Mombasa and coast region-based journalists attended ACA workshop on the role of media in the promotion Intellectual property rights (IPR).

The Anti-Counterfeit Authority hosted thirty (30) Mombasa and Kenya’s coast region journalists to a half-day workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) promotion. The breakfast meeting cum workshop, was held on Friday, Nov 6, 2020 at the Mombasa Beach Hotel. The interactive forum was organized in collaboration with the Media Council of Kenya and had a dynamic program with presentations by intellectual property experts from the Anti-Counterfeit Authority.

The topics included Intellectual Property Enforcement in Kenya and the Role of Media in Intellectual Property Rights promotion. Participants were taken through the journey in the war against counterfeits and illicit trade in Kenya, global IPR protection and enforcement strategies, Kenya's government efforts in the war against counterfeits and illicit trade. They gained deeper understanding of patents, trademarks, copyrights and illicit trade issues and met one-on-one with intellectual property experts.

This was the first such workshop held by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority in Mombasa as the Authority intends to host similar forums in different parts of the country. "We intent to bring together journalists from across the country (Nairobi, Central, Coast, Rift and Western Kenya) drawn from Electronic, Print, Vernacular or community media channels and bloggers in round table discussions so that they carry the flag of the Authority". Said Mr. Tom Muteti the Chief Corporate Communication Officer at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority.

The Acting Executive Director of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority M/s Fridah Kaberia underscored the critical role played by media in creating public awareness saying; “Media not only have the potential to diffuse information in our society and but can influence public behavior and attitudes. We need informed partners so as to raise and shape the anti-counterfeit agenda and public opinion. Our aim is to compel consumers, counterfeiters and policy makers to act against trade in counterfeits in the country”.

The g forums come after the recent launch of the first National Baseline Survey on Counterfeiting and other forms of Illicit Trade in Kenya. From the statistics of the survey, the national total size of illicit trade in 2018 was estimated at KES 826 billion and rose by 14% from KES 726 billion recorded in 2017. The significance of this level of illicit trade is illustrated by its share in GDP, which in 2017 and 2018 was 8.9% and 9.3% respectively. This is slightly higher than the contribution of the manufacturing sector in the GDP which in 2018 was at 7.7%.

Illicit trade is one of major economic growth impediments in the country. The Government has since initiated the National Action Plan against counterfeit and illicit trade in the country. It is an all-out war against perpetrators with greater emphasis on partnering and collaboration with all stakeholders. M/s. Kaberia added that “we want to bring together all stakeholders in this war. We are in collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector through Kenya Association of Manufacturers, students and scholars, civil society among others. We want to partner with media towards making Kenya a Counterfeit Free Country”. #Ends.