A national strategy for intellectual property (IP) is currently being developed for Seychelles and once completed it is expected to guide all application of the law and policies regarding intellectual property going forward, said a top official on Monday.

The principal secretary for trade, Francis Lebon, made the statement at the opening of a three-day workshop to get the feedback of different stakeholders done jointly with the Department of Trade and experts from the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO).

"We want to ensure that Seychelles has an IP strategy in place that is strong and is developed with enough foresight to help the development of our economy. The trade department and the Registrar's Office are working very closely to create this strategy," he said.

Lebon added that apart from the national strategy, the Trade Department along with other stakeholders are also working on reviewing several laws concerning intellectual property.

"Intellectual property is relatively new to Seychelles, there are a lot of frameworks that need to be set in place. It is something that cannot be put to the side. The protection of intellectual property is important for all aspects of economic development. We are ensuring that all bases are covered and are linked to each other properly," said the principal secretary.

The registrar general, Wendy Pierre, said that it is important to address targets that have been set regarding intellectual property not only as a legal tool but as a tool that can be used in different ways.

"The development of a national strategy for the IP, we see it as one of the most important targets we've set that we need to realise. We intend to be in a position to consolidate all efforts and maximise all potentials, which for years have existed without a clear vision, resulting in many lost opportunities," she said.

Pierre said there have been attempts at developing such a strategy but the process was flawed given the absence of key partners.

"We cannot develop a strategy in limbo, the strategy would need to be implemented, it has to become the backbone of the IP sector, guiding the decisions we make, ranging from capacity building, law reviews, regional and international cooperation, trading and commerce," she explained.

The director of intellectual property for ARIPO, David Njuguna, said that this session is meant to create a roadmap for developing a National Intellectual Property Strategy.

"At ARIPO, we are aware that there is a lot of creativity and innovation taking place in our countries, including in academic and research institutions. However, the benefits of creativity and innovation may not be fully realised or adequately rewarded due to a lack of awareness of the crucial role that intellectual property management plays in supporting and promoting creativity and innovation. Therefore, an IP strategy provides a framework for enhancing intellectual property awareness for the nation," he said.

This workshop also coincides with World Intellectual Property Day which falls on Friday, April 26.