Story by Oleen Ndori
ZIMBABWE is hosting the 2025 Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications in Victoria Falls which brings together representatives of national administrations, producers of GI products and GI specialists to exchange knowledge in the field.
The 2025 edition of the Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications is organised jointly by WIPO and the Companies and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe (CIPZ), with the support of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).
The Symposium provides a forum for exchanging ideas and perspectives on issues relating to the use and protection of geographical indication and also offers technical insights and information on recent developments in the field.
Addressing the gathering, WIPO Deputy Director General Ms Wang Binying commended Zimbabwe’s efforts in hosting a high-calibre symposium.
“Today’s opening of the International Symposium on GI Protection, hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe in collaboration with ARIPO, is a strong example of WIPO’s commitment to supporting developing countries, particularly in Africa. We are highly impressed by the calibre of participants and the quality of discourse. We also held fruitful bilateral meetings.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate the Government of Zimbabwe on the successful opening of this significant event—one of the most important WIPO has ever organised in this area. I am proud and confident that together, we will continue advancing towards the common good of humanity,” she said.
The symposium has attracted participants from across Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with discussions centred on the promotion of sustainable rural development, protection of GI products, and strengthening intellectual property systems.
