KAMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE) — Uganda is seeking to strengthen protection for artists, writers, filmmakers and other creative professionals as policymakers and intellectual property experts gather in Kampala to explore ways of turning the country’s creative talent into a stronger source of jobs, investment and economic growth.
The three-day Symposium on Copyright and Related Rights Management, which opened on Monday at Speke Resort Munyonyo, brings together government officials, industry stakeholders and intellectual property specialists to discuss how creators can better protect their work, receive royalties and benefit financially from their ideas.
The meeting is being organised by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) in partnership with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), under the theme “Empowering Creativity: Harnessing IP for Sustainable Development in Africa”.
At the heart of the discussions is a challenge facing Uganda’s creative industry: how to ensure that the people who produce music, films, literature and other artistic works can earn a fair return when their creations are used commercially.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao said copyright laws and institutions must deliver practical benefits to creators rather than simply exist on paper.
“Copyright protection must translate into tangible benefits for creators,” Mr Mao said, adding that artists, writers, filmmakers and other innovators should be able to protect their work, earn from their talent and contribute to national development.
The push comes as digital platforms continue to create new opportunities for creative businesses while raising questions about ownership, unauthorised use of content and the collection and distribution of royalties.
Weak enforcement and piracy can undermine the ability of creators to build sustainable careers, although the symposium’s organisers have not provided figures quantifying the financial losses associated with these challenges in Uganda.
ARIPO Director General Bemanya Twebaze said stronger cooperation between African intellectual property offices and industry stakeholders could help build systems that protect creative works and expand commercial opportunities across the continent.
“By strengthening cooperation among intellectual property offices and other stakeholders, Africa can build more effective copyright systems that protect creative works, promote commercialisation and expand opportunities for creators across the continent,” he said.
URSB Board Chairman Francis K. Butagira said intellectual property should be treated as an economic asset capable of supporting business growth, attracting investment and creating employment.
For Uganda, that means looking beyond the cultural value of music, film, writing and other creative products to the economic opportunities they can generate when ownership rights are properly recognised and enforced.
URSB Registrar General Mustapher Ntale said the Bureau was working to help Ugandans understand their intellectual assets, protect ownership and derive greater value from their creations.
He said awareness, effective administration and cooperation among stakeholders were necessary to ensure that creative work could support sustainable livelihoods.
The symposium is also examining piracy, licensing, the commercial use of digital content and the Kampala Protocol on Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights, adopted in August 2021 under the ARIPO framework.
The discussions are expected to focus on practical approaches to copyright administration and the commercialisation of creative works, as Uganda and other African countries seek to strengthen the institutions that support their creative economies.
For artists and other rights holders, the wider test will be whether stronger legal protections translate into fairer payments, more reliable royalty systems and greater opportunities to earn from their work.
The meeting runs until October 21.
