Initial focus of IP policy development will be on public health

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is, in partnership with other Ministries that participate in the inter-Ministerial committee on intellectual property (IP), developing an intellectual property (IP) policy aimed at achieving policy coherence in government and at realising South Africa’s development objectives and human rights obligations, as set out in the Constitution. Addressing delegates at a media briefing, in Pretoria, on Friday, DTI trade and investment director Marumo Nkoma said the policy would be rolled out in three phases, with the first phase to focus on public health.