Hutuba ya Waziri wa Katiba na Sheria Siku ya Ufunguzi wa Mkutano wa ARIPO Zanzibar.

A WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL

 AFFAIRS AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING

OF THE 36TH SESSION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE

COUNCIL OF AFRICAN REGIONAL INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (ARIPO) AT ZANZIBAR

BEACH RESORT 26TH – 30TH NOVEMBER, 2012

Waziri wa Katiba na Sheria Zanzibar .Mhe Abubakary Khamis Bakar.

Your Excellency the guest of honor Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad

The 1st Vice President of Zanzibar

Mr. Chairperson

Hon. Ministers

The Principal Secretaries

Director General of ARIPO

Deputy Director General of WIPO

Director General of OAPI

Distinguishes Delegates

Invited guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Your Excellency the 1st Vice President Mr. Chairperson and dear delegates. Let me first of all, well come all our guests to our spice Islands of Zanzibar. The Islands of Zanzibar are historically known as Islands of a potpourri of cultures. Much has been said written and sung about our Spice Islands. I am sure to those of you who are here for the first time are not and will not be disappointed by the beauty and integrity of our stone town architecture , the spices of Zanzibar and above all, the Zanzibaris themselves, men and women – who are open hearted, emotional and hospitable people. On their behalf, on behalf of our Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and on my own behalf, I am saying with our usual Zanzibar smile “karibuni sana na mujihisi muko nyumbani” – that is very warm welcome to you all and please feel at home.

Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen your one week stay in Zanzibar will no doubt leave an impression to you on our history, culture, policies, economy, development and hospitality. Please find time to visit some of our interesting areas and experience what Zanzibar has to offer to you. We have flora and fauna, slave market and slave cave spices and cloves, culture and religion and above all the Government of National Unity which has retained peace and tranquility to our society. If you could spare extra time, please fly to Pemba, a sister Island of Unguja (Zanzibar) and enjoy the romantic nature of the Island, which is still virgin and over whelmingly green.

Your Excellency, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen; coming to business now, I wish to refresh our delegates that IP and even copyright activities done in Zanzibar are entirely under close supervision of the Government of Zanzibar. This is so because IP and copyrights do not fall under union umbrella; and therefore the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, under Art. 105(2) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania can legally discharge its functions with regards to IP and copyright programmes.

Your Excellency, WIPO and ARIPO have realized this constitutional requirement and are at all times dealing with Zanzibar as a separate entity with regards to IP and copyright. We are sincerely grateful to them. However WIPO and ARIPO are duty bound as much as we in the Government are, to impart this knowledge to other countries and attorneys. The question of designation to Tanzania in the application by these patent and trade mark attorney to seek IP rights protection in the United Republic needs special attention and consideration. They must at all times bear in mind that Zanzibar has its own agent under the Registrar General while Tanzania Mainland is represented by BRELA (Business Registration and Licensing Agency).

Your Excellency, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen. This workshop is being held in Zanzibar at a time when the issues of intellectual property rights are given priority as among top and critical agendas around the globe. Tanzania, being one of the LDCs, to whom conventional IP protection is not yet well customized, need to capitalize on the opportunities to seek protection of their original creative works such as traditional knowledge, genetics, resources and branding of their unique products. Ethiopia and Ghana, which have successfully branded their coffee and cocoa respectively have shown us the way on how Zanzibar could benefit from “Branding” of our unique local products. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, with the assistance of WIPO and ITC has therefore developed a “Branding Project” which aims at branding “Zanzibar Cloves” with the ultimate aim of capturing the right value of cloves. This will consequently increase the income of the clove producers and a boost to the economy of Zanzibar.

Your Excellency and distinguished delegates. Intellectual Property (IP) continues to be a dynamic and constantly evolving field, closely tied to technological, economic, political and social changes. Thus it is obvious that IP crimes are complex and extra ordinary by their very nature which calls for extra ordinary solution by extra ordinary national leadership that can critically examine its conveyor belt from all angles. We have to have an effective IP protection mechanism and a system of sanctions to deter the would be violators. This is a challenge to both WIPO and ARIPO member states and must aim at improving the capacity of their IP offices and other law enforcement agents and organs such as public prosecutors judges and police forces. It is my legitimate expectation your excellency, that this workshop might wish to consider this problem so as to come up with effective enforcement mechanism.

Your Excellency, this Council meeting will also vote for another ARIPO Director General to replace the current and now the outgoing Mr. Sibanda who has already served his to consecutive terms in office. I wish them all the best in your election.

I would like to thank WIPO and International Trade Centre (ITC) for their support to Zanzibar Government in their endeavor to carry the Zanzibar Cloves Branding Project to its finality. ARIPO and its secretariat deserve a mention also. It has tirelessly tried to achieve for the past ten years effective and efficient running of IP activities and improve enforcement machinery of IP rights. Our expectations is that ARIPO will excel in achieving its intents and objectives.

Finally, let me sincerely thank the Administrator Generals’ Office in Zanzibar and BRELA of Tanzania Mainland who have contributed much in making this conference a success.

With these remarks, I now humbly invite the hon. guest of honor the First vice President of Zanzibar Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad to give his key note address and then to officially open the 36th session of the Administrative Council of ARIPO.

Your Excellency, please take the floor.