The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies will deliver a keynote address on the first day of the Africa Intellectual Property Forum that will be hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) at the Gallagher Estate Conference Centre in Midrand from 26 – 27 February 2013. More than 500 national, regional and international private sector stakeholders and government officials are expected to attend the conference to discuss the integral and critical role of Intellectual Property (IP) on African Economic Growth and the challenges that IP faces in Africa. According to Minister Davies, the Forum aims to highlight the need to use IP as an integral tool for economic development and industrialisation, as well as a means to facilitate competition, access to medicine and education for the poor. It will also emphasise the successes, challenges and strategies for the establishment of strong IP regimes that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and to improve trade and investment, while protecting public health and safety in Africa.

“South Africa has a draft National Intellectual Property Policy in place and this policy focuses on the effective use of IP in trade, health, education, innovation, technology transfer, access to knowledge and investment. The outcomes of the Africa Intellectual Property Conference will inform the review process of legislation which impacts on IP matters in South Africa. The South African government departments will also align their IP policies and this will assist the country to speak in one voice when it comes to IP matters both at national and international forums,” said Minister Davies. He added that governments within trading regions are striving to have a common position on IP matters. “The Forum will lead to the trade regions having harmonised laws with respect to the use of IP in trade and in its enforcement,” said Minister Davies, added that he would urge people to participate in the conference in order to pave way for the new IP Policy that is sensitive to development.