Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Online Reporter
THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and creators to access streamlined global protection for their industrial designs in order to strengthen competitiveness, encourage innovation, and enhance participation in global value chains.
This was revealed by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, during the World Symposium on Geographical Indications (WIPO) in Victoria Falls on Thursday.
Minister Ziyambi said the Government has already made significant strides in modernising the intellectual property framework and aligning it with international best practices.
“I am proud to announce that Zimbabwe is actively pursuing accession to two landmark international instruments: the Lisbon Agreement on Geographical Indications and the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs.
“Our efforts to join the Lisbon Agreement signal our determination to provide strong, effective, and internationally recognised protection for Zimbabwe’s origin-linked products—be they our aromatic teas, unique agro-products, or artisanal crafts rooted in our cultural landscapes.
“This step will not only enhance the economic viability of rural and indigenous producers but will also ensure that Zimbabwe’s distinctive heritage is properly acknowledged and safeguarded on the global stage,” said Minister Ziyambi.
Minister Ziyambi said the Government’s commitment to accede to the Hague Treaty is a strategic move to foster innovation in design and industrial creativity.
“By joining this international system, Zimbabwe aims to empower its entrepreneurs and creators to access streamlined global protection for their industrial designs, thereby strengthening competitiveness, encouraging innovation, and enhancing our participation in global value chains.
“These measures are integral to Zimbabwe’s broader intellectual property policy and implementation strategy, anchored in reform, institutional strengthening, and digital transformation,” said Minister Ziyambi.
He said the nation is updating national IP laws and modernising the operations of the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office (ZIPO), with a clear vision to establish an ecosystem where creativity, knowledge, and innovation flourish within a framework of legal certainty and international alignment.
Minister Ziyambi said Zimbabwe’s engagement in the symposium, organised in close partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), further reflects the Government’s policy of active re-engagement with the international community, embracing economic diplomacy, regional integration, and sustainable development as key pillars of its national transformation agenda.
The two-day symposium has attracted delegates from across the world, with a resounding affirmation of Africa’s growing voice and relevance in the global intellectual property discourse.
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