Geographical Indications: Implications for Africa
The issue of geographical indications (GIs) has been around for many years and has long been the subject of heated debate in a number of international fora. The first section of this paper provides a brief definition of a GI as well as some of the historical background to the issue. Some protection has been offered for GIs in the context of the intellectual property regime under the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This paper however focuses on the discussion on GIs that is currently taking place in the World Trade Organisation. It identifies the key groups that have put forward positions on the issue and looks at the prospects of reaching an agreement on GIs in the lead-up to the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting. The final section of the paper identifies some of the implications of this debate for the African Group.