Trade Mark Office Not Yet Dealing With Litigious Matters

The Registrar General of Intellectual Property Administration in Sudan has reinstated strict enforcement of the six-month grace period for trademark renewals under Article 19(3) of the Trade Marks Act, 1969. This policy shift ends years of lenient administrative practices that previously allowed late renewals without penalties or even accepted renewals beyond the statutory grace period.

Sudan is the third largest country on the African continent and the Nile river traverses the country from South to North, while the Red Sea makes Sudan a bridge between Africa and the Middle East.

Following prolonged disruption caused by civil unrest in Sudan, the operations of the Sudanese Trade Marks Office ("TMO") have been significantly affected over the past two years...

The Patent Office in Sudan has re-opened and is, once again, accepting new domestic patent applications.

Southern Sudan was established as a separate state in July last year.

While the Sudan Trade Mark Office has returned to Khartoum, normal operations remain suspended.

As of 11 February 2024, the Sudanese Trade Marks Office ("TMO") has resumed operations after nearly a year of closure due to civil unrest.

On 9 July 2011, the former Sudanese territory corresponding to the states of Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria and Greater Upper Nile was declared to be the sovereign Republic of South Sudan.

Since the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, Sudan has been ruled by an alliance between military and civilian groups. However, on 25 October 2021...

A South African High Court has ruled on the lawfulness of account freezing by banks based on fraud suspicions and affirmed SARS's authority to issue third-party notices under section 179 of the Tax Administration Act. The case arose after a close corporation fraudulently claimed a VAT refund of R3.28 million, transferred R900,000 to an individual's account, prompting the bank to freeze the account and SARS to pursue recovery through a third-party notice.

Angola's economy is overwhelmingly driven by its oil sector. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute to approximately 50% of the GDP.

The South African flag represents more than national identity—it's a protected symbol with strict legal requirements for commercial use. Businesses seeking to incorporate the flag into their branding or products must navigate complex regulations under the Heraldry Act and Merchandise Marks Act, requiring ministerial consent before use in trade marks, packaging, or advertising.

Claims against estate agents for latent defects discovered after the purchase of immovable property are frequently pursued without a full appreciation of the legal requirements that must be satisfied for success.

The Registrar General of Intellectual Property Administration in Sudan has reinstated strict enforcement of the six-month grace period for trademark renewals under Article 19(3) of the Trade Marks Act, 1969. This policy shift ends years of lenient administrative practices that previously allowed late renewals without penalties or even accepted renewals beyond the statutory grace period.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals examined whether a directors' and officers' liability policy's contractual liability exclusion could bar coverage for an entire multi-count lawsuit, or whether each legally distinct cause of action—breach of contract, fraud, and quantum meruit—must be assessed separately against the exclusion's terms. The decision addresses the critical question of how insurers must apply policy exclusions when a single complaint pleads multiple claims arising from the same und

A Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled on a high-stakes copyright dispute over the globally acclaimed gospel song "Way Maker," examining whether a music producer's technical contributions to a recording constitute co-authorship. The judgment clarifies the critical distinction between creative authorship and production services in determining copyright ownership. This decision carries significant implications for how the music industry documents and allocates rights between artists and technical contributor

In today's digital-first world, graphic design platforms like Canva and Adobe Express have become indispensable tools for entrepreneurs.

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.

South Africa has secured a groundbreaking trade agreement with China, opening new export channels for locally produced cherries and potentially blueberries. With established production infrastructure and a robust plant variety protection system under the 2018 Plant Breeders Rights Act, the country is positioning itself as a strategic global production base for commercial exploitation of new plant varieties, particularly for Northern Hemisphere markets during off-season periods.