On 8 July 2026, during WIPO’s 68th series of meetings of the Assemblies, Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador Hoyce Temu, spoke in the country’s national capacity and aligned Tanzania with statements delivered by South Africa for the African Group and Nepal for the Least Developed Countries Group. Tanzania called for a more inclusive, balanced and forward-looking intellectual property system, arguing that artificial intelligence could accelerate innovation and economic transformation only if developing economies also gain practical access to capacity building, technology transfer and usable IP tools. Its cited priorities included IP management clinics for SMEs and start-ups, technology-transfer programmes for universities and research institutions, and stronger patent examination capacity.
The intervention does not amount to a new WIPO standard on AI patentability, nor do the public materials show that the Assemblies adopted a compulsory licensing mechanism or an “AI green channel.” Its policy significance lies elsewhere: it shifts part of the AI ownership debate away from inventorship alone and toward whether technology can circulate, whether local firms can afford to use it, and whether the patent system can support participation rather than merely recognise rights. The next test will be whether WIPO turns the language of inclusion into durable examination support, licensing and transfer platforms, and programmes tailored to SMEs in developing countries.
