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Rwanda Takes the Lead in Joining the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

10-Jun-2019 | Source : African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) | Visits : 4350
ARUSHA - The ARIPO Office announced in a press release that it has received the Instrument of Accession of the Republic of Rwanda to the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants within the framework of ARIPO. This makes Rwanda the first ARIPO Member State to become party to the Protocol that was adopted by a Diplomatic Conference of ARIPO Member States held to that end in Arusha, Tanzania on July 6, 2015.

Pursuant to Article 40 of the Protocol, any State which is a member of ARIPO or any State to which membership is open may become party to this Protocol either by signature followed by deposit of an instrument of ratification or by deposit of an instrument of accession.

When the Arusha Protocol was adopted on July 6, 2015, it was signed on the same day by four ARIPO Member States, namely: The Gambia, Ghana, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. As from its provisions (Article 42), the Protocol remained open for signature until December 31, 2015. The United Republic of Tanzania later signed the Protocol on September 28, 2015.

This is indeed a positive step towards implementing an effective regional system that will allow farmers access to a wide range of improved varieties to contribute to the attainment of the regional goal of economic development and food security.

In order to come into force, the Arusha Protocol requires that four States deposit their instruments of ratification or accession.
 
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