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The head of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, was in Zimbabwe for a three-day official working visit.
Zimbabwe
Intellectual Property
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The head of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO),
Daren Tang, was in Zimbabwe for a three-day official working visit.
The visit signals a deepening engagement between WIPO and Zimbabwe
as the nation seeks to place intellectual property (IP) at the core
of its industrial, creative and rural-development ambitions.
“I am here really to see how intellectual property can be a
catalyst for growth and development of the country,” Mr Tang
said upon arrival.
A Conversation at State House: New Era for
IP?
On December 1, 2025, Mr Tang met with the President of Zimbabwe,
Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare. The meeting was
described in local media as “historic”, underlining the
importance of the meeting between the head of WIPO with the
President to place creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship at
the forefront of economic development.
In remarks after the closed-door meeting, Tang said: “I
think intellectual property will become very important to this
country’s development.” He pointed out that WIPO will help
Zimbabwe formulate a new national IP strategy, working
“closely with the minister and other officials.”
Highlighting the creative and entrepreneurial potential of
Zimbabwe, he said: “You have great entrepreneurs; there is a
lot of music and culture, and there are many young talented
entrepreneurs.”
The mood was one of optimism. President Mnangagwa reportedly
shared Zimbabwe’s national development philosophy of
“nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (“a country is
built by its people”), underlining the government’s
aspiration that home-grown talent and innovation will drive future
growth. They talked about strengthening innovation ecosystems,
including the development of innovation hubs and
support systems that help creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators
turn their ideas into economically viable ventures. Discussions
included how IP rights such as geographical indications
(GIs) and other forms of IP could promote local products,
support small-holder farmers and rural
livelihoods.
The two discussed cooperation including ways in which WIPO can
provide IP training and support so that the country can negotiate
and advance IP interests in regional and international forums.
Overall, the meeting underscored a strategic partnership approach,
not merely assistance, with the aim of using IP as a catalyst for
economic development.
What WIPO has done to Promote Intellectual Property in
Zimbabwe
Although this visit between the DG of WIPO and the President was
the first of its kind in Zimbabwe, the country has been a long-time
member of WIPO since its independence and its partnership with WIPO
has resulted in a number of successful and meaningful projects for
the advancement of knowledge about IP and the importance of IP
rights. Some of those projects are:
Strengthening IP education programs, such as the Master’s
in Intellectual Property jointly with WIPO, ARIPO (African Regional
Intellectual Property Organization) and Africa University situated
in Mutare, Zimbabwe as well as supporting the TISC (Technology and
Innovation Support Centres) Network which helps innovators access
IP and technology information.
WIPO Coaching and Mentoring Project for local entrepreneurs
provided intensive support to 50 Zimbabwean Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs), helping them better understand how to use IP in
business growth.
Zimbabwe, with WIPO support, has hosted major events such as
the Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications (2025), held at
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, bringing global IP experts to the country
and spotlighting Zimbabwean products in international markets.
WIPO and Zimbabwe continued collaboration on reviewing and
improving the national IP policy and legal framework, helping
ensure laws are effective for both creators and businesses. This
includes stakeholder engagements and workshops like National IP
Week.
With respect to using IP to support Zimbabwe’s National
Development Strategy, the Director General expressed its readiness
to partner with Zimbabwe to utilize IP for national
industrialisation and economic transformation.
What This Means for Zimbabwe’s Development
Future
The high-level discussion in Zimbabwe, signals the importance
that both the President of Zimbabwe and the DG of WIPO place on IP
not just as a legal concern, but as a strategic pillar in economic
development through commercialization.
The proposed national IP strategy, to be developed with WIPO
support, could further strengthen legal and institutional backbone
for innovation, research, and creativity to flourish under
protection and enable commercialization. The government’s
ambition to roll out rural industries across provinces, anchored on
locally developed IP-protected products, aligns with broader
economic goals of decentralised industrialisation and value
addition.
Zimbabwe also holds a strategic regional advantage as host to
the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO),
whose headquarters are in Harare. ARIPO plays a central role in the
administration and harmonisation of intellectual property systems
across Africa. Its presence enhances Zimbabwe’s visibility and
influence in regional IP governance and capacity-building.
Strengthening enforcement and IP-awareness, especially among law
enforcement, customs, judiciary and business communities, could
deter counterfeits and help genuine innovators benefit from their
creations, a key move for creative industries, agriculture, crafts,
and SME’s. Through collaboration with WIPO, Zimbabwe could
become an IP-hub, encourage innovation and investment, and
integrate into global IP systems.
As WIPO Director-General Daren Tang put it, intellectual
property “can be a catalyst for growth and
development…”
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