Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Minister of Trade and Industrialisation, Lucia Iipumbu has advised Namibian intellectual property holders to voluntarily register for copyright, as this can be used as collateral to secure loans or engage with direct foreign investors.
Iipumbu shared this advice on Wednesday while presenting the Kampala Protocol on the voluntary registration of copyright and related rights in the National Assembly.
She emphasized that voluntary registration of copyright and related rights reassures the business community and opens doors for rights holders, enabling effective coordination among copyright offices, collective management organizations, rights holders, and users worldwide.
“The voluntary registration of Copyright and Related Rights will enable an author to have a registration certificate that can be a prima facie evidence of ownership of copyright and related rights works. This will enable the rights holder to approach the financial institutions for loans, collaterals or engage foreign direct investors or enter into a partnership or use the different means to commercialise the property such as licensing, merchandising, selling, etc,” she said.
She also pointed out that in case of any disputes regarding the property, the certificate may be used as prima facie evidence of ownership. The absence of voluntary national registration systems may result in large-scale cross-border infringement cases, particularly with digital works.
The establishment of a copyright database through the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) will be beneficial, as it will serve as a central point for information on copyright works and their ownership, ensuring conformity in the registration of works.
“The regional voluntary registration of copyright and related rights is also expected to enhance ARIPO’s cooperation with the national offices responsible for copyright in order to achieve the purpose of the Protocol,” she said.
Iipumbu added that the ratification of the Protocol is timely, as Namibia has made significant progress in developing and finalizing the Copyright Bill, which will be presented to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation in the second quarter.
“Currently, Namibia registers creative works, although there is no legal provision for it in the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 1994 (Act No. 6 of 1994). This discrepancy will be addressed by the Copyright Bill once it is promulgated,” she said.
