.

    “So, the area in which a country has a comparative advantage that is what we dwell to ensure that we undertake projects that make impact in the lives of IP users community.’’

    Asiedu added that WIPO intended to extend its reach not only within the legislative framework of the country, but also to knowledge production institutions like universities and research institutions.

    “We also want to bring together industry and academia so that we bridge the gap from the time that idea takes off, to when it  heads into market place,’’ she said.

    Similarly, the delegation was received separately by the Ministers of Science and Technology, Dr Adeleke Mamora, Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and Trade and Investment, Otunba Adebayo Adeniyi.

    They pledged to support the adoption and implementation of the National IP policy and strategy, saying that the policy was imperative to the development of all sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

  • UN elects Amb. Peters Emuze into Rights panel

    Nigeria’s candidate, Amb. Peters Emuze has been elected to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in a keenly-contested election held at the UN Headquarters, New York.

    Emuze, who was elected for a four-year tenure, would be representing the African continent on the panel from 2019 to 2022.

    His victory, in clinching one of the two Africa’s seats on the board of the committee for at least four years, is seen as a ‘feather’ for Nigeria.

    Apart from signalling “prestige”, being a member of the commission would also improve Nigeria’s future “diplomatic leverage”.

    CESCR is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors countries’ compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of citizens by its States parties.

    The committee was established under ECOSOC Resolution 1985/17 of May 28, 1985, to carry out the monitoring functions assigned to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

    Emuze, who entered the race at the last minute, beat candidates of six other countries’ to clinch the first of the two seats for Africa.

    While other countries and candidates had been campaigning for upward of one year, Nigeria’s candidate just jumped into the ring barely two months to the election.

    The seats were keenly contested against Nigeria by Algeria, Sudan, Niger, Uganda, Cameroon and Mauritius.

    However, Cameroon withdrew at the last minute while Mauritius’ candidate defeated Algeria’s in a run-off to clinch the second seat for Africa.

    Fielding candidates for CESCR would require the country’s permanent mission to the UN.

    In this instance, the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN at New York and Geneva, in conjunction with all the 54 Nigerian missions in ECOSOC member states, coordinated the process and canvassed for votes for the position.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, personally wrote to all the 54-Member States of ECOSOC, seeking their support for Nigeria’s candidate.

    He also followed with reminders to the countries.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Samson Itegboje, said it became impossible to get countries to step down for Nigeria, as all of them wanted to “go for broke”.

    “The victory has raised our profile on the international stage.

    “I don’t think there are many countries that can pull such outing, two months to the election.

    “We can call it a miracle but it was a result of hard work, strategy and good relations.

    “Also, we presented the best, as our candidate has got the required experience including being the former Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN Offices in Geneva,’’ Itegboje said.

    Emuze, a retired career diplomat for 33 years, rose to become a Special Grade Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as Head of Mission at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in Geneva.

    Speaking with NAN after the election, Emuze pledged to ensure that Nigeria complies with its treaties on economic, social and cultural rights of the citizens.

    “Nigeria long signed the treaty and that means Nigeria is ready to comply with various international human rights instruments as a responsible member of the international community.

    “It is also fulfilling one of its foreign policy options.

    “Nigeria is also in tune with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter and the African Human Rights Charter.

    “So, Nigeria cannot be aloof to these issues of human rights because they are contemporary, modern times.

    “Nigeria has always believed in the covenants of the United Nations with regards to human rights,’’ he said.

    Emuze had also served in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in Zambia, the Netherlands, Italy, Hong Kong, and proficient in human rights issues.

    He was President, Conference on Disarmament and Coordinator of the African Group of Ambassadors on World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), leading to the establishment of WIPO offices in Nigeria and Algeria.