NIGERIA: USG TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE TRIPS

UNCLAS ABUJA 002017

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA/IPC: LCHING


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIPR ETRD OEXC KPAO USTR FCUL
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: USG TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE TRIPS
AGREEMENT

REF: STATE 129187



1. As requested Reftel, in accordance with Article 67 of the
TRIPS Agreement, the US Mission in Nigeria has provided the
following technical assistance to the GON during the period
from September 2000 to August 31, 2001 in the area of
intellectual property rights protection:


-- The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the
Department of Commerce, with funding from USAID, sponsored
the participation of two officials from the Federal Ministry
of Commerce to attend the Visiting Scholars Program on
Intellectual Property, October 30 - November 9, 2000 and the
follow-on program on IPR Enforcement, November 13-17. These
two programs were conducted jointly by the USPTO and WIPO.
-- CLDP, with USAID funding, organized the "Administration of
Intellectual Property Conference", held from December 13-15,
2000 in Abuja. The Ministries of Commerce and Culture and
Tourism, the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria
(IPLAN),the Nigerian Office of Technology Acquisition and
Promotion (NOTAP),entertainers and scientists helped to
convene the conference. The conference focused on the
egregious state of Nigeria's industrial property laws and
procedures and raised the issues of Nigeria's intellectual
obligations in the area of intellectual property rights.


-- CLDP, with USAID funding, organized the "Intellectual
Property Rights Workshop" at the ECOWAS Secretariat April
4-6, 2001. This conference was attended by lawyers and
government officials from several ECOWAS member-states,
including Nigeria. The focus was primarily on what member
states must do to become compliant with TRIPS and the WIPO
treaties. A diagnostic tool was used to compare national
laws with the TRIPS agreement and identify amendments needed
to bring the national laws in compliance with TRIPS.


-- CLDP, with USAID funding, brought USPTO's Chief of
Trademark Services to Nigeria from July 8-20, 2001, to
provide technical assistance. Through the USPTO officer, the
USG provided expertise and advice on the procedural and
technical administration of an intellectual property office.
The visitor made site visits and held consultations in order
to conduct an assessment and review of the current
infrastructure and procedures in the Nigerian Trademarks,
Patents and Designs Registry, and to review the proposed
harmonized structure and procedure for all intellectual
property administration in Nigeria.
Jeter