Senators have today passed a law ratifying the Banjul Protocol on Marks within the Framework of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), making Rwanda the 10th member to do so.

ARIPO was founded in 1976 to facilitate the harmonisation and development of industrial property matters of a number of English-speaking African member states.

Other countries which have ratified Banjul Protocol are: Botswana, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe.