Liberia News: WIPO Senior Staff Visits Liberia Intellectual Property Office

Monrovia-April-17-2024-TNR:The senior staff of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has ended a visit at the offices of Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) in Monrovia.

LIP in a statement noted, “It was an honor yesterday to receive Mr. Christopher M. Kalanje from the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) at the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO)”

Mr. Kalanje visit is upon the invitation of LIPO to be a part of the program marking the closure of the first phase of the IP Management Clinic Project which was sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Office under the COVID 19 Response Package.

The project saw 36 SMEs being educated about protecting their intellectual property which includes but not limited to brands, trademark, designs, logos, etc.

Initially, small and medium entrepreneurs/enterprises were only concerned about registering their businesses while they left their creativity vulnerable.

For instance, a fashion designer registered her business (The EJK Fashion House) and produced a specific design which is very unique to her.

Due to her not protecting the design which is the intellectual property, her design was being produced and marketed by others without her licensing or giving others the permission to produce such.

“Imagine if she was going to protect her design, she could have made thousands if not millions of dollars from her creativity.”

The IP Management Clinic Project goal is to ensure that SMEs are knowledgeable about the advantages and benefits attached to protecting your intellectual property at the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO).

“We want to thank our partner; the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) for the continuous support towards building a strong IP ecosystem in Liberia,” LIP noted.