China and Ethiopia are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. As both major developing countries and BRICS members, the two countries have had solid foundation for cooperation, great potentials and wide prospects. Especially in the Belt and Road cooperation on intellectual property, both China and Ethiopia have carried out a series of practical cooperation. During the Third Belt and Road High-Level Conference on Intellectual Property, China Intellectual Property News interviewed Woldu Yemessel Baraki, Director General of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Administration (EIPA), recalling the "highlights" of China-Ethiopia IPR cooperation.

CIPN reporter

What has impressed you most so far about intellectual property cooperation between the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Administration (EIPA) within the framework of the Belt and Road? Especially after Ethiopia was officially invited to join BRICS in 2023, what kind of cooperation do you expect the two sides to continue to deepen in the field of intellectual property?

Woldu·Yemessel·Baraki

The cooperation started when the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (now CNIPA) and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (now EIPA) signed Memorandum of Understanding for the cooperation (MoU) in 2011. Under the framework of cooperation in science, technology, economy, trade, and social development between China and Ethiopia our cooperation aims to strengthen intellectual property protection, promote awareness building, and capacity building. That includes strengthening exchange and cooperation in the field of patent examination, training of patent examiners, providing IPR-related scholarship programs and exchange and sharing of information. Strengthening IP cooperation is also a universal vision for Belt and Road countries.

In the last few years, we have successfully implemented the first Plan of Action signed in 2016. Senior experts from CNIPA provided practical training in Ethiopia on patent and industrial design to our examiners. The training was held in Addis Ababa in a time frame of three years (2016-2019). Last year I had the honor to review our a bilateral cooperation when I met with H.E Dr. Shen Changyu, CNIPA Commissioner, in Jinan city on the sides of the 12th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference and International Seminar on Geographical Indications organized jointly CNIPA and WIPO. During that meeting we reaffirmed to scale up the existing partnership and strengthen bilateral relations on matters related to the innovation, utilization and protection of intellectual property rights and I highlighted the need to upgrade the bilateral relations so as to include the GIs based IPR that highly support revitalization of rural economies and communities. As a result, China and Ethiopia are about to sign the second Plan of Action to elevate our cooperation to a higher level.

BRICS membership also creates a unique opportunity to even more strengthen the cooperation. We are aware that the BRICS IP offices uphold the spirits of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win result. Hence, we expect support in the fields of training and examiner exchange program; national IP strategy and promotion of public awareness; IP strategy for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). We hope the upcoming 16th IP BRICS Head of Offices meeting will address these issues.

CIPN reporter

In recent years, China and Ethiopia have reached many consensuses on issues such as infrastructure construction, green development, investment and entrepreneurship, and the "green channel" and trade financing quota for African agricultural products to enter China. What kind of support and promotion do you think the intellectual property work of the two offices has brought to these issues? In what aspects do you hope to continue to deepen cooperation?

Woldu·Yemessel·Baraki

It is true China and Ethiopia have maintained strong cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. One of the most relevant area of cooperation related to EIPA objectives and national goals is the recently (July 2024) cooperation agreement, which was signed during the 3rd Ethio-China Joint Committee Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Addis Ababa to further strengthen cooperation in technology transfer, human resources development, and the establishment of scientific laboratories. I believe this agreement enhances the role of our IP system in promoting innovation and transfer of technology. As I mentioned earlier, we will sign the second Plan of Action for implementing our cooperation agreement and the areas I mention under the IP BRICS framework remain the most important areas to strengthen and deepen our cooperation. We aspire, in partnership with CNIPA, to build a robust innovation ecosystem through strengthening research institutions, advancing technologies, facilitating skills development, and enhancing our IPR protection system.

CIPN reporter

How do you evaluate the Belt and Road cooperation on intellectual property? What are your expectations for the Third Belt and Road High-Level Conference on Intellectual Property?

Woldu·Yemessel·Baraki

As this is the Third High–Level Conference, I think it will create an opportunity to appraise the status and achievements of the decisions of the previous two conferences. I understand that the previous conferences have created the opportunity for China and BRI countries to strengthen cooperation with a large number of countries on IPR. In fact, as the most of the BRI countries, including my country, are developing countries, the awareness of the public regarding IPR is very limited and it is very important to create awareness in the general public about the need for a strong IPR protection systems as well as strengthening the capacity of the IP offices. I am glad to see that the theme of the conference further highlights deepening IPR cooperation and promoting regional development.

In conclusion, the conference creates a unique opportunity to all participants to share both the success and contemporary changes prevalent in the global IPR system and devise practical solutions to utilize IPR for development and transformation in all sectors of economy. I am eager to share experience, learn more on global developments and strengthen cooperation with the BRI countries in general and CNIPA in particular. (by Li Yangfang/Xue Peiwen)