Gambia accedes to the Madrid Protocol

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has issued a notification that the Gambia has acceded to the Madrid Protocol.

According to the notification (which can be accessed here), the Gambian government deposited its instrument of accession with WIPO on 18 September 2015 and the Madrid Protocol will enter into force in the Gambia on 18 December 2015. As such, it will be possible to designate the Gambia in International Registrations from that date.

However, we should caution that the situation regarding International Registrations in Africa is still very precarious, as many of the countries that have acceded to the Madrid Protocol or the Madrid Agreement (the two treaties that provide for International Registrations) have not amended their local laws to make provision for International Registrations. As such, the effectiveness of International Registrations in Africa is in doubt and we recommend filing national applications in these countries until such time as their local laws have been amended to provide for the recognition of International Registrations.