The Director General of OAPI, Denis BOHOUSSOU, made a noteworthy intervention during the high-level panel of the international conference on Geographical Indications (GIs) organised by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in Rome, Italy, on February 18, 2025. His remarks highlighted the Organization's remarkable successes in the development of GIs in Africa.
An impressive result: OAPI has quintupled its number of registered GIs in 10 years, going from 3 to 14 GIs, including the prestigious Penja Pepper (Cameroon), the first GI from sub-Saharan Africa recognized by the European Union.
This success rests on three pillars:
• A solid legal and structural framework
• The continued strengthening of skills in Member States
• Identifying and promoting products with high potential
OAPI is now embarking on a new ambitious phase, in collaboration with the African Union, to deploy a continental strategy for the development of GIs.
