Uganda is this week hosting a defining milestone in its intellectual property (IP) journey as World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General, Daren Tang, undertakes a landmark mission to Kampala from 3rd to 5th December 2025.
The visit, among the most high-level WIPO engagements in recent years, underscores Uganda’s growing commitment to strengthening national IP systems, supporting its innovators, and positioning creativity at the centre of long-term economic transformation.
As the nation’s IP office, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) is spearheading key events, including the launch of the “IP in Schools” Program, and strategic engagements between the WIPO delegation and Uganda Government leadership.
“As the national IP office, URSB is proud to lead this historic engagement,” said Registrar General Mercy K. Kainobwisho. “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.”
Under Daren Tang’s leadership since 2020, WIPO has redefined its mandate, no longer merely an administrative custodian of IP rights, but a catalyst for jobs, enterprise growth, social development, and cultural flourishing.
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Mr. Tang has championed transforming IP into a concrete tool for economic and social empowerment, especially for SMEs, youth, women, and local communities. His forward-looking approach emphasizes capacity building, inclusiveness, and commercialization, ensuring that IP is accessible not only to large companies but also to grassroots innovators.
In his 2025 address at the WIPO Assemblies, Tang aptly noted “Sometimes the most powerful forces are unseen. One of the great economic shifts in recent times is the quiet revolution in value creation from tangible assets to intangible ones like brands, designs, software, and data.”
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This visit to Uganda presents a vivid opportunity to bring that vision to life by embedding IP at the heart of national development and turning creativity into concrete socio-economic impact.
Strategic Significance for Uganda
- School Innovation Exhibitions & IP in Schools Program -spotlighting the creativity of Uganda’s youth, with student-led innovations in robotics, agritech, among others.
- Strengthened Institutional Framework – the visit is poised to catalyze legal and institutional reforms, accelerate commercialization of scientific and creative outputs, attract technical assistance, and mobilize IP-based financing and partnerships.
According to Registrar-General Kainobwisho, the visit signals a powerful shift: “Uganda is no longer on the side-lines of the global IP conversation. We are building a modern, future-ready ecosystem that supports innovators, researchers, and young creators. WIPO’s presence affirms that momentum.”
For the past decade, URSB has spearheaded landmark reforms to ease doing business, from streamlining company registration to instituting one-stop business facilitation services. Under the leadership of URSB Board Chairman Francis K. Butagira, the Bureau launched its new Strategic Plan IV (2025/26–2029/30) aimed squarely at “Positioning Uganda as the Best Destination for Doing Business.”
“We are committed to creating an environment where investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs can thrive. This plan is about formalising opportunity and driving transformation,” Butagira stated at the plan’s launch.
The visit by WIPO’s Director General thus comes at a strategic moment, reinforcing Uganda’s credentials not just as a fertile ground for creativity and innovation, but as a compelling destination for global investors seeking a stable, efficient, and forward-looking business environment.
The presence of Director General signals WIPO’s commitment to making IP “relevant, concrete and visible for all”, especially to grassroots innovators, youth, women, SMEs, and local communities.
Uganda stands at the peak of a transformation, with creativity, innovation, and IP no longer relegated to corners but becoming central pillars of economic and social development.
