The Botswana Intellectual Property Policy, 2022 (“BIPP”), a government policy initiated by the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (“CIPA”), was launched on the 16th of November 2022. The BIPP highlights the scope of intellectual property (“IP”) in Botswana, recognises new IP categories and navigates the landscape of domestic law, international conventions, protocols, and treaties. It focuses on, among other things, financing for IP creation and commercialization, IP entrepreneurship & enterprise development, and the strengthening of IP negotiation structures. The BIPP essentially addresses challenges of harnessing Botswana’s IP potential and provides an institutional structure for IP. The BIPP is due to be implemented in February 2023 and is sure to usher in a new appreciation for IP law in Botswana.
