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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=FR link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>A seemingly remote African Union proposal to create a Pan-African Intellectual Property Organization appears to have gained momentum and will come before African science and technology ministers for review in early November, according to sources. A copy of the final draft statutes shows how the new body would operate, and for some observers, how it would elevate African IP standards well above current levels, with “disastrous consequences” for access, development, and human rights.  This might be of interest to Kictanet members, see http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/09/27/move-toward-new-pan-african-ip-organisation-alarms-observers/?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>-------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Jaco DU TOIT</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:FR'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Adviser for Communication & Information<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>United Nations Avenue, UNON, Gigiri (Room C-104) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>P.O. Box 30592-00100, Nairobi, Kenya <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Tel: +254 (0)20 762 2346/2566 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Fax +254 (0)20 762 2750 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:6.05pt;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Mobile: +254 (0)728 610 912 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#A6A6A6;mso-fareast-language:FR'>Email:j.dutoit@unesco.org,<br> Website: http://www.unesco-nairobi.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>