Geneva (Switzerland) on July 9 and 10 – in accordance with the agenda, the Director General of OAPI Denis Bohoussou and his entourage continue their work program with the institutions present in Geneva, with a new series of high-level meetings dedicated to cooperation.
The Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property mobilized for economic growth through innovation
The 3rdand 4thdays were dedicated to the second annual conference of the Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property held on the sidelines of the Assemblies.
This meeting brought together, for the first time, a broad representation of intellectual property offices from the full member states of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), as well as several institutional partners, namely the Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers (CPCCAF), the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), all committed to promoting innovation, the knowledge economy and the valorization of intangible assets in the global space where French is the common language.
The discussions provided an opportunity to review the Alliance's achievements, identify cooperation opportunities for the coming months, and prepare for the next conference scheduled for March 2027 in Tunis. For WIPO Director General Daren Tang , the actions undertaken so far have demonstrated the region's robust infrastructure and its potential for the collective development of its assets.
The round table organized on the theme "Accelerating growth in the Francophone economic space"therefore highlighted the strategic role of intellectual property in the competitiveness of economies, the development of innovation and the creation of value.
On this occasion, the Director General of OAPI, Denis Bohoussou, welcomed the progress made while stressing the need to strengthen the mechanisms for valuing IP assets in order to make them true instruments of financing, investment and economic growth, particularly in Africa.
Signing of a new work plan with OMPIC
In another meeting, the OAPI delegation held a working session with theMoroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC), headed by its Director General, Abdelaziz Babqiqi. The meeting concluded with the signing of the 2026-2027 Work Plan. This new cooperation instrument reflects the shared commitment to strengthening joint actions in the areas of industrial property development, expertise sharing, and capacity building for the benefit of their respective users and ecosystems.
Strengthening cooperation with the Japanese Patent Office
A fruitful meeting also took place with the delegation from theJapan Patent Office (JPO), led by its Deputy Commissioner Yasuda Futoshi.
The discussions highlighted the positive results of the training activities undertaken. Both parties agreed to continue and strengthen their collaboration, particularly in the area of substantive patent examination, recognized as an essential procedure for improving the quality of granted patents and supporting innovation.
A constant commitment to serving Member States Through these various meetings, OAPI reaffirms its commitment to developing strategic partnerships, strengthening synergies with international intellectual property actors and promoting initiatives likely to contribute to economic development, innovation boom and competitiveness within its regional space.
