Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
INTELLECTUAL property (IP) protection and its role in growing Africa’s creative economy will come under the spotlight on August 18, when the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hosts a virtual Digital Press Briefing on IP for Growth.
The briefing will feature Katherine M. Hiner, the USPTO’s Intellectual Property Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa, who will discuss how effective IP protection can support creativity, investment and economic growth.
Hiner, who is based at the United States Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa, will focus on Africa’s creative economy and how IP protection has contributed to the growth of the United States economy.
The music industry is expected to be one of the key areas of discussion, making the briefing relevant to Zimbabwean and other African creatives.
The engagement comes as creative industries across Africa continue to grow and contribute to employment, economic development and cultural expression.
For musicians, filmmakers, writers, visual artists and designers, IP rights are important in ensuring that their work is protected from unauthorised use and that they can benefit financially from their creations.
The briefing will also give journalists an opportunity to explore how stronger IP systems can encourage creators and investors to participate in the creative economy.
Hiner is scheduled to speak at 1PM South African Standard Time (SAST), which is 11AM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and 7AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) in Washington, D.C.
The briefing will be conducted in English and will be held on the record. Journalists will also have an opportunity to ask questions on intellectual property, creative industries and the link between IP protection and economic growth.
IP protection gives creators and innovators legal rights over their original works and inventions, encouraging further investment and development.
In the music industry, copyright protection can help ensure that songwriters, composers, performers and other rights holders benefit when their work is used commercially.
The discussion is therefore expected to look at IP not only as a legal issue, but also as a tool for economic empowerment.
Hiner has extensive experience in intellectual property, international trade and enforcement issues.
As IP Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa, she assists United States businesses in protecting and enforcing their intellectual property rights across the region.
Her work includes engaging local enforcement authorities, supporting strong IP provisions in national laws and monitoring their implementation.
She also conducts capacity-building programmes for local officials, including patent and trademark examiners, to promote the effective registration and enforcement of IP rights.
Before joining the USPTO, Hiner served as Associate Director of Operations at the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) in Washington, D.C.
She also worked as a supervisory attorney in the USITC’s Office of the Secretary, where she contributed to trade remedy and fact-finding missions.
Her work at the USITC included intellectual property analysis for studies on Sub-Saharan Africa and flexibilities under the World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
In 2019, she received the Commissioners’ Award, the highest honour awarded to USITC staff, for her exceptional work and contribution to the agency.
Hiner holds a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Ithaca College’s Roy H. Park School of Communications.
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