The Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Sport (MOCS), the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA), and MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V. (MAH) today announced the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in an effort to protect Ethiopia’s cultural legacy and support its creative economy. The purpose of this agreement is to strengthen Ethiopia’s intellectual property rights protection and fight piracy together.
The MOCS’s purpose is to promote and preserve Ethiopia’s rich history, culture, language, art, and sports. EIPA was established in 2003 to enhance IP protection in Ethiopia and is responsible for implementing and implementing state laws related to intellectual property. MultiChoice Africa, Africa’s leading entertainment provider, has been providing Ethiopian subscribers with excellent entertainment for nearly three decades. During that time, it has developed strong relationships with its customers and significantly influenced the local media landscape.
The MoU builds on previous collaborations via Partners Against Piracy (PAP), MAH’s Pan-African anti-piracy initiative. also demonstrates the three organisations’ shared resolve to fight the growing threat of piracy, which impacts artists, the economy, and cultural heritage, and also fortifies their strategic cooperation.
Through MAH’s Pan-African anti-piracy initiative, Partners Against Piracy (PAP), the MoU builds on previous collaborations. This demonstrates the three organisations’ shared will to fight the growing threat of piracy, which impacts artists, the economy, and cultural heritage, and fortifies their strategic relationship.
Nefisa Almahdi, the State Minister of MOCS, stated that “protecting our cultural and creative assets is paramount.” “This partnership with EIPA and MultiChoice Africa will enable us to take decisive action against piracy and foster a sustainable environment for our creators, ensuring the preservation and promotion of Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage.” The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority’s (EIPA) deputy director general, Endalu Mosisisa, stated that “EIPA is committed to safeguarding intellectual property rights and creating a thriving environment for innovation.”
“Our mission to support the establishment of a strong intellectual property framework in Ethiopia is being fulfilled by our partnership with MOCS and MAH, which will increase our ability to inform the public about the value of respecting creative works, develop and suggest policies that improve IP protection, and work with law enforcement. “The three entities’ relations have improved significantly as a result of this MoU. “We see Ethiopia as a strategic market for our business expansion as well as important socio-development projects,” stated Dr. Keabetswe Modimoeng, MultiChoice Africa’s Group Executive: Regulatory & Corporate Affairs.
“We take pride in our dedication to the creative industry after almost 30 years in Ethiopia. Through programs like the MultiChoice Talent Factory, we have empowered young filmmakers, collaborated with more than 200 local production companies, and made significant investments in local content. We reaffirm our dedication to content protection and anti-piracy efforts by collaborating with the MOCS and EIPA, thereby bolstering Ethiopia’s thriving creative sector.” Within Ethiopia’s cultural landscape, the partnership seeks to establish a sustainable climate that fosters growth, innovation, and foreign investment in addition to safeguarding artistic creations.
With opportunities for revisions and extensions, the Memorandum of Understanding will be in force for five years.