Author (s):
Judy GoansDate:
September 2007Publication (if applicable):
"Inside Southern African Trade," Southern Africa Global Competitiveness HubAbstract (if Available):
After more than two decades of trade discussions, some still question whether stronger intellectual property protection will benefit developing and least-developed countries. Opponents of stronger legal protection often claim that intellectual property laws will cause prices to rise - a result not actually observed in countries that have adopted new intellectual property laws. Advocates sometimes fail to explain how countries can translate legal reforms into an improved standard of living, so here are a few of the reasons Southern Africa needs stronger intellectual property protection.This article was published previously in the USAID Southern Africa Global Competitiveness Hub project newsletter "Inside Southern African Trade."
