A conference in Tokyo last week attended by the director of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the Organization Africaine de la Propriété Industrielle (OAPI) and WIPO representatives discussed ways to assist Africa in developing intellectual property.

The Japanese government has announced that it will increase its WIPO contributions by SFr1.1million ($1 million) in the next financial year to pay for a funds-in-trust programme.

In the first year the money will be targeted at OAPI and ARIPO. A JPO official told Managing IP that Japan will help the two organizations with capacity building and human resource development. In the second year the programme may help national IP offices in the continent directly.

In 1987 Japan established a fund to help countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the government has said it will use the experience gained in this programme to help with the fund in Africa.

The programme will be discussed in more detail at the Fourth Tokyo International Conference in African Development in Yokohama from May 28 to 30.

Managing IP 's February issue includes an article looking at IP developments in Africa, including the promotion of technology transfer to the continent. The article is available online ( Managing IP subscription required).