Malawi’s celebrated hip-hop artist, Limbani Kalilani, popularly known as Tay Grin, has been invited to be a keynote speaker at the Africa Intellectual Property Rights & Innovation (AfrIPI) launch event in Uganda next month.
The multi-award-winning musician has been invited by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in conjunction with the AfrIPI.
The event, scheduled to be held on August 26 at the Speke Resort Hotel in Kampala, aims to formally announce the start of the new action plan for EU-Africa cooperation on IPR protection, the IPR Protection for Africa and will include institutional speeches on EU-Africa cooperation in the field of intellectual property (IP).
During the launch, AfrIPI’s specific plans and contributions in supporting IPR creation, protection, utilization, administration and enforcement across Africa, in line with international and Europena best practices and in support of the AfCFTA and the AU’s Agenda 2023, will be outlined.
African political leaders, representatives from the EUIPO, DG INTPA, and African Union Commission as well as the Director Generals of OAPI and ARIPO – the two regional IP offices in Africa – and Heads of African IP offices will be in attendance.
“As an internationally acclaimed artist, we would be elated and honoured if you would accept this invitation and grace this occasion with your presence…” reads part of the invitation letter to Tay Grin, signed by Joseph Peprah Yiadom from the Corporate Governance Service, European Union Intellectual Property Office.
Reacting to the invitation, Tay Grin said: “It’s a huge honor for Malawi and myself to be invited. It is very important for our nation to participate in such international events as they intend to develop our entertainment industry and provide an environment where creatives flourish and reap the benefits of their work.
“Intellectual property infringements have caused artists to lose out in a big way and now that Africa and Europe are combining forces to implement the best practices from industries that have well established laws that safeguard intellectual property is a huge milestone and something worth celebrating.”
The Nyau King added: “As I go and give this keynote address I urge fellow creatives to give support and advice were possible so that my adress at this launch speaks for us all. I dream of a time when African and more especially Malawian creatives benefit fully from the hard work they put into their craft. These are indeed exciting times and I look forward to this event.”
ARIPO is an inter-governmental organization that facilitates cooperation among member states in intellectual property matters, with the objective of pooling financial and human resources, and seeking technological advancement for economic, social, technological, scientific and industrial development.
The present members of the organization are Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where its secretariat is based.
