CISAC and ARIPO mark first collaboration with workshop on strategic plan for CMOs in Africa

CISAC and ARIPO, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization, have completed a training workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, which aims to set a four-year strategic plan for collective management organisations (CMOs) within Africa.

The four-day session, which concluded on 23 June, marks the first joint event between CISAC and ARIPO since they signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last February. The purpose of the MoU is to help champion creators’ rights and boost economic growth within the region.

The regional workshop brought together representatives from various CMOs who are members of CISAC’s Regional African Committee (CAF), along with delegates from CISAC and ARIPO.  It focused on priorities, objectives and related activities for the next four years.

A separate four-day regional workshop also took place from 3 July – 6 July in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The session, organised through the CAF, brought together more CMOs from the surrounding region. Both sessions reviewed topics including governance, documentation, licensing, and distribution. Lobbying strategies and mobilising resources within member states and regional organisations were also addressed.

CISAC Regional Director for Africa Samuel Sangwa says: ‘‘The aim of the strategic planning workshop is to identify challenges, propose support and development and put in place a robust implementation mechanism. They will craft a roadmap to drive the development of royalty collection in Africa for the next four years.’’

Following consolidation of both workshops, a strategic plan will be outlined and validated by CAF members in Kigali, Rwanda, in late July.