Welcome New Members - International Trademark Association

INTA Representative for Africa and the Middle East, Tat-Tienne Louembe, met in Geneva on March 1 with Wend Wendland, Director of the Traditional Knowledge Division at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

During their meeting, the two officials discussed the state of traditional knowledge in Africa and other key jurisdictions, including the need to support forward-looking approaches rather than defensive approaches as a way to promote the development of local small and medium-sized enterprises involved in handicrafts. A forward-looking approach will offer indigenous communities the opportunity to fully insert themselves within the value chain established around a specific product/item early in the process. This approach will contribute to a better understanding of their IP rights and will empower them to play an active role in protection.

On the cooperation side, Mr. Louembe and Mr. Wendland agreed to organize workshops and awareness-raising activities in the coming months in Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa and to intensify the working relationship with INTA’s Indigenous Rights Committee. In this regard, Mr. Wendland thanked INTA for its latest participation in a WIPO capacity building workshop held in the Philippines.

INTA Representative Tat-Tienne Louembe supports the Association’s 510 members across Africa and the Middle East. In collaboration with the staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City and Representatives Offices around the world, Mr. Louembe works on the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives in these regions. To learn more about INTA’s activities in Africa and the Middle East, please contact Tat-Tienne Louembe at [email protected].

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of items in the INTA Bulletin, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.