The recently published Oxford University Press publication ‘Protecting Geographical Indications in Africa’ by Marius Schneider and Nora Ho Tu Nam guides experienced readers and newcomers through the topic of geographical indications (GIs) in Africa. It is meant as a practical guide for producer associations, governments, regulatory authorities, and the judiciary with clear information on how to best protect and enforce GIs on the African continent. The book responds to the need for comprehensive information and practical advice on GIs in Africa, a promising market for GI products given the economic development of the continent and the fast-growing middle class. Producer associations of foreign GIs increasingly view Africa as a continent of opportunity, as demand for high-end and differentiated products rises.
At the same time, many African states view GIs as an opportunity to showcase and preserve local products, while ensuring producers obtain a fair price for their work far from the rollercoaster of the commodities market. Since the registration in 2010 of the first African GI under a sui generis system (Argane from Morocco), governments and producers’ associations in Africa have demonstrated an increasing appetite for GIs. The OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle Producer), regrouping seventeen mostly Francophone West African states, registered ten GIs from its member states over the period of 2013 to 2023.
The book provides a detailed overview of the laws and regulations regarding GIs in the two main regional intellectual property organizations in Africa – the African Intellectual Property Organization (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, ‘OAPI’) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) – as well as in eleven African states, namely Algeria, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa. In each state, the economic situation, the legal and judiciary system, and the protection and enforcement mechanisms are clearly and systematically laid out in a language accessible to both lawyers and non-lawyers.
Adopting an Africa-centric approach and using real-life African examples, the book also explores the economic and social opportunities offered by GIs, the legal framework within which African states operate at the international and continental level, and the mechanisms available to protect GIs.
Both authors are partners at IPvocate Africa, a law firm specialised in the protection of intellectual property rights in Africa. The book is an extension of their work to assist producer associations in protecting and enforcing their rights in Africa.
The book is available here. You may use the promotion code AUFLY30 to save 30%.
