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Rwanda Gets Free Access to the World Digital Patent Library

27-Mar-2013 | Source : | Visits : 7157
KIGALI - The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Ministry of Sports and Culture has launched the first ever Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) which will offer to Rwandans free access to the world digital patent library, according to a press release by the Ministry.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Trade and Industry François Kanimba noted that the TISC project has been designed by World Intellectual Property Organization in order to assist innovators, research centers, academia, SMEs,… to access and use technology information for innovation and to create, protect and manage their intellectual property rights.

“TISC Project is providing Rwanda with the human resource development opportunities that we cannot afford to miss and the capacity building needs for training entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, scientists, and teachers to find the appropriate knowledge, import it, adapt it to local conditions and use it to solve local problems by producing more knowledge-intensive goods and services could finally be within our easy reach with this TISC program”, the Minister emphasized.

According to Mr. Elangi Botoy Ituku, Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)-Geneva, through the TISC Project, WIPO will foster innovation in Rwanda by providing : “Assistance in searching technical information using free patent databases, access to scientific Publications , Training on how to access specialized databases and how to explore them effectively, Business-Support, Social Forum (e-TISC), e-Tutorial on patent basics, patent search and analysis and e-Learning Courses such as Intellectual Property management and patent drafting, etc”.

The Center will provide free access to three largest patent related databases in the world including the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) which currently gather information about more than 100 million patents.

The National Library in Kigali will act as a central point within a TISC network in Rwanda whereas other TISCs will be established in Institutions recognized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry so as to extend the national capacity and infrastructure in the field of Intellectual Property.

Rwanda is the seventh Country in the Sub Saharan Africa to establish such kind of Center after Mozambique, Madagascar, Togo, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon.
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