The World Fellows

Getachew Alemu directs the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office and has been the driving force in developing Ethiopia’s intellectual property policies and procedures.  His innovative approaches to using intellectual property rights to advance socioeconomic development in Ethiopia are recognized as having valuable applications across the African continent.  Through his work at the Intellectual Property Office and as a key participant in the drafting and revision of national copyright law and commercial codes, Alemu created what is widely regarded as the most effective intellectual property operation in Africa.  Further broadening his impact, he also developed the first courses focusing on intellectual property issues as a faculty member of the Addis Ababa University Law School.  Alemu regularly participates in multilateral trade talks administered by the World Trade Organization.

Post-fellowship:

Alemu negotiated with a number of American and European companies on the use of Ethiopia's coffee names, resulting in a license agreement with 17 US, Canadian, British and Dutch specialty coffee companies, including Starbucks. He published the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Assessment Report; Parliament accepted the recommendations and commissioned his office to develop a national intellectual property policy integrated with the socioeconomic development plan of the country. Alemu also initated and signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Intellectual Property Institute, in Washington, DC. Recently, he has presented the Ethiopian perspective at a number of international conferences.

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