Intellectual Property Board in the offing

Intellectual property policy was established in Rwanda back in 2009.

Though the policy has been established, artists have not benefited from it, due to different factors including lack of institutions to enforce them.

Last year, MINICOM requested WIPO to conduct a study on hindrances that deter intellectual property policy implementation in Rwanda.

The study revealed that in Rwanda different institutions share single responsibility and poor skills among staffs in charge of the sector regulation.

Speaking in meeting on intellectual property yesterday, MINICOM Minister, Vincent Munyeshyakasaid that the more the art industry grows, the more it needs good policies that protect ownership.

“As our country is developing, people are inventing new things, they are bringing new ideas but policies are not protecting them enough. We need to enhance institutional framework,” he said.

“You used to see cultural arts and artistes are located in the Ministry of Sports and Culture and Industrial arts in MINICOM, in everyday activities we used to share common services with Rwanda Development Board (RDB), many institutions shared common responsibilities and end up without anything successful thing done,” he explained.

He said that they are discussions are ongoing whether they can establish a board that will gather together all those responsibilities.

“We are thinking to establish one board that will work closely with international institutions as well as collaborating with local institutions and ministries,” he said.
He said that regulations will help people overcome loss caused by people who simulate others’ original arts.

Prof.NyasseBarthelemy a consultant working with WIPO said that the problem with Rwanda including many countries is poor skills about intellectual property.
He said that if good laws and policies were established, both artists and the country would benefit.

“It will help arts development and the country. See these baskets from Rwanda, how can Rwanda have its particularity on such items so that they can be exported? That’s what we want do, because they can help in development of Rwanda,” he said.