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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 35515, member: 636"] Uganda wants creators to protect their ideas through patents. The government made this appeal at the recent National Development Policy Forum in Kampala. Relief Minister Hilary Onek shared how he lost money when he failed to patent his design for the Karuma hydropower station. A Norwegian company received $3 million instead. He urged everyone to patent their innovations. National Planning Authority head Dr. Joseph Muvawala highlighted how creative industries add value to economies worldwide. These sectors contribute about 3.1% to global GDP and provide 6.2% of jobs globally. He called for specific data on how much Ugandan creatives contribute to the national economy. Better legal frameworks, market access, archiving systems, and training would help the sector grow. Muvawala criticized current tax policies that fail to exempt creative equipment. He argued that these items count as production inputs. He pointed out that Uganda has just one National Theater with only 377 seats. This seems inadequate for a country expected to reach 60 million people by 2040. The creative sector offers more than entertainment—it drives economic growth, youth employment, innovation, and cultural preservation. The World Bank says creative industries generate around $2 trillion worldwide. They employ about 50 million people, half of whom are women and many of whom are youth. This matters greatly for Uganda, which has a young population. The country has over 70 languages representing different cultures with unique arts, poetry, dances, music, fashion, and crafts. These cultural expressions help attract tourists who spend money at local businesses. [/QUOTE]

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