Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana has the potential to benefit from good usage of Intellectual Property (IP) to create industries, generate wealth and jobs for the advantage of the broader society, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) director general, Mr Darren Tang has said.
Touring the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub in Gaborone, Mr Tang said the country’s leadership was committed to ensuring the rights to intellectual property, which entailed the creations of the mind such as inventions, literary, musical and artistic works as well as designs and symbols used commercially.
He said in addition to having political will, Botswana had facilities such as the Innovation Hub, where various companies domiciled were offered a conducive environment to flourish in digital, science and technology knowledge- based systems.
Mr Tang noted that this was the first ever visit to Botswana by a director general of WIPO, one of the 15 specialised agencies of the UN, and administers 26 international treaties that concern a wide variety of intellectual property issues such as international patent classification.
He said he had met President Dr Mokgweetsdi Masisi three times this year, in Geneva, New York and now Gaborone, more than any other head of state in 2023, and expressed his institution’s support for Botswana’s vision to become a knowledge-based economy.
Mr Tang said he had held discussions with the University of Botswana for a master’s degree programme in Innovation Management to be developed and offered at the national university.
He said WIPA had also been supporting Chobe basket weavers to patent and brand their products using IP tools.
“We need to support a more balanced approach that will benefit the youth, women, and broader society. IP is not an end in itself but a means to support start-ups by creators, artists, and knowledge- based entrepreneurs. We need to invest in supporting research and systems that could allow for an ecosystem that supports innovative ideas to flourish,” Mr Tang said.
Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub director, Mr Diane Mongudi said Botswana acknowledged the visionary role WIPO had played in the IP landscape globally, and sought to learn best practices that would allow the country to become a global leader in the IP realm.
He said rapid technological challenges posed a threat and IP protective measures were critical in the circumstances.
He said Botswana had made significant strides in innovation, but more needed to be done to exploit the rich potential in knowledge systems and the creative industries in order to yield jobs and more income.
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