Uganda will this week mark a major milestone in its intellectual property (IP) development as the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Lang, undertakes a landmark mission to Kampala from December 3-5, 2025.
This visit, one of the highest-level WIPO engagements in recent years, signals Uganda’s strengthened commitment to building a robust IP ecosystem, supporting innovators, and positioning creativity as a key driver of economic transformation.
As the national IP office, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) will lead a series of core activities.
These will culminate in a major engagement on Friday, December 5, featuring a tour of school innovation exhibitions, demonstrations of the IP in Schools Program, and high-level interactions with WIPO leadership and senior Government of Uganda officials.
“As the national IP office, URSB is proud to lead this historic engagement. We look forward to showcasing the strides we have made, from expanding IP awareness to nurturing innovation in schools and across industries. This mission will deepen our collaboration with WIPO and accelerate Uganda’s journey toward an innovation-driven economy. It is an exciting opportunity for the country, and we are ready to seize it,” Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwisho.
During the mission, the WIPO Director General will hold bilateral meetings with top government leaders, including the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and the Speaker of Parliament.
He will also pay a courtesy call to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The high-level delegation, comprising senior WIPO officials from the Africa Bureau and the Development Cooperation Division, will be supported by an inter-agency organizing committee coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and URSB.
“Uganda’s innovation landscape is entering a defining moment. The visit of the WIPO Director General reaffirms our country’s growing influence in the global IP community and highlights the remarkable progress we are making in empowering creators, researchers, and young innovators. Our IP ecosystem is stronger, more vibrant, and more future-focused than ever before,” Kainobwisho noted.
The mission is expected to significantly deepen Uganda’s partnership with WIPO, accelerate IP-led development initiatives, and spotlight the nation’s ambition to foster a thriving innovation culture across all sectors.
