CASE STUDY FOR ZAMBIA.

Presented at EIFL-GA held in Lund, Sweden. August 6-8,2010 by C.B.M.Lungu

The location map for Zambia

• Zambia is a signatory to several International Intellectual Property Treaties. One such Treaty is the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade-related Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

TRIPSThe negotiators of the TRIPS agreement

recognized the particular concerns and needs of least developed countries (LDCs) when it comes to the intellectual property system

LDCs and TRIPSLDCs (which include Zambia) have until 2013

in which to implement TRIPS

Zambian situationZambia is preparing for implementation and

is in the process of updating all its IP laws including the Copyright law.

StrategyMinistry of Commerce, Trade and Industry

hired a consultant to advise on the new draft law. Consultant advised that the Ministry consults with stakeholders in Zambia.

Libraries as stakeholdersLibraries are an important stakeholder

group. However, if they are not organized or visible the policy makers will not know who to ask.

ZALICOThe Good news is that the Zambia Library

Consortium (ZALICO) is organized. Mr. Benson Njobvu the eIFL-IP Coordinator is visible on IP issues. So ZALICO was invited to take part in the stakeholder consultations.

BENSON AND ZALICOBenson is the Team Leader on Training and

Human Resource Development Working Group of ZALICO. As well as being EIFL-IP coordinator, this makes him a strategic member of the ZALICO Executive.

ZNWG-IPBenson was appointed to the Zambia

National Working Group for Intellectual Property representing ZALICO to discuss the new law in 2009.

In the WG, ZALICO is trying to influence the government to enact a new Copyright law that has good provisions for private study and research, fair dealing, criticism and review, reporting current events, judicial proceedings etc.

ZALICO & EIFLZALICO with support from EIFL, has put

forward suggestions for amendments to the existing Copyright law.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE ZNWGThe ZNWG-IP has about 18 stakeholder

groups represented. As well as ZALICO, these include:Ministry of Science and TechnologyMinistry of Information and BroadcastingZambia Bureau of StandardsZambia Revenue AuthorityCivil society trade networkNational Arts CouncilZambia Association of Chambers of

Commerce and industry

STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIONZNWG-IP is national and places are limited

so it is important that membership is representative of stakeholder groups.

The Ministry also wants to be sure that consultation is with the community and not individuals.

Thru Benson, ZALICO and its wider library interests are represented.

ZALICO & OTHER IP ACTIVITIESThru Benson ZALICO has influenced the curriculum

of the Library Studies Department at UNZA to include a Copyright course that has a perspective of an advocate librarian;

In 2008 Zambia organized the SCANUL-ECS conference with the theme: “Copyright and other IP issues”;

ZALICO has also participated in round table discussions on copyright issues such as one recently organized by The American Center;

Currently ZALICO is organizing two sensitization workshops for Librarians on International and National developments on copyright; 10th & 31 August 2010.

THANK YOU!and…….HAVE A LOVELY DAY