The Ministry of Commerce, Transport, Industry and Tourism in the letter bearing the reference 750/779/CM/DPI/2023, reminded the owners of trademarks registered in Burundi before July 28, 2009, and which have not yet been renewed, that these trademarks must be filed with the Directorate of Industrial Property, for renewal before January 1, 2025.
Régine Mireille Niyongabo advises on all intellectual property and corporate law issues regarding the establishment, operation, dissolution and restructuring of companies and corporate formations of every legal type of company. She also gives advice on corporate matters and compliance with the country's company legal and regulatory framework.
She provides guidance and advice to companies establishing branches or newly-incorporated companies that are sometimes involved in mergers and acquisitions. She also advises on the procedure for registration of trademarks, service marks, collective marks, trade names, patents, industrial designs, copyright, IP and sport dispute, joint ventures and brand management.
Mireille’s clients include foreign and local emerging companies, international businesses, private investors, financial institutions and private equity groups.
She advises on most types of cross-border acquisitions as well as privatizations.
Experience has included advising:
- As a team member, a public real estate developer in negotiation of a loan for a real estate project worth EUR500 million, and in drafting a loan contract
- As a team member, an international pharmacy in conducting a legal due diligence prior to the acquisition of three pharmacies in Burundi
- As a team member, a telecom operator in drafting a legal opinion on shares transfer to a new shareholder
- As team member, a several international companies in registration of trademarks and patents in Burundi
- As a team member, a US company in compliance processes with Burundian laws and regulations applicable to intermediaries
- As a team leader, a number of private companies in the registration procedure of industrial property titles
- As team member, a regional organization in the comparative analysis of some of the East African Community’s (EAC) partner state’s laws and regulations with the EAC common market protocol
- As a team member, an international telecommunication company in drafting a cross survey pertaining to an international expansion of an international company
- As a team member, an energy company covering the Great Lakes countries in respect of a grant dedicated to a project for the development of the Ruzizi III regional hydro project (Burundi, Rwanda and DRC)
- As a team member, an international Japanese bank in drafting a legal opinion pertaining to the loan agreement ranging from USD50 to 100 million, as well as reviewing the relevant documents
Professional Qualifications
- Advocate admitted with the Court of Appeal of Bujumbura (2015)
Education
- Sharda University, LL.M. in corporate law (2014)
- Université Lumière de Bujumbura, LL.B. (2013)
Memberships
- Burundi Bar Association
- East Africa Law Society