We are pleased to inform our clients and colleagues of a notable development in the African intellectual property landscape.
On 27 May 2025, the Republic of Mauritius officially acceded to the Harare Protocol on Patents, Industrial Designs, and Utility Models during the 4th Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Conference (HIPOC) held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Mauritius becomes the 21st member state of the Protocol, which is administered by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).
With effect from 27 August 2025, applicants will be able to designate Mauritius in ARIPO applications for:
- Patents
- Utility Models
- Industrial Designs
The Harare Protocol, adopted in Harare, Zimbabwe on 10 December 1982, establishes a centralised and efficient procedure for filing and managing intellectual property rights across member states. Current contracting parties include Botswana, Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, and now, Mauritius.
This accession enhances the regional IP framework and opens new avenues for protection across a broader geographical scope for innovators, businesses, and rights holders.
Honey & Blanckenberg remains at the forefront of intellectual property law in Zimbabwe and across the ARIPO region. Our IP team is available to advise and assist with applications, filings, and strategy in light of this development.