Selam Ethiopia organized an Intellectual Property (IP) awareness session at the IVY Hotel in Addis Ababa with the support of UNESCO’s SIPRE project on April 29, 2025 . The event brought together musicians, regional IP officers, regional culture and tourism bureau officials and professional association representatives from Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Mekelle, Harrar, Adama and Jimma.
Ato Wossen Mulu, Lead Executive Officer of Copyright and Neighboring Rights, led the session with a presentation on Ethiopia’s copyright laws. He highlighted that copyright protects the expression of ideas—not the ideas themselves—and that works must be original and tangible to qualify. He also clarified that copyright in Ethiopia applies to citizens, long-term residents, and works published locally or within 30 days of publication elsewhere.
Ato Wossen discussed Ethiopia’s participation in the Marrakesh Treaty, supporting access to published works for people with print disabilities, but noted the country is not a signatory to the Berne Convention—leaving Ethiopian works vulnerable to unauthorized use abroad.
Participants shared real-life experiences and engaged in discussions around evolving IP issues, including challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
