Rouse Africa's Gunther Roland and Claire Brown will be in Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the 40th session of the ARIPO Administrative Council meeting from 5-7 December. ARIPO’s Administrative Council session brings together heads and representatives of the organisation’s 19 member state IP offices. The administrative council session is held annually and is responsible for recommending policies to the Council of Ministers (Ministers from member states who approve recommendations)

On 19 October 2016 a meeting was held between the executive management of the OAPI Registry and its registered agents. The meeting dealt with the actions the Registry plans to take to properly implement the treaties administered by WIPO with the focus at the moment being the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trade Marks (STLT). The STLT simplifies and harmonizes the administrative procedures of the Contracting Parties for the filing of national or regional trade and service mark