Wednesday July 16, 2025, the final. On the eve of the official closure of the 66th series of annual meetings in Geneva, the OAPI has taken a new stage in its strategic cooperation with the OMPI . The day was marked by the signing of two memorandums of agreement between the director general of the OMPI, Daren Tang and the director general of OAPI, Denis Bohoussou.
A network to stimulate technological innovation
The first agreement relates to the creation of a network of technology support and innovation support centers - CATI , based on intellectual property documentation centers - CDPI , already established in OAPI member states . This network aims to strengthen collaboration between the various CDPIs, to promote the sharing of scientific and technological information, and to encourage technology transfer, an essential catalyst for the development of local innovation.
Renewal of the academic partnership
The second agreement renews collaboration with the University of Yaoundé II for the organization of the Master in PI . Since 2015, this program has made it possible to train nearly 500 professionals from OAPI member states and other countries around the world, thus contributing to the expansion of regional PI expertise.
Promising prospects
The Directors General of the OAPI and the OMPI also took stock of the arrested projects of the Hipoc (Head of Intellectual Property Conference) conference in Yaoundé in June 2024.
These projects include the development of national PI strategies, the valuation of geographic indications and support for the implementation of national innovation ecosystems in the member states.
In addition, the regional meeting on the development of the cultural industry will be held in the coming days and the strategies for recovering copyright in the field of sport have been mentioned, opening the voice to new concrete initiatives.
Future commitments and international cooperation
Tang confirmed his participation in the next Hipoc conference scheduled for 2026 in one of the OAPI member states. The OMPI was also invited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Intellectual Property Academy Denis Ekani - Apid in September 2025.
The day was punctuated by fruitful exchange between the director general of OAPI and Hasan Kleib Vice-Director General of the OMPI, around the engineer-brew training at the Houphouët Boigny University in Yamoussoukro .
And to close this participation in the assemblies of the member states of the OMPI, the day ended on a meeting with Konstantisnis Georgaras President Managing Director of the OPIC , highlighted the increase in deposits from the OAPI space in Canada and those of Canadian nationals at the OAPI. The parties will also define in a 2026 work plan, common interest activities in the fields of training and awareness.
Symbolizing this growing dynamic in the intensification of trade and scientific exchanges between Canada and the member states of the OAPI, a copy of a patent jointly filed by a Malian and a Canadian, was given to Mr. Bohoussou.
