Creators set to benefit from new partnership signed between key Korean and African copyright organisations

Summary
The newly-signed agreement between the Copyright Bureau of the Republic of Korea and the Malawi Collective Management Organisation COSOMA aims to raise awareness about copyright and collective management of rights.
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The Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) today signed a three-year partnership agreement with the Copyright Division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea

The agreement is the first of its kind between the Copyright Bureau of the Republic of Korea and the Malawi Collective Management Organisation (COSOMA).

Under the partnership, the two organisations will cooperate on developing training, copyright policy and data exchange, with executives from COSOMA to attend workshops overseas.

COSOMA Executive Director Dora Makwinja says creators will greatly benefit from the new agreement, with a multipronged focus on improving copyright systems.

 

“The MOU we have signed is focused mainly on the development of efficient copyright systems through capacity building and awareness raising of copyright and related rights,” Ms Makwinja says.

“Some of the targeted groups for raising awareness of copyright are the creators themselves.”

“We are also looking at exchange visits. This will entail learning from each other’s best practices in administration of copyright and management of rights, which eventually will mean that our creators will benefit from the knowledge and expertise that COSOMA acquires by learning from what our counterparts in Korea are doing,” she says.

Ms Makwinja says the planned capacity building programs are a positive step in the fight against piracy.

“We will have officials from Malawi, including law enforcement agents, visit countries with advanced enforcement system in the region as well as outside the region,” she says.

“The knowledge they will acquire will be used in developing and implementing effective enforcement measures in Malawi.”

These activities will be facilitated by WIPO, who will provide funding for the activities to be implemented. Korea has previously provided funds to WIPO for building and enhancing copyright systems in developing Asian countries.

The new agreement has now expanded its reach to Africa, with Malawi becoming the first country involved.