Legal structures to protect intellectual property rights are relatively strong.  Investors complain that enforcement is somewhat weak, although infringements and theft are not common. Lesotho respects international intellectual property laws and is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as well as the African Intellectual Property Organization. Intellectual property protection is regulated by the Industrial Property Order of 1989, the Copyright Act of 1989, and the Lesotho Copyright Regulations 139 of 2015 which conform to the standards set out in the Paris Convention and Berne Convention. The law protects patents, industrial designs, trademarks, and grant of copyright, but does not protect trade secrets or semi-conductor chip lay-out designs. The Law Office is responsible for enforcement of the Industrial Property Order, while the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Business Development, and Tourism is responsible for enforcement of copyright (reflecting the law’s focus on protection of artistic works). 

The Deeds Registry carries out registration.   

Lesotho is not listed in USTR’s Special 301 Report, nor does it host a Notorious Market.

For additional information about treaty obligations and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at https://www.wipo.int/directory/en/.

In any foreign market companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. For background, link to our article on Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov for more resources.

For additional information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S.  Investment Climate Statement website.

Resources for Rights Holders

Contact at Mission:

Name of Economic Officer:  Jullion Cooper

Title: Political and Economic Affairs Chief

Tel: (266) 2231 2666

Email:  CooperJM@state.gov

Local Lawyers List:

Naledi Chambers Incorporated

1st floor Metropolitan Building

Kingsway,

Maseru

Lesotho

Tel: (266) 2231 4986

Fax :(266) 2231 0521

E-mail: naledichambersinc@tlmail.co.ls