CLDP seeks to improve the trade and investment-enabling environment in Sub-Saharan Africa through the strengthening of regional intellectual property (IP) protection in West, East, Central, and Southern Africa. Since 2007, under the African Global Competitiveness Initiative (AGCI), CLDP continues to engage both individual countries, (Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Mali, South Africa, Kenya, and others as determined) as well as Regional Economic Communities such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Southern Africa Development Community (SADC); and the East African Community (EAC) on the reform and strengthening of IP legislation, IP administration, IP enforcement, and IP outreach. CLDP currently has programs in the East African Community (EAC), Kenya, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ghana, Liberia, and Mali. Please click here to learn about CLDP's results in Sub-Saharan Africa.

East Africa

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC)

Goal: Following recent recommendations for a greater involvement of regional economic communities in the strengthening of intellectual property regimes across Sub-Saharan Africa, CLDP is working with the East African Community to increase coordination, communication and cooperation between its member states.

Program Areas:

• Capacity building of officials involved in the administration and enforcement of IP in the East Africa region to facilitate cooperation at the borders among EAC member states
• Supporting the drafting, development and implementation of EAC IP legislation

KENYA

Goal: In light of the recent establishment of the Kenya Anti-Counterfeiting Agency (ACA), CLDP is working closely with governmental agencies in Kenya to improve the skills and effectiveness of these agencies for a better enforcement and interagency coordination of IP rights.

Program Areas:

• Improving skills and knowledge of officials involved in enforcement of IP to facilitate internal cooperation among agencies as well as cooperation at the border among law enforcement entities in East Africa

West Africa and Central Africa

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)

Goal: CLDP is working with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to assist them in developing an intellectual property policy framework and guidelines for the West Africa sub-region. The aim is to provide consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness of IP protection in West Africa from a regional perspective, and to enable the progressive and sustained elimination of counterfeit and pirated goods from the region’s markets.

Program Areas:

• Legislative advising to assist ECOWAS’ legal and trade offices to develop and draft an IP Policy and set of guidelines for the West Africa region

GHANA

Goal: CLDP is following up its assistance to the Ghanaian government on the creation of an Interagency Task Force on Intellectual Property Protection. The proposed IP Interagency Task Force is to be responsible, inter alia, for the harmonization of procedures on IP enforcement, the provision of timely information exchange, and coordinated responses to IP infringement.

Program Areas:

Two key areas of IP assistance to Ghana are:

• Development of a National Interagency Task Force on IP Matters comprised of all the agencies involved with IP protection in Ghana along with industry associations
• IP public outreach and advocacy programs including training and workshops to improve: 1) recognition and protection of Ghanaian brands; and 2) the public perception of the negative health and economic consequences of purchasing counterfeit and pirated goods.

LIBERIA

Goal: CLDP is following up its assistance to the Government of Liberia (GOL) on the creation of a National Interagency Task Force on Trade Related Matters. The Task Force is being developed in order to harmonize procedures on trade related law enforcement (including intellectual property), and to provide a timely exchange of information and coordinated responses to infractions by Liberian government agencies.

Program Areas:

• Development of a National Interagency Task Force on IP Matters comprised of all the agencies involved with IP protection in Liberia along with industry associations

MALI

Goal: CLDP is working closely with the USAID Mission in Mali together with the Malian Government (GOM) to improve the skills and effectiveness of several key agencies for a better enforcement of IP rights.

Program Areas:

• Improving skills and knowledge of officials involved in enforcement of IP including the judiciary, but also customs officials and prosecutors/police, facilitating internal cooperation among agencies but also cooperation at the border among law enforcement entities in West Africa,
• Protection of Seeds and Plant Hybrids: Plant Varieties and Related Rights to preserve Agricultural Resources
• Assessing potential support of the development and implementation of Geographic Indications in Culture and Commercialization of Malian products