On December 15, 2022, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) achieved a significant milestone by joining the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications. OAPI becomes the second intergovernmental organization to accede to the Lisbon System, marking a significant expansion of geographical coverage for the Geneva Act.

The accession of OAPI to the Geneva Act means that all 17 OAPI member states, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo, can now protect their geographical indications and appellations of origin under the Geneva Act. This offers an opportunity for OAPI member states to safeguard their unique and renowned products.

The Geneva Act, which has been in force for two years, now provides protection in 16 contracting parties, while the overall Lisbon System covers approximately 70 countries. This demonstrates the growing recognition and adoption of the Geneva Act’s framework for protecting geographical indications and appellations of origin. With OAPI’s accession, the geographical coverage of the Geneva Act is now comprehensive across all OAPI member states. The accession officially took effect on March 15, 2023, allowing OAPI member states to benefit from the streamlined application process and unified protection offered by the Geneva Act.

The accession of OAPI to the Geneva Act enhances the collective efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage, economic value, and distinctive qualities associated with geographical indications and appellations of origin in Africa. It reflects the commitment of OAPI member states to protect and promote their traditional and high-quality products on an international level.