The overarching objective of Swiss PartnershIP – South Africa is to support the country’s socio-economic and urban development by promoting the protection and effective use of intellectual property rights. To this end, the project plans to implement a range of activities across four priority areas with the following goals:

• Outcome A: Support the implementation of the National IP Policy and enhance institutional capacities of entities responsible for IPR registration and administration;
• Outcome B: Strengthen Supporting Organisations and MSMEs, in particular women and youth, around the acquisition, use and protection of IPRs;
• Outcome C: Raise awareness and capacity of GI producers and the biotrade sector; and
• Outcome D: Increase commercialisation of IPRs as part of the innovation process.

1 Why South Africa? | 2 Objectives | 3 What we do | 4 Why IP | 5 Who benefits? 

The project offers targeted technical assistance and capacity-building to strengthen South Africa’s IP system.

• To advance the National IP Policy, activities will provide technical assistance to the CIPC in its transition to a search and substantive examination system for patents. The project will offer exchanges between the CIPC and the IPI on automating the registration of IP rights, in addition to capacity-building for CIPC officials and examiners to improve workflows. Likewise, support will be given towards enforcement and anti-counterfeiting initiatives.
• To support MSMEs, women, and youth, the project will work with the Innovation Bridge and business- and entrepreneurship support organisations to disseminate IP information through webinars and train-the-trainer programmes. Specific events will be held to promote women in IP through for example mentorship opportunities.
• For GI producers and the biotrade sector, the project will support the drafting of GI product specifications for Honeybush and examine the feasibility of a cross-border GI for Marula. Activities will also include stakeholder consultations and awareness campaigns, and will seek to build on synergies with SECO’s other projects, especially Swiss PartnershIP’s “sister” projects: Access and Benefit Sharing Compliant Biotrade in South(ern) Africa (ABioSA), Global Quality and Standards Programme, and Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO).
• To increase IP commercialisation, the project will continue to deliver workshops for MSMEs on the commercialisation of IP. Capacity-building at universities and their technology transfer offices will also be offered, to support skills training on patent searching and drafting, and licensing of IPRs.

1 Why South Africa? | 2 Objectives | 3 What we do | 4 Why IP | 5 Who benefits? 

The project is directly aligned with South Africa’s national priorities. The focus on strengthening MSMEs, job creation, and fostering innovation contributes to economic growth. By specifically targeting women and youth, the project supports key socio-economic transformations to broadly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, support for the bio-trade sector and the development of GIs promote sustainable trade and rural development, adding value to unique South African products.

1 Why South Africa? | 2 Objectives | 3 What we do | 4 Why IP | 5 Who benefits?