As a prelude to the official ceremony for the presentation of the registration certificate for the "Bandiagara shallot" Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) on July 20, 2023, in Bamako, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Mali – representing the Minister – solemnly opened the awareness and training workshop on the governance and management of PGIs.
In his address, he emphasized the importance of this recognition for these specific products, which belong to artisanal, cultural, and even agricultural heritage, highlighting its potential to enhance their commercial value for the economic development of our countries. This workshop aims to familiarize stakeholders with the regulations governing the use of the OAPI logo on their PGIs in their commercial practices and how to defend them in case of infringement.
While commending the numerous efforts of OAPI, through its Director General Denis BOHOUSSOU, to address the development challenges faced by member states, the Secretary General praised the strong turnout at the workshop, including the President of the Bandiagara district, the Director of the Malian Center for the Promotion of Industrial Property (CEMAPI), representatives of GI groups, and producers. As
a reminder, "Bandiagara Shallots" was officially registered with OAPI as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) on June 4, 2021, the first of its kind for Mali. In addition to the Sugarloaf Pineapple from the Allada Plateau in Benin, the Violet de Galmi and Kilichi pineapples from Niger, and the Saponé Hat pineapple from Burkina Faso, this registration brings the number of PGIs in OAPI member states to eight, within the framework of the first phase of the PAMPIG (Program for the Promotion of Protected Geographical Indications).
