Published on: 04/29/2024 14:30 PM
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New agreement with Namibia will help ensure the protection and enforcement of IP rights in southern Africa
Training, capacity-building, and information exchanges are part of five-year agreement
A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently signed by Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and Vivienne Katjiuongua, Chief Executive Officer of the Namibia Business and Intellectual Property Authority, provides a framework for cooperation between the two intellectual property (IP) offices regarding the protection and enforcement of IP rights.
Future joint activities called for under the MOU include exchanges of information and best practices; training and capacity-building programs; and the development of patent, trademark, and industrial design examination manuals for Namibian examiners.
“We welcome the addition of the IP Office of Namibia to the growing network of IP offices around the world that the USPTO works with to strengthen the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights,” said Director Vidal. “This new agreement marks the continuation of the USPTO’s engagement in Africa, building on existing work with Uganda and the African Regional Intellectual Property Office.”
The agreement went into effect on April 25, 2024, and will continue for five years.
For more information about the international protection of IP, please visit the USPTO’s Pursuing international IP protection webpage.
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