TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY AUTHORITY OF BENIN
As part of a technical assistance program by the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) to the Directorate of Industrial Development of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Benin, a working meeting took place in Cotonou from May 19 to 23 with the National Industrial Property Authority, which serves as the national liaison with the African Intellectual Property Organization (Structure Nationale de Liaison avec l’Organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle – SNL-OAPI).
The program aims to enhance the skills of the national authority’s personnel and to support the domestic innovation ecosystem through training workshops and capacity-building activities in the field of Industrial Property. It is implemented by the Legal Support Directorate of OBI (represented by Ms. Katerina Margellou, Deputy Director General and Director of Legal Support, and Ms. Myrto Lambrou Maurer, Head of International Affairs), in collaboration with the European Public Law Organization (EPLO).
The meeting aimed to map the national industrial property system and to define the necessary actions for its development.
Participants included Mr. Roufai Adekambi, Head of SNL-OAPI; Ms. Sandra Ayayi, Head of the Intellectual Property Promotion Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Ir. Codjo Gaston Ouikoun, representative of the Institute of Agricultural Research; and officials from the national authority. From the EPLO, participants included Ms. Lola Lyberopoulou, Director of European and International Programs; Ms. Lea Stavrou, Program Officer; and Dr. Ioannis Kikkis, Intellectual Property Expert.
As part of the technical assistance program, a two-day training seminar was also held at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abomey-Calavi, focusing on Geographical Indications and Plant Varieties. The seminar was attended by 51 students, researchers, and SNL-OAPI staff.
