Intellectual property rights: Interim mines minister, world intellectual property boss commit to support young inventors.

Prof Fuh Calistus handing symbolic gift to visiting WIPO boss

The Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, and the visiting Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, WIPO, Daren Tang, have reviewed strides made by Cameroon in the protection of intellectual property rights.

Both officials have also taken the commitment to support the development of young inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers amongst others in the protection of their intellectual property rights. 

The commitment was taken in Yaounde during an audience Minister Fuh Calistus granted the visiting WIPO boss and his delegation, Tuesday June 4. The Singaporean, it should be said, started his working visit to Cameroon Monday June 3. 

Speaking during the meeting, Prof Fuh said the meeting which comes on the heels of an audience granted the visiting officials by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, was an opportunity for him and his collaborators to present key points and orientations to the guest on what is being done to preserve and protect intellectual properties in Cameroon. 

Prof Fuh Calistus then announced that ahead of the National Technology Day, which will be sponsored by the WIPO, they have agreed to support young inventors through training within and out of the country. 

“We have been advised to raise the level of participation beyond ministerial level so that there will be an organ at the Prime Ministry to look at intellectual property in Cameroon,” the minister added. 

He also expressed government’s wish to see Cameroon get more visibility within the WIPO. This, he said, would be through the recruitment and appointment Cameroonians to positions of responsibility in the world organisation. 

“The DG has advised us that Cameroon’s society, with its cultural diversity, is a cultural heritage on its own and implores that we should preserve it because it is a very unique thing that falls in line with our living together policy,” the member of government added. 

Visiting WIPO delegation & minister’s collaborators during audience 

 

 

 

WIPO boss hails Cameroon

On his part, the visiting WIPO boss saluted Cameroon for its mosaic of culture, diversity, and traditional cuisines, which have made his first visit to a Francophone African country memorable. 

“I am very pleased that we have found in the last meetings from yesterday with the Prime Minister and today with the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, which is the focal point of issues with WIPO, that there are some concrete initiatives, projects and plans together,” Tang told journalists during presser.

At the strategic level, the visiting official assured that his organisation is going to work with government to structure the country’s National Intellectual Property Strategy to align with the National Development Strategy and consequently the 2035 Emergence Vision.

“We are going to work with the Cameroonian government to alleviate the discussion of IP (Intellectual Property) to the prime minister’s level because intellectual property is becoming horizontal, cutting across all different ministries and it touches on health, research, SMEs, arts and culture and others,” he noted. 

According to the WIPO leader, intellectual property rights should be used as an avenue to create jobs, trade investments, entrepreneurs, and research so as to give hope to Cameroonians. 

Officials immortalise visit at mines ministry 

 

 

 

‘Cameroonians are very enterprising, inventive’

The WIPO boss also hailed Cameroonians for their innovativeness which need to be developed to boost the economy. 

“Young Cameroonians are very enterprising and inventive,” he stated, before adding that they need help and support to bring their inventions to the market. 

“The Director of IP at the ministry showed us some amazing prototypes and inventions by young Cameroonians but from prototype to actual production and to successful business venture is a difficult journey,” he expatiated. 

In this light, Tang assured that WIPO will work with the ministry to mentor young inventors to be able to use IP and other tools available to become successful entrepreneurs and to create jobs and bring their inventions to the rest of the world. 

At the end of the meeting, the member of government handed symbolic gifts to the WIPO DG and the delegation that accompanied him. 

 

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3132 of Wednesday June 05, 2024

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