Mr. YASUDA, Director-General, Trial and Appeal Department of the JPO, Expresses Expectations for the Growth of SMEs in Africa at IP Webinar for Africa

September 30, 2022

The Inter-Regional Webinar on IP and Innovation for SMEs in Africa was held on September 27-28 with the theme "IP and Innovation for SMEs in Africa" and a video message by Mr. YASUDA, Director-General of the Trial and Appeal Department, was broadcasted at the opening session.

This webinar was held leveraging the Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global, a voluntary contribution made by the JPO to the WIPO, for an Africa-wide IP event related to the TICAD8 held in Tunisia August 27-28, 2022. In his video message, Mr. YASUDA, Director-General, Trial and Appeal Department, emphasized that promoting the growth of SMEs through the creation of innovation and through the appropriate grant and use of IP will contribute significantly not only to the sustainable economic development of Africa, but also to the realization of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

This webinar presented on the effective use of IP to enhance the growth of SMEs in their business as well as some successful examples of innovation promotion initiated by women entrepreneurs. The JPO commented on the need to commercialize university innovations and introduced its support programs for universities conducted.

The JPO will continue to promote cooperation with Africa to create an environment that ensures the prompt, smooth, and appropriate protection of the IP of Japanese companies in Africa.

[Last updated 30 September 2022]