





Chief Guest Dr. Mary Teopista (Center), Amb. Francis Butagira, Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho and URSB board members pose for a photo at the URSB ISO Certification External Stakeholders celebration
Hon. Nobert Mao congratulates the Registrar General, Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, and Board member, Ms. Lydia A. Sekkabira on the ISO 9001:2015 certification milestone
Mr. Hamidu Tumuhimbise, a senior Registration Officer, attends to a client during the UEB claimants exercise at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center, Kololo
A delegation from PACRA led by the Deputy Registrar Mr. Chewe Peter Chilufya (Center) visited URSB for a 3 days benchmarking visit on the Intellectual Property Registry on how systems operate, the digital improvements implemented and how these reforms contribute to reduced turnaround time
A delegation from UNOC visits URSB to benchmark on the Digital Transformation Journey.
Director General WIPO Mr. Daren Tang, Minister of Justice Hon. Nobert Mao, The Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, URSB Board members a delegation from WIPO pause for a photo at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center during the DG’s mission to Uganda

Registrar General presents Uganda’s Intellectual Property initiatives to ARIPO
Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), addressed the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) during a recent meeting in Harare, highlighting Uganda’s commitment to advancing intellectual property (IP) protection.
Ms. Kainobwisho expressed gratitude for the warm reception and the ongoing collaboration between Uganda and ARIPO, emphasising the significant role the organisation plays in shaping the IP landscape across Africa.
As a founding member, Uganda is actively working on the ratification and domestication of key ARIPO protocols to strengthen its IP framework.
Among the protocols discussed were the Swakopmund Protocol on Traditional Knowledge, which will safeguard Uganda’s cultural heritage, and the Kampala Protocol on Copyright, aimed at enhancing protection for the country’s creative industries.
Ms. Kainobwisho also highlighted Uganda’s recent signing of the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Traditional Knowledge, marking a major step in the nation’s IP development.
In her address, Ms. Kainobwisho acknowledged ARIPO’s continued support, including capacity-building programmes and technical assistance. She called for further collaboration in areas such as capacity building, technology transfer, and enforcement mechanisms, essential for strengthening Uganda’s innovation ecosystem.
The Registrar General concluded by reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to working with ARIPO to enhance IP systems, benefiting both the nation and the broader African region.