Verna Sinimbo, deputy minister of industrialisation and trade, has called for strengthened cooperation between Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and its sister organisation, China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) especially in areas of patent examination and digitalisation of the business processes.
Sinimbo was addressing delegates at the BIPA and the embassy of the people’s republic of China intellectual property stakeholder engagement event last week.
She stated that she was pleased to note that Namibia has made significant strides in protecting intellectual property rights in recent years adding that the country has implemented a number of legal frameworks and policies that are designed to protect domestic and foreign inventions.
“As we continue to grow and expand our economy, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect our intellectual property and ensure that businesses in Namibia have the support they need to thrive.
“I am confident that this engagement will serve as a valuable resource for the Chinese business community in Namibia, and I encourage you all to take advantage of the services and information that will be provided here today. By working together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous future for our business communities,” Sinimbo said.
She went on to state that as a government through BIPA, Namibia stands ready to work with businesses and partners across the country to allow businesses and investors to use IP as a powerful tool to bring their ideas to the market.
“We encourage you to support innovators, creators and entrepreneurs in our country and beyond to climb together, scale together and win together. Intellectual property (IP) is also currently high on the African Union (AU)’s agenda because of its eminence in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA was established as a body to enhance Africa’s cross-border trade with the basic objective of creating a single market for goods, services, facilitated by movement of persons in order to deepen the economic integration of the African continent.
“However, international trade is about much more than moving goods and services across borders. Innovation, creativity and ideas represent a large amount of the value that changes hands in international trade and effective trade policy must enhance this value and facilitate the flow of knowledge-rich goods and services outside our borders,” explained Sinimbo.
In the fast-growing digital economy, another component worth discussion is intellectual property protection, Sinimbo affirmed further stating that the registration and protection of intellectual property is a powerful tool for businesses to protect their ideas, innovations, and creations.
“Intellectual property can be used as collateral for loans or investments, as it provides a tangible asset that can be valued and leveraged. It is also a very effective tool to scale up their operations.”
Namibia and the People’s Republic of China enjoy a special friendship, expressed through various cooperations. Recently, the two countries, amongst other projects, have been working together on several projects including the development of an industrial park near the Walvis Bay Harbour. The industrial park entails a textile plant, a solar power or wind power generation plant, products assembly or home electrical appliances and machinery in order to strengthen the manufacturing capacity of Namibia. The second phase of the new road to the Hosea Kutako International Airport is also supported by the Chinese Government, which infrastructure will boost trade and investment.