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METRAF GIE – The Economic Interest Group of METRAF was formally established in 1996 as the business arm for generation of funds to support the ongoing work of PROMETRA International and other traditional knowledge programs. It is legally registered in the Republic of Senegal and under the uniform acts of OHADA, and is governed by an international board of directors. METRAF GIE was established to conduct business activities. METRAF is the for profit arm of PROMETRA International and is the holder of the intellectual property of patents, copyrights and trademarks generated through the PROMETRA International research network. By official organizational statues, profits of METRAF GIE business ventures will be transferred to the METRAF Foundation where funds are managed through a community benefit sharing process to assure return of benefits to communities. The official headquarters of METRAF GIE is located in Niacourab, 15 kilometers from Dakar, capital of the Republic of Senegal.

GIE METRAF is a structure for the rehabilitation and the development of African medicine and traditions involving the following:

promoting the research of medicinal plants and their development,
creating some structures for the packaging and/or an industry for the production of medicines based on medicinal plants,
encouraging the growing of medicinal plants for their judicious exploitation,
publishing works relating to traditional medicine and culture,
bringing a technical support for projects on the rehabilitation of traditional medicines,
fixing scientific basis on skills for the well being of Africans through rational practices,
helping modern science to join this field, by contributing to the treatment of diseases referred to as incurable and reconciling the two medicines,
supporting every organization working for the promotion of traditional knowledge and indigenous science throughout the third-world.

Development policies in Africa continue to overlook the important contribution of traditional knowledge, indigenous culture, genetic resources and the rich folklore of the continent. The components of positive development—improved health, job creation and poverty reduction, community wellness, biodiversity protection, increased global trade and positive cultural recognition – are all outcomes of the research and positive development of Africa’s traditional medicine and indigenous knowledge systems.

There is an urgent need to protect the knowledge and treasures of Africa. It is within this framework, and convinced that traditional values are essential in all positive development, that PROMETRA International undertakes various activities in the area of Intellectual Property Rights Protection.

PRO.ME.TRA International serves as an expert consultant to the African Organization for Intellectual Property – OAPI, whose headquarters in located in Yaounde, Cameroon
PRO.ME.TRA International is designated by the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO, as a structure who is able to participate within the framework of different meetings to work toward the legal protection of traditional knowledge, genetic resources and folklore
PRO.ME.TRA International participated in various international meetings on the topic of intellectual property rights and specifically addressing the protection of African traditional knowledge

In an effort to help African citizens and organizations understand and work toward improved intellectual property protection, Dr. Erick Gbodossou authored a book entitled, “Protection of Intellectual Property – A Practical Guide” which was published by METRAF Editions in July 2003. This guide provides basic and background information on the topics and «how to» for obtaining trademarks, copyrights and patents.

The Unit for the production, packaging, and distribution of Medicines based on Medicinal Plants aims at producing, packaging and distributing patented medicines based on medicinal plants issued from the African pharmacopoeia and the know-how of its traditional practitioners, who assure the efficiency and the innocuousness of the medicines.

Objectives:
The objectives of the Economic Interest Group Medicines and Traditions of Africa (METRAF GIE), within the current project come in two orders:

Build up a unit for the production, packaging and distribution of medicines based on medicinal plants.
Produce medicinal plants required for the preparation of medicines that can address a wide range of diseases like HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis, dermatosis …which ravage the people of Africa and the rest of the world.

METRAF Foundation was legally established in the Republic of Senegal as a foundation of public utility in accordance with law Number 95-11 and an application decree Number 95.415 in 2001. Its purpose is to serve as a philanthropic entity which provides funds to support traditional medicine and indigenous science organizations throughout the world in their efforts to increase access to quality health care, preserve traditional medicine and indigenous cultures, and conduct scientific research. METRAF Foundation was capitalized with an initial investment of $90,000 in 2002 to meet its fiscal and legal mandate of a national foundation within Senegal. At the current time the funding priority of METRAF Foundation will be the support of the work of PROMETRA International and its global network of national chapters. As the corpus of METRAF Foundation expands, other traditional medicine organizations will be added to the grantee list for METRAF Foundation support.

Business Opportunities

Intellectual Property

Malnutrition

Herbal Medicine

ERICK V.A. GBODOSSOU, MD

VIRGINIA DAVIS FLOYD, MD, MPH