Since the publication of my post (PAIPO is dead. Long live PAIPO) last week, I have received the full text of the Ministerial Decisions passed at Brazzaville in November 2012 (AUMINST Dec. (V) (01)) from the AU.
The relevant paragraph (2.2.15) reads:
AMCOST takes note of the draft statutes of the Pan-African Intellectual Property Organisation (PAIPO) and commends the [African] Commission for the progress made so far in the implementation of the AU Assembly Heads of State and Governments’ decision Assembly/Decision AU/Dec.138 (VII). AMCOST requests the Commission to liaise with AMCOST Bureau and take the necessary actions to implement the assembly decision by 2013 in consultation with sectors dealing with intellectual property in Member States.
A University World News report ‘Political boost for university and research initiatives‘ (2 February 2013) provides more detail on this decision. It reports that AMCOST V asked the Commission to convene an IP Summit by May 2013 ‘to debate implementation of the organization.’ Therefore it appears that PAIPO is on the rise, like a phoenix, from the ashes. If all goes according to plan, there will be concerted efforts to move it forward this year, primarily through the proposed summit.
It will be interesting to see how the Commission proceeds with regard to this Summit – its structure/format and how open the consultative process will be. I would certainly welcome the opportunity to participate in any open deliberations, as I am sure would many others with an interest in this matter.
