During its short existence, the Cape Verde Institute of
Management and Quality of Intellectual Property (IGQPI) has mainly
focused on protecting trademarks and patents. Other IP rights
– such as appellations of origin and geographical indications
(GIs) – have therefore been ignored.
However, this has started to change, thanks to actions driven by
WIPO and the Portuguese National Institute of Industrial Property.
IGQPI’s president, Dr Ana Paula Spencer, along with a team of
technicians, have been participating in conferences and projects,
which aim to raise awareness among entities and applicants as to
the importance of protecting products with specific
geographical origins and qualities that they possess
because of their location. People have therefore become more
conscious that, under certain conditions, appellations of origin
and GIs can contribute to development in rural areas and add value
to products and producers.
