Developing policies for Africa's creative sector

The African Union is looking to bolster the continent's creative sector with a revised plan of action aimed at guiding member states in developing robust policies for the industry. Angela Martins, the Head of Culture Division at the AU, highlighted the importance of platforms like KANECs in promoting the Union's policies and enhancing the visibility of Africa's creative sector. Since 2020, the African Union has been collaborating with the African Development Bank to support the development of the creative industry, recognizing its strategic value that extends beyond promotion to protection. Intellectual property rights play a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of artists, with the AU's plan of action dedicating a chapter to the protection and promotion of these rights. The Union works closely with regional and continental institutions to advance the intellectual property rights of creatives across the continent. Despite establishing the Pan-African Intellectual Property Organization (PIPO) through statute, only a few member states have ratified it, delaying the organization's effectiveness in promoting and protecting the creative sector. Martins noted that lengthy national processes, including translation of treaties into local languages, roadshows, and parliamentary debates, have impeded ratification. The African Union urged member states to ratify the PIPO treaty and the treaty on the creative economy, specifically the Statute of the African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission, to operationalize the specialized office. With 15 ratifications needed, the AU emphasized the importance of integrating the creative economy into the continent's future vision. The revised plan of action on Africa's cultural and creative industries, finalized in 2020 with validation by Member States in March 2021, awaits endorsement by the conference of ministers of youth, culture, and sports. The plan focuses on key areas for developing the creative economy, such as access to markets, infrastructure development, capacity building for creatives, and intellectual property rights. Through this revised plan, the AU aims to provide Member States with a guide to formulate strong and implementable policies at the national level, fostering growth and economic contribution from the sector.