The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is an Intergovernmental Organization created in 1976 under the Lusaka Agreement concluded under the auspices of the United National Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Membership in the Organization is open to all African Union members (AU) states. Presently, members of the Organization include Botswana, Cape Verde, The Kingdom of Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, The Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. (Total: 22 states).
The work of ARIPO is co-coordinated through a Secretariat headed by the Director General. The Secretariat is responsible for, among other things, submitting annual audited financial statements to the Administrative Council through the Audit Committee. The organization's financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). The financial statements are required to be audited by a duly registered independent External Audit Firm with international recognition. The ARIPO Secretariat is based in Harare, Zimbabwe.
ARIPO intends to engage an independent external auditor for a three-year, renewable once, subject to performance.
Download Terms of Reference here.