Prof. Mwakaje Urges Africa to Strengthen Legal Frameworks in Regional Integration and Intellectual Property
By Special Correspondent, CMU
The University of Dar es Salaam Chief Corporate Counsel and Secretary to Council, Prof. Saudin Jacob Mwakaje, has called upon African countries to embrace robust policy and legal frameworks in advancing African Regional Integration and Intellectual Property (IP) Law initiatives.
Prof. Mwakaje made the call when delivering his keynote address as Guest of Honour at the Launching Ceremony of the 18th Cohort of the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP) Programme, held on 18th August 2025 at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Speaking on the theme “African Regional Integration and Intellectual Property Law: Opportunities in Recent Developments”, Prof. Mwakaje, an Associate Professor at the UDSM School of Law (UDSoL), emphasised that in today’s knowledge-driven global economy, intellectual property rights (IPRs) remain central to Africa’s development agenda.
He stressed that teaching and research in IPRs must be contextualised to Africa’s realities and competitive advantages, ensuring that intellectual property becomes an enabler of innovation, industrialisation, and regional integration.
The colourful event attracted prominent figures in the IP fraternity, including Prof. Peter Mageto, Vice Chancellor of Africa University; Mr. Tesuya Muralami, representing the Embassy of Japan in Zimbabwe; Mr. Victor Owade, Counsellor at the WIPO Academy; and Mr. Bemanya Twebaze, Director General of ARIPO.
Strategic regional engagements for constructive collaboration
This keynote builds on Prof. Mwakaje’s continued involvement in advancing intellectual property discourse across Africa. Earlier in April 2025, he delivered a keynote presentation on trademark law at a high-level national workshop on Intellectual Property for Justices of Appeal of Tanzania, held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.
His presentation, titled “Trademarks Principles, Infringements, Remedies and Jurisprudential Perspective”, offered an in-depth analysis of trademark law, covering the legal principles governing trademarks, common forms of infringement, available legal remedies, and the evolving jurisprudence in Tanzania and the broader African context.
The University of Dar es Salaam regards such strategic regional engagements as vital for strengthening institutional visibility and fostering constructive collaboration in IP education and research with other African universities.
Currently, UDSM offers two master’s programmes in Intellectual Property, both hosted at the UDSM School of Law: the LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP). The latter is offered in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), and the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), reflecting UDSM’s strong partnerships in advancing Africa’s intellectual property landscape.