ARSO signs an MoU with the AfCFTA Secretariat on the implementation of AfCFTA Agreement, with respect to the elimination of Technical Barriers to Trade that has consistently hindered the intra-African Trade, as provided for under the TBT Annex 6, which also recognizes the role of ARSO, in the same, under article 6. The AfCFTA has the potential to increase intra-African trade by 52.3% by eliminating import duties, and to double this trade if non-tariff barriers, especially the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTS) are also reduced (UNECA 2018). The Heterogeneity of the African Standards, within the RECs and Countries, make intra-African Trade costly, contentious and low (16%, TRALAC 2019).
The MoU signing ceremony by H.E. Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General AfCFTA and Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO Secretary General during the IATF 2021
The WTO encourages Harmonization, use of equivalence and mutual recognition in the bilateral free trade agreements, such as the AfCFTA. The anticipated standards to be harmonised by ARSO being comparable to the 4,547 HS6, Tarif lines for the AfCFTA. The AfCFTA TBT Annex 6 provisions on standards, Conformity Assessments and accreditation indicate the need for harmonization and mutual recognition between the State parties, with the role of ARSO defined.
H.E. Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General AfCFTA
ARSO – AfCFTA MoU Hand Over
Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO Secretary General
As a policy instrument, the AfCFTA Agreement, under the TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7, addresses the TBTs and SPS issues, and binds all State parties to commit to their progressive elimination and calls for cooperation in their development, harmonisation and implementation of standards, conformity Assessment and the related themes.The signing has taken place at the Roundtable discussion on the role of Quality Infrastructure in the promotion of the Pharmaceutical Sector under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), taking place on the sideline of the 6 days event the Intra African Trade Fair 2021, in Durban, South Africa, from 15th – 21st November 2021. The AfCFTA Agreement is coordinating the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement with all the Stakeholders and partners, like ARSO.
The hybrid roundtable is aimed at discussing and providing update on the Harmonization project and will come off on the sidelines of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) taking place in Durban, South Africa from the 15th to the 21st of November 2021.
Nairobi – 11th November 2021: The African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO) in partnership with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) announced the organization of a roundtable on the sidelines of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) on 17th November 2021 at 10:35 – 1pm (South African Time).
The hybrid event will serve as a platform to provide updates on their common project called “Harmonization of Standards for Pharmaceutical products and Medical Devices in Africa”. The initiative which was launched under the umbrella of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) in 2020, aims at harmonizing African standards for pharmaceuticals and medical devices thereby enhancing intra-African trade and investment, reducing substandard counterfeit products, and building resilient regional health systems.
The roundtable shall be graced by Prof. Benedict Oramah, President Afreximbank; Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO ITFC; Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, BADEA Director General; Wamkele Mene, Secretary General AfCFTA; Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa; H.E. Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner, African Union Commission; Dr. John N. Nkengasong, Africa Centre for Disease Control; Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO Secretary General and Dr Paulyne Wairimu,PPB, Kenya/AMDF and shall concurrently take place physically at the IATF 2021 Venue in Kwa Zulu Natal and virtually on Zoom.
Nairobi, 8 June 2021: – African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is supporting the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) to harmonise standards in the automotive sector in Africa in order to facilitate an accelerated development of the sector across the continent. The harmonised standards are to be adopted by individual African countries, facilitating cross-border trade, under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
There are 1432 international automotive standards worldwide largely developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation and the American Society for Testing and Materials. To initiate the process of developing African Automotive standards, ARSO prioritised what are referred to as “Whole Vehicle Standards” encompassing motor vehicle components, accessories, and replacement parts.
It is anticipated that some 250 standards will need to be harmonised based on the basic components, accessories and replacement parts which are necessary to keep a vehicle safe and operational. ARSO had initially targeted 18 basic standards based on the demands of the industry to facilitate the development of the automotive sector on the continent. Since inception of the project in 2019, ARSO has, with the support of Afreximbank, been successful in harmonising 42 international standards, well above the targeted 18.
ARSO is planning to launch the completed harmonised African Automotive standards by June 2021 in six countries, namely Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
An initial grant provided by Afreximbank was critical in highlighting the importance of harmonising standards in the automotive sector and opened the way to other partners to come on board. The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Germany has now agreed to fund the second phase, targeting a further 100 standards with the goal of reaching 250 standards by the end of 2022.
Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, commented: “In line with Afreximbank’s mandate to drive industrialization and intra-African trade, we are delighted to be supporting the harmonisation of automotive standards on the continent as a crucial step towards the creation and development of a vibrant automotive industry in Africa. Our support has enabled achievement of substantial progress within a short period of time. This is part of Afreximbank’s drive to establish and upgrade standards in various sectors working with diverse partners to support intra-African trade and the structural transformation of African economies under the AfCFTA.”
Afreximbank has adopted a comprehensive automotive strategy under which the Bank is supporting the development of automotive regional value chains, automotive financing, industrial policy and capacity building. The focus on automotive is driven by the Bank’s recognition of its capacity to foster regional value chains and high-quality jobs. The Bank will also organise an automotive show as part of the intra-African Trade Fair, which will give a platform to auto manufacturers, assemblers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and component suppliers to exhibit their products and interact with potential buyers and suppliers.
Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO’s Secretary General, said: “Harmonisation of Automotive sector standards is a collective effort of ARSO Members States, private sector players and regulatory agencies. The harmonised standards will pave the way for the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to widen the markets for Africa’s automotive industry under the AfCFTA by creating a reliable network of automotive components and strengthening environmental performance through harmonization of standards for fuels, roadworthiness, transportation of dangerous goods, power driven vehicles and homologation. We commend our partnership with Afreximbank in the harmonization of standards on the continent”.
David Coffey the CEO of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) said: “ARSO needs to be complimented for the work that they have done in harmonising the 42 automotive standards to date. These are critical in facilitating the development of the automotive industry on the continent.”
“The AAAM vision is to work with strategic partners, such as Afreximbank and ARSO to develop a Pan-African Auto Pact, which conceptualises the establishment of an African Automotive Development Plan, built around a few assembly hubs in the Central, South, East, West, and North of Africa. These hubs are then supported by a spread of value-adding activities in neighboring economies. This will ensure that there is industrial development in all participating countries, and that associated economic benefits are distributed among these countries. Harmonised African Automotive standards are essential for the long-term success of the Auto Pact and we applaud the work that ARSO and Afreximbank are doing to help achieve that.”
The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) recently signed a MOU with Afreximbank paving the way for a collaboration aimed at supporting the emergence of a dynamic African automotive industry. Afreximbank and AAAM will work together to foster the emergence of regional value chains with a focus on value-added manufacturing, created through partnerships between Global Original Equipment Manufacturers, suppliers, and local partners.
Each session will feature an overview of the emerging technology, along with a presentation on how UL Standards can help to guide development by addressing associated safety challenges.
The African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have developed a collaboration framework to harmonize standards and conformity assessment in order to support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), boost intra-African Trade and contribute to African industrialization as key pillars of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Among the first areas of collaboration, AFREXIMBANK and ARSO have identified the automotive sector as a catalytic area that will spur the core automotive industry (vehicle and parts makers) and support a wide range of business segments, both upstream and downstream, along with adjacent industries. This leads to a multiplier effect for growth and economic development across many sectors in the continent.
One of the major actions is that ARSO has convened technical meetings of the ARSO/TC 59 on Automotive Technology and Engineering to serve as the platform for the harmonization of standards for the automotive sector in Africa.
NSBs nominated two suitable experts, one from the national standards body and one expert from the manufacturing sector with appropriate qualifications matching the scope of the Technical Committee to participate in the harmonization of standards for the automotive sector including formulation of workshop agreements, review of international standards for adoption and handle the harmonization work of the identified preliminary new work items.
Current situation
According to (Madden, 2020), the European Union, Japan and the United States exported 14 million used vehicles worldwide- 40percent of which entered the African continent. The high demand for these vehicles was attributed to their low prices and the absence of a sizeable middle-class population. However, there is a major trade-off for the low cost. A new wave of dynamism among African policymakers and business communities is expected with key renewable technologies falling in prices and giving lee-way to innovation and growth since, these imported used vehicles are often of poor quality and are highly susceptible to failing roadworthiness tests in the exporting countries (UNEP, 2020).
Consequently, these vehicles contribute to air pollution which hampers efforts to combat climate change. In fact, emissions from these vehicles are a major source of small particulates and nitrogen oxides which are responsible for urban pollution (Africa Business, 2020). 25 percent of energy-related greenhouse emissions across the globe are caused by vehicles. As a result, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the continent is slowed down. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), it is evident that these imported vehicles are not only environmental hazards but also a leading cause of road accidents within the continent (UNEP, 2020). It is unfortunate that Africa has the highest road traffic fatality rates where about 250,000 people die annually. By 2030, the number is projected to rise to 514,000 according to the World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2020).
The other key problem facing Africa is the provision of not only modern but also affordable, sustainable and reliable energy. This is a pivot point in the achievement of the Africa we want, through the Agenda 2063 strategic framework.
It is therefore crucial that there is not only vehicle homologation but also a well implemented quality management system which plays a key role in ensuring the proper tests are done on the imported and manufactured vehicles to confirm that these vehicles are still in good states.
In Africa, road transport dominates in most countries as it covers 80-90% of the passenger and freight traffic (Export-Import Bank of India, 2018). According to the World Bank, it is estimated that the continent carries out trade worth up to US$200 billion annually. In Africa, most rural areas depend completely on roads for connectivity. Unfortunately, the road density across Africa per person and square kilometer is much lower compared to other regions (UNECA, 2009). However, there is need to adequately manage and utilize the available road systems.
Furthermore, a major challenge is observed in Africa’s industrialization. It is likely that the lack of structural change during the economic expansion since 2000 will slow down the rate of future growth (Black, Makundi, & McLennan, 2017). In Africa, the automotive industry is relatively sophisticated, but there is need to constantly attract investment into parts of the sector which are more in line with the progress of lower income countries. The sub-Saharan Africa is expanding its market rapidly although there is still a $16.3 billion deficit in the sector. Despite being well endowed with adequate raw materials, there is still a large underutilization of these resources. Africa countries are now leaning towards more manufacturing rather than import of vehicles (Schiller & Pillay, 2016).
In lieu of this, the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) with support of the African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK), has been committed to ensuring that the Africa we want through the Agenda 2063 is achievable by coming up with harmonized standards that directly affect the automotive sector. The following listed standards have been harmonized through the ARSO Technical Committee (ARSO TC 59) on Automotive Technology and Engineering of which membership is composed of experts from 17 ARSO member states: (1) DR. Congo, (2)Egypt, (3)Ghana, (4)Kenya, (5)Madagascar, (6)Malawi, (7)Mauritius, 8.Namibia, (9)Nigeria, (10)Rwanda, (11)Seychelles, (12)Sierra Leone, (13)South Africa, (14)Tanzania, (15)Zambia, (16)Zimbabwe and (17)Zanzibar as an observer member.
African Standards (ARS) Harmonised by the TC 59
ARS 1355-1:2020, Vehicle Standards — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 1: Roadworthiness of vehicles already in use
ARS 1355-2:2020, Vehicle Standards — Specification for vehicle roadworthiness — Part 2: Roadworthiness of vehicles prior to entry into service and thereafter
ARS 1355-3:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 3: Supporting information
ARS 1355-4:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 4: Requirements for vehicle examiners
ARS 1355-5:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 5: Requirements for testing equipment
ARS 1355-6:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 6: Requirements for combinations of vehicles
ARS 1357:2020, Vehicle test station evaluation — Code of practice
ARS 1362-2020, Automotive Fuels—Unleaded Petrol-Requirements and test methods
ARS 1363-2020, Automotive Fuels—Diesel—Requirements and test methods
ARS 1370:2020, Transportation of dangerous goods by road
ARS 1379-2020, Definitions and classifications of power-driven vehicles and trailers
ARS 1371:2020, Cross border road transport management system (XB-RTMS)
ARS 1595:2020 Vehicle homologation – All Categories
International Standards recommended for adoption by Member States
ISO/IEC 18013-1:2018, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 1: Physical characteristics and basic data set
ISO/IEC 18013-2:2020, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 2: Machine-readable technologies
ISO/IEC 18013-3:2017, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 3: Access control, authentication and integrity validation
ISO/IEC 18013-4:2019, Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 4: Test methods
ISO 3779:2009, Road vehicles — Vehicle identification number (VIN) — Content and structure
ASTM D4950:2019, Standard classification and specification for automotive service greases
EN 13012:2012, Petrol filling stations — Construction and performance of automatic nozzles for use on fuel dispensers
EN 15293:2018, Automotive fuels — Automotive ethanol (E85) fuel — Requirements and test methods
EN 15376:2014, Automotive fuels — Ethanol as a blending component for petrol — Requirements and test methods
EN 16709:2015+A1:2018, Automotive fuels — High FAME diesel fuel (B20 and B30) — Requirements and test methods
EN 16734:2016+A1:2018, Automotive fuels — Automotive B10 diesel fuel — Requirements and test methods
EN 589:2018, Automotive fuels — LPG — Requirements and test methods
ISO 4925:2020, Road vehicles — Specification of non-petroleum-based brake fluids for hydraulic systems
ISO 4926:2006, Road vehicles — Hydraulic braking systems — Non-petroleum-base reference fluids
SAE J 2227:2019, Global tests and specifications for automotive engine oils
SAE J1616:2016, Standard for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel
SAE J1616:2017, Recommended Practice for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel
SAE J1703:2019, Motor vehicle brake fluids
SAE J310:2005, Automotive lubricating greases
SAE J357:2016, Physical and Chemical Properties of Engine Oils
UNECE 100:2013 Rev. 2, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to specific requirements for the electric power train
UNECE R 052RV3:2008, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of M2 and M3 small capacity vehicles with regard to their general construction
UNECE R 110 concerning Uniform provisions concerning the approval of: I. Specific components of motor vehicles using compressed natural gas (CNG) and/or liquefied natural gas (LNG) in their propulsion system II. Vehicles with regard to the installation of specific components of an approved type for the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and/or liquefied natural gas (LNG) in their propulsion system
UNECE R 115 concerning Uniform provisions concerning the approval of: I. Specific LPG (liquefied petroleum gases) retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of LPG in their propulsion system II. Specific CNG (compressed natural gas) retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of CNG in their propulsion system
UNECE R 136 concerning Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles of category L with regard to specific requirements for the electric power train
.
UNECE Regulation No 107 Uniform provisions concerning the approval of category M2 or M3 vehicles with regard to their general construction
UNECE Regulation No. 36:2008. Rev. 3, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of large passenger vehicles with regard to their general construction
UNECE-R146_Regulation on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles of category L
These first 13 standards are discussed in-depth within this article:
Six parts of the ARS 1355 on Roadworthiness
ARS 1355 Part 1: Vehicle Standards — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 1: Roadworthiness of vehicles already in use
It identifies the requirements for the examination and testing for roadworthiness of all motor vehicles within territories and across borders. It covers key aspects on emissions, leaks, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas propulsion systems as well as electric and hybrid systems.
ARS 1355-2:2020, Vehicle Standards — Specification for vehicle roadworthiness — Part 2: Roadworthiness of vehicles prior to entry into service and thereafter
It specifies the design safety requirements for used road vehicles prior to the date of entry into service and when operating on a public road. It however does not cover special requirements or concessions for certification of fitness for operations across the borders.
ARS 1355-3:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 3: Supporting information
This standard provides information intended to support the vehicle examiner and test stations using other parts of the specification.
ARS 1355-4:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 4: Requirements for vehicle examiners
It contains information that is useful in the selection and appointment of vehicle examiners, their duties, their training and ongoing updating of vehicle examiners.
ARS 1355-5:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 5: Requirements for testing equipment
This standard contains information on the selection and installation of the testing equipment needed to test the roadworthiness of vehicles in accordance with the requirements for the range of defined test lane classes that comprise the defined vehicle testing station categories.
ARS 1355-6:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 6: Requirements for combinations of vehicles
This provides specifications of methods applicable to be used in and the extent of, the examination of motor vehicles that are subjected to a roadside assessment for roadworthiness bylaw enforcement officers. It is mainly intended for application by heavy vehicles or combinations of heavy vehicles that exceed 3500 kg at a roadside inspection or whilst the vehicle is standing idle at a weigh station, customs post or similar and shall be used as a walk-around visual check.
ARS 1357:2020, Vehicle test station evaluation — Code of practice
Since the continent is gearing towards manufacture of vehicles within its boundaries, there was need to have a standard which governs vehicle testing station evaluation. p ARS 1357:2020 provides the best code of practice for such a station. The standard applies for principal grades of vehicle testing. They include grade A, B and C. There is a detailed organization of the Vehicle Test Station from the management representative, to field of application and methods and policy documentation. The standard also provides the structure of the quality management system which governs the quality documentation and control of the documentation within the test station. The review of the quality management system is detailed within the standard too.
ARS 1362-2020, Automotive Fuels—Unleaded Petrol-Requirements and test methods
This standard specifies 2 types of unleaded petrol where one has a maximum oxygen content of 3.7% (m/m) and maximum ethanol content of 10.0% (v/v). The other one is intended for use by older vehicles which are unwarranted to use unleaded petrol with a high biofuel content. This has a maximum oxygen content of 2.7% (m/m) and maximum ethanol content of 5.0% (v/v).
The standard also provides tables with values that are the limits specified. Also, there are some climatically dependent requirements and test methods such as water tolerance and volatility requirements which have been discussed in-depth within the standard.
ARS 1363-2020, Automotive Fuels—Diesel—Requirements and test methods
This is a standard that specifies the requirements and the test methods for marketed and delivered automotive diesel fuel. It is applicable to automotive diesel fuel for use in diesel engines. For the general requirements and related test methods, the diesel is expected to be within the limits specified in the tables provided in the standard. Diesel fuel shall also be free from any adulterants or contaminants which may render the fuel unacceptable for use in diesel engine vehicles.
ARS 1370:2020, Transportation of dangerous goods by road
This standard provides a harmonized common standard which governs the transport of classified goods by road in Africa. It ensures that all participants abide by the same rules which ultimately leads to safe operation and safety of the society. Within the standard, matters concerning administrative measures and exemptions on dangerous goods are addressed in-depth. The standard further provides a classification on dangerous goods. Some of the classifications provided in the standard include class 1 which covers explosives, class 2 covers gases, classes 3 and 4 cover flammable liquids and solids respectively while class 6 deals with toxic and infectious substances. Radioactive material is classified in class 7, while corrosive substances are in class 8. Finally, all miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles like environmentally hazardous substances are in class 9. For packing purposes of these substances, there are some packing groups which are designed to cover products of high, medium and low danger. There is a provision in the standard which describes dangerous goods and provides some special provisions applicable for road transportation of the goods. In addition, the standard covers the various security measures and precautions which should be taken to minimize theft or misuse of the goods that may endanger persons, property or the environment. All the requirements for the responsible parties to which safety obligations are assigned are also identified within the standard.
The standard clearly indicates the design and construction requirements for the vehicles to be used in the transport of the dangerous goods and the emergency information systems that can be put in place such as marking containers and placarding. The necessary requirements for packaging for road transport as well as the standards and specifications for vehicles and equipment are identified in the standard.
This standard is applicable for use by all private and national sectors across the continent which are involved in the transport of dangerous goods across borders via road.
ARS 1371:2020, Cross border road transport management system (XB-RTMS)
This standard, as others, is a voluntary self-regulation scheme which encourages the cross-border transport operators to implement a Road Transport Management System across the borders. The system described in the standard is expected to not only preserve the road infrastructure but also improve road safety. Besides, it prioritizes the vehicle roadworthiness, ensures responsible driving behavior, promotes driver health and wellness, fosters skill development, optimizes efficiency and complies with the respective border and regulatory requirements. The implementation of the standard is key in ensuring efficient and safe transport is achieved across the continent. The transport operator is at liberty to develop the most appropriate processes, systems and measurement methods which will adequately demonstrate compliance to the standard.
The standard provides general requirements concerning fleet inventory and its requirements, documentation. There is also a provision of requirements for load assessment and verification such as the methods to assess the vehicle mass before any laden trip. It further addresses matters on road safety, maintenance of roadworthy vehicles, as well as vehicle and load safety. Under vehicle and load safety, the standard addresses how best to monitor crashes, incidents as well as insurance claims. Driver health and wellness is also covered within the standard together with the various documents required to adequately implement and monitor the performance of the standard. Finally, the standard provides the border and regional requirements since there is an increased flow of goods and globalization of trade across the continent.
ARS 1379-2020, Definitions and classifications of power-driven vehicles and trailers
This is a standard that defines and classifies all wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be used on the wheeled vehicles. The standard classifies power driven vehicles and trailers into Category L which are motor vehicles with two, three and four wheels. The category L vehicles is sub-categorized into L1 to L7. These sub-categories are based on the weight, number of wheels, and the size of engine. Moreover, there is category M which are power driven vehicles that have at least four wheels and used for carriage of passengers. Under category M vehicles, M1 M2 and M3 are classified according to the number of passengers and maximum mass they can ferry. Category N, which covers power-driven vehicles that have at least 4 wheels and are used for carriage of goods provides room for categories N1, N2 and N3 which are determined by the weight these vehicles can ferry. Meanwhile, Category O is a provision for trailers and semi-trailers which are classified further into O1 O2 O3 & O4 depending on the weight they can carry. The standard also defines special purpose vehicles such as hearses, agricultural vehicles under categories T, R and S. Off-road vehicles are also defined within the standard.
ARS 1595:2020, Vehicle homologation – All Categories
This standard is critical for motor vehicles categories which are not previously registered in any country. It does not cover vehicles designed and constructed for use in construction sites, military services, mobile machinery, prototypes or motor sport competition. The standard details the administrative requirements highlighting in specific administrative measures, application forms, declaration of conformity and the various provisions of E-Certificates or test reports. Within the standard, the provision of a vehicle sample which precedes issuance of a certification of homologation is discussed. Technical requirements to be adhered to for the various categories of vehicles are highlighted in this standard.
Benefits of adopting these standards!
Although real trade among ratified countries has commenced under the AfCFTA agreement, it is crucial that countries adopt harmonised standards so as to ensure that road worthy vehicles are imported into their borders. This will go a long way in ensuring that we minimize the carbon emissions in the continent which will lead to environmental preservation. Besides, adhering to the specifications will significantly lower the death toll caused by road accidents attributed to unroadworthy vehicles. As a result, achieving the Africa we want through the agenda 2063 will come closer to being a reality.
Standards vehicle testing facilities as well as vehicle manufacturers and importers. With these standards in place and with real trade commencing under the AfCFTA, there will be less technical barriers to trade due to the harmonization of the standards.
Standardization of the automotive fuels is set to deliver business and environmental benefits in Africa. By adhering to the limits set in the standards, there will be a significant reduction in the carbon-footprint within the continent and this will help in environmental conservation and reduction in global warming (Schiller& Davies, 2018). Also, having a single guide in Africa on the automotive fuel specifications will help synchronize the systems and adequately facilitate real trade between African countries especially with the commencement of real trade in January 2021 through the AfCFTA.
The application of the standards for transportation of dangerous goods will promote safe handling of dangerous goods, human health, plant health and animal health generally benefit from the application of this standard.
Last but not least, the harmonised standard for vehicle homologation will facilitate the Private to gain legal access to target markets and to generate higher revenues, ensure rapid and safe delivery of products to consumers, alleviate costly penalties and fines for non-compliance or costly recalls of rejected products and boost brand reputation among consumers and regulators by ensuring vehicle safety.
Who can use these standards?
Depending on the type of activity, these specifications can be used by fuel processing companies within the continent, road transport operators, vehicle manufacturers and assemblers, law enforcement officers, vehicle examiners, and national regulators across the continent.
The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and AOAC INTERNATIONAL announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a strategic partnership to advance food safety and security in Africa.
MoU Signed between ARSO and AOAC International
ARSO is Africa’s intergovernmental standards body, formed in 1977 by the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Its mandate is to develop tools for standards development, standards harmonization and implementation to enhance Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally, and uplift the welfare of African consumers. It also serves as a standardization forum for future prospects in international trade referencing.
ARSO is a signatory to the World Trade Organization’s Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) agreement and is an active observer member of the TBT Committee in its work toward harmonization, equivalence and mutual recognition arrangements for agriculture and food products.
Contaminated food continues to cause numerous devastating outbreaks in the African region, and food safety related problems still account for almost 2,000 fatalities on the continent daily. The World Health Organization reports that foodborne hazards are responsible for 137,000 deaths and 91 million acute illnesses in Africa every year, mostly affecting children under the age of five.
The 2018 formation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which includes 54 of the 55 African Union nations and requires members to remove tariffs from 90 percent of goods, is bringing a rapid increase in trade of food. But it is also creating challenges due to enormous disparities in food testing infrastructure. In some countries, labs are well equipped, using advanced techniques and international official reference methods. In others, labs are struggling to achieve basic proficiency.
While increased trade and closer economic cooperation between developing countries represent a considerable potential for development, realizing this potential presents a major challenge especially in terms of an effective continental standardization infrastructure.
In 2018, at the inaugural meeting of the newly formed AOAC INTERNATIONAL Sub-Saharan Africa Section, scientists identified a set of recommendations to advance development and harmonization of analytical methods, including prioritizing validated analytical methods for traditional African foods, public-private dialog on food safety capacity building, and collaboration with regional stakeholders such as ARSO.
Since then, the AOAC Sub-Saharan Africa Section has established itself as a key player in the region and has been invited to collaborate with numerous pan-African quality infrastructure organizations such as ARSO and the Intra-African Metrology System.
“AOAC INTERNATIONAL can play a critical role in providing technical and scientific advice on analytical testing standards, especially for many of the local food commodities now being traded beyond national borders, and within the 39 member States of ARSO,” said ARSO Secretary-General, Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana. “This collaboration agreement is a significant step to realizing these goals.”
Cooperation between the two organizations will include areas such as conformity assessment regimes in traditional African foods; capacity building; peer reviews and idea exchange; and development and harmonization of standards in foods and beverages, dietary supplements, and infant formula, industrial chemicals and fertilizers.
The agreement also envisions development or expansion of laboratory proficiency testing to include regionally specific commodities and their reference materials. In addition to jointly promoting awareness among policy makers and governments on the need for standardization such as Performance Tested Methods and infrastructure, the agreement establishes a forum for joint public-private high-level dialog including webinars and training.
“AOAC’s Official Methods of Analysis are respected worldwide and can be used with confidence by industry, regulatory agencies, research organizations, testing laboratories, and academic institutions,” said Erin Crowley, President of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. “We look forward to working with ARSO to expand our stakeholder network in Africa while increasing use and improving access of AOAC Official Methods across the African Continental Free Trade Area.”
The AfCFTA Agreement, for which, the Kingdom of Morocco is a signatory and ratifying Sate Party, calls on all State parties, under the TBT Annex 6, article 6, f, to promote membership, liaison and participation in the work of ISO, IEC, ARSO, AFSEC and similar international and regional standardisation organisations.
The AfCFTA Agreement under TBT Annex 6, Article 4, sets to (a) facilitate intra-African trade through cooperation in the areas of standards, technical regulation, conformity assessment, accreditation and metrology; and urges State parties, under Article 5, to cooperate in the development and implementation of standards, technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures, accreditation, metrology, capacity building and enforcement activities in order to facilitate trade within the AfCFTA, and as well, under Article 6 (b), to promote the adoption of standards developed by the ARSO and the AFSEC. It is acknowledged that seamless flow of goods and services under the AfCFTA requires harmonised standards and Conformity Assessment. Already, in Africa, the volume and complexity of technical regulations and the variation in certification, testing, inspection practices and standards used by different African countries and RECs continue to pose an impediment to intra-African trade and cooperation among African countries in the harmonisation the African standards, by Experts from all African countries, remains a key requirement, within the AfCFTA Agreement.
Having signed the ARSO Membership Documents, including the ARSO Membership Instrument of Accession and the ARSO Constitution ratification form in February 2021, the Kingdom of Morocco has finally completed all requirement as ARSO member on 17th March 2021. This comes at a crucial moment when the African countries have started real trade with each other, on 1st January 2021, under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.
The Kingdom of Morocco will formally be admitted to the ARSO Membership during the 26th ARSO General Assembly scheduled for 16th June 2021. The Total Membership of ARSO currently standards at 39 African Countries, and all African Union are expected to attain ARSO membership as provided by the AfCFTA agreement TBT annex 6
Started officially in 2013, the Annual ARSO Continental Standardisation Essay Competition is aimed at empowering the African Youth to understand the role and importance, as well as the benefits of standardisation in facilitating sustainable development in Africa. The Essay Themes are based on the Yearly African Union Themes. For this year, the theme approved by the 63rd ARSO Council in its virtual meeting on 26th November 2020 is “The role of Standardisation in promoting Arts, Culture and Heritage – The Creative Economy in Africa.” The theme is based on the AU 2021 theme as Arts, Culture, and Heritage. On 13-14 October 2020, the AU officially declared the Year 2021 as The AU Year of the Arts, Culture, and Heritage and adopted the theme for 2021 as “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building Africa We Want”. The UN had also in 2019, under RESOLUTION 74/198 (A/C.2/74/L.16/Rev.1 – E – A/C.2/74/L.16/Rev.1 -Desktop (undocs.org)) on International Year on Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021, adopted, by consensus, declared 2021 the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Under this declaration, the UN encourages all parties to acknowledge the potential contribution of creative economy sectors to achievement of the sustainable development goals, and underscores that, 2021 marks the right moment for all stakeholders, including governments, private sectors, civil society, international organizations, academics, and cultural and creative entities to work together, exchange knowledge and experiences, build networks, and scale up collaboration (UNCTAD 2018).
Already under the Nairobi Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries in Africa 2005, the African Union is calling on its member States to establish standardization and quality assurance mechanisms to ensure competitiveness and marketability of African cultural goods and services. ARSO under its ARSO TC 77 on Creative Economy is aiming to harmonise African Standards and Conformity Assessment systems to facilitate the production and trade in the creative Industry in Africa. UNESCO (2015) at its 38th session of the General Conference, declared May 5, the African World Heritage Day to promote African Heritage.
Growing in breadth, economic share, and innovation, the Cultural and Creative Industries have great potential to accelerate socio-economic change across Africa and is among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas of the world economy. The global market for creative goods has expanded substantially more than doubling in size from $208 billion in 2002 to $509 billion in 2015, and continues to make a significant contribution to world trade (UNCTAD, 2018,).
The UN eencourages all to observe the year in accordance with national priorities to raise awareness, promote cooperation and networking, encourage sharing best practices and experiences, enhance human resource capacity, promote an enabling environment at all levels as well as tackle the challenges of the creative economy.
Recognitions and Awards for the Essay Winners will be held in June 2021 during the 26th ARSO General Assembly events, the African Day of Standardisation.
18th February 2021 – ARSO, represented by the Secretary General, Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, left, has signed an MoU with Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) INTERNATIONAL. The MoU is a follow-up to thediscussions, deliberations and recommendations of the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Sub-Saharan Africa Section Inaugural Meeting, that took Place from 5-7 November 2018 at The Farm Inn Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa, and which recommended among other things, the need for, establishing technical/ capacity building collaboration agreements with key stakeholders in the region such as ARSO and AFRIMETS. The MoU will facilitate the harmonization and implementation of analytical performance standards and conformity assessment procedures in the field of agriculture and food safety, to support government regulatory policies and favourable integration into regional and international markets, especially promoting trade of safe agricultural products within the African Single Market under the AfCFTA.
David B. Schmidt
(AOAC) INTERNATIONAL (https://www.aoac.org) is a 501(c)(3), independent, third party, not-for-profit association and voluntary consensus standards developing organization dedicated to serving the analytical community in laboratory capacity building, conformity assessment, method validation, and promotion of globally accepted testing standards. AOAC INTERNATIONAL provides a forum for government, industry, and academia to collaboratively establish standard method performance requirements and official methods of analysis that ensure the safety and integrity of foods and other products that impact public health around the world. AOAC INTERNATIONAL, facilitates science-based solutions through the development of performance standards and Official Methods of Analysis (chemical and microbiological) for a broad spectrum of safety interests including, but not limited to, food and food ingredients; beverages; dietary supplements; infant formula; animal feeds; fertilizers; soil and water; and, veterinary drug residues. AOAC consensus standards and Official Methods of Analysis are routinely approved by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) for adoption of methods as CODEX international standards which are used globally to promote trade and to facilitate public health and safety. David B. Schmidt (right), the Executive Director, represented AOAC.
3rd February 2021, Nairobi, Kenya, Fair Trade Africa Office
ARSO and the Commerce Equitable Afrique, trading as Fair-Trade Africa (FTA), and Headquartered in Nairobi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 3rd February 2021, with the main objective to establish a framework within which to jointly explore and coordinate such undertakings to build strong and resilient producer Organisations and work cooperatively towards increasing sustainable and ethical production and consumption across Africa. The focus is to facilitate intra-African Trade and global trade through providing and facilitating the implementation of harmonised standards and improving livelihoods of small holder farmers and workers in the plantations. The two Parties have undertaken to promote and advance the use of standards and support sustainable agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, aquaculture, food security and socially inclusive busines and community development.
Fairtrade Africa was established in 2005 and is the independent non-profit umbrella organisation representing all Fairtrade certified producers in Africa. Fairtrade Africa is owned by its members, who are African producer organisations certified against international Fairtrade standards producing traditional export commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, cotton, bananas, mango and non-traditional commodities including shea butter and rooibos tea. Currently, the organisation supports over 500 producer organisations and represents over one million small holder farmers and workers across 32 countries in Africa, ensuring they get better prices, decent working conditions and fairer terms of trade.’
The two Organisations both run Eco labelling programmes and having benchmarked the Eco labels in 2018.
ARSO through the ARSO Conformity Assessment Procedure (ACAP) has developed rules and procedures for its Certification operations in nine schemes that include sustainability and eco-labelling that awards the Eco mark label to products and services complying with requirements to the African sustainability standards.
Launched on 8th March 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya Eco Mark Africa is a programme in ARSO that promotes the EMA Ecolabel in Africa for sustainably produced goods and services in the Agriculture, Aquiculture, Fisheries, forestry and tourism sectors. It also builds capacity of Auditors, certification bodies, laboratories and producers of goods and services in the above sectors. The programme integrates, the concepts of environmental, social and economic sustainability and is a useful tool for promoting sustainable production and consumption of goods and services as well as addressing various sustainable development goals, including the mitigating the climate action in Africa, while ensuring the production of eco-friendly African products for better regional and global market access. The certification is based on the ARSO Sustainability and Ecolabelling standards: ARS/AES 01 – 2014: Agriculture, for the sustainable production, processing and trading of agricultural products; ARS/AES 02- 2014: Fisheries – for the sustainable harvesting of fish as well as addressing the Ecosystem issues; ARS/AES 03 – 2014: Forestry- for sustainable management of forests; ARS/AES 04 – 2014: Tourism- for sustainable management of tourism, while promoting Eco Tourism and environmental conservation. This in addition to the ARS/AES 1:2014 – Aquaculture and ARS/AES 1:2014 Tilapia.
8th Continental Essay Competition for the year 2021
Theme: “The Role of Standardisation in promoting Arts, Culture and Heritage – The Creative Economy in Africa”
University and College Students under the age of 35 years eligible to participate
The Competition aims to have 3 categories of winners: the National, Regional and Continental. In this regard, ARSO is requesting all the National Standards Bodies (NSBs) in Africa to organise the competition at the National level and send out the attached documents (8th Continental Essay Concept Paper and Registration Form) to the various Universities /Colleges for the competition. The NSB is expected to conduct the competition at the National level. This entails sending out the relevant documents to Colleges/ Universities, receiving the essays from the participants, doing the assessment and awarding or giving recognition to the winners as appropriate to the NSB.
The organizers are inviting students in institutions of higher learning in Africa (Colleges/ Universities approved by their local commission of higher education) to submit their essays on the theme: “The Role of Standardisation in promoting Arts, Culture and Heritage – The Creative Economy in Africa.” to their respective National Standards Bodies (NSBs) email addresses. (Confirm with your respective NSBs on the submission dates)
7th Continental Essay Competition for the year 2019 / 2020
Theme: “The role of Standardisation in resolving and addressing the socio-economic issues for the Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons and creating durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”
University and College Students under the age of 35 years eligible to participate
The Competition aims to have 3 categories of winners: the National, Regional and Continental. In this regard, ARSO is requesting all the National Standards Bodies (NSBs) in Africa to organise the competition at the National level and send out the attached documents (7th Continental Essay Concept Paper and Registration Form) to the various Universities /Colleges for the competition. The NSB is expected to conduct the competition at the National level. This entails sending out the relevant documents to Colleges/ Universities, receiving the essays from the participants, doing the assessment and awarding or giving recognition to the winners as appropriate to the NSB.
The organizers are inviting students in institutions of higher learning in Africa (Colleges/ Universities approved by their local commission of higher education) to submit their essays on the theme: “The role of Standardisation in resolving and addressing the socio-economic issues for the Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons and creating durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa” to their respective National Standards Bodies (NSBs) email addresses. (Confirm with your respective NSBs on the submission dates)
The ARSO Webinar for October 14th 2020 is focused on the COVID-19 and Post-COVID-19 Africa, based on positive lessons learnt, with a call for increased manufacturing and industrialisation and increased trade among African countries within the prism of the AU Agenda 2063 and its Flagship project the Africa Continental Fee Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. ARSO, with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), under a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devicesin Africa, is focused on the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products for increased trade and availability in Africa.
The COVID-19 pandemic which brought the world to a halt, is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind has faced since the 2nd World War, with the UN’s Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to the COVID 19 Crisis warning that “The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis as it is affecting societies and economies at their core. The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have indicated COVID-19 pandemic as the largest threat to global economy. Indeed, never in the living memory, in recent times, has humanity faced such a challenge in medical, social and economic spheres of life that threatens lives and livelihoods on the same scale. In its April 2020 report, the African Union has reported that “Indeed, the high dependency of African economies vis-à-vis foreign economies predicts a negative economic spinoff for the continent, evaluated at an average loss of 1.5 points on economic growth for 2020 and it is unlikely that the 3.4 percent (AfDB 2020) economic growth rate for the continent, forecast last year, will be achieved because of the COVID 19 crisis”. (AUC, 2020, https://africatimes.com/2020/04/06/new-au-report-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-economic-impacts/). The decline is due to the effects on the main economic sector of tourism, air travel, Exports (commodity and the associated tumble in commodity prices), with the decline in both exports and imports projected at 35%from the level reached in 2019 (AfDB 2020).
With this in mind, and on a positive note, due to the endemic reliance on imports and the breakdowns in supply chains associated with lockdown measures, for the African continent, COVID‑19 has strengthened the case for developing intra-African regional value chains and unlocking the continent’s business potential, while focusing on the African SMEs and Africa’s Industrialisation and Manufacturing. Like the food imports, COVID 19 has also magnified Africa’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals (both final and intermediate products) and amplified the urgency to build competitive, resilient and robust value chains in this sector, including mainstreaming the African Traditional Medicine in the National Healthcare systems and pharmaceutical policies. Karisha Banga, et al. 2020, highlights that in 2018, 82.2% and 95.9% of Africa’s imports of food items, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, respectively, originated from outside the continent. The Eminent Persons, led by the late H.E. Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General, on their 2014 African Economic report, highlighted that Africa spends USD 35B in food imports and projected it to be USD 100 by 2030. There has already been a positive shift from global, to, towards more regional and local supply chains, with local Manufacturers and SMEs taking the lead to manufacture the required PPEs that comply with the recommended product standards. But the long-term economic benefits, according to UNCTAD, 2018c, will arise from unleashing the potential of regional value chains in the key sector, including Agro-processing, textile and leather and the pharmaceuticals (African Traditional Medicine), to foster manufacturing, trade, industrialisation and sustainable development, and when, according to UNECA (2020, “facilitating cross-border trade through a coordinated African response to COVID-19,) the African Governments adopt and harmonize trade policies (including standardisation (TBTs) to focus on Export oriented manufacturing of Made in Africa Products and boost intra-Africa trade (trade flows) among countries, with effective support from the African Quality Infrastructures (NSBs, PAQI (ARSO)).
It is in this regard that, ARSO has partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to launch a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devicesin Africa, aimed at promoting the quality and safety of medicines and medical devices imported or produced on the continent. The initiative, to be implemented in a phased manner over three years, has begun with the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products (ARSO/TC 80), and Medical devices and equipment (ARSO/TC 78). The second phase will analyse and assess existing international, regional, and national standards for their suitability in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries before achieving the 3rd phase, which is the harmonization of the related African Standards and their adoption on the continent.
Commenting on the initiative, ITFC CEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol highlighted that “From a trade development standpoint, harmonizing the standards of pharmaceutical products and medical devices in Africa is a crucial first step in facilitating local production and trade within the sector and those standards will provide a necessary baseline from which to regulate the sector more effectively, raising the quality of locally produced life-saving drugs and related products”. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’ s Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative praised the initiative, noting that“At a time when the demand for quality medicines and medical devices is increasing, Africa needs to reinforce regional value chains to scale-up the supply of quality medical products and build up the continent’s resilience against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future.”ARSO’s Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, noted that “While on one hand COVID-19 has created social distancing as a new norm, on another hand it has brought Africa together by opening our eyes to the need for industrialisation, pointing out that Standards circulated by ARSO and other standards organisations related to face masks, and hand sanitizers have been used widely by African SMEs to develop locally made personal protective equipment thereby shedding light on the role of standards in industrialization, safety, and trade, and the project, will not only help in increasing local production but will also create trust and enable cross border trade and investment for pharmaceutical products and medical devices.”(https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/14/afreximbank-and-international-islamic-trade-finance-corporation-itfc-partner-with-arso-to-facilitate-intra-african-trade-in-pharmaceuticals-and-medical-devices-under-the-umbrella-of-the-aatb-program/)
Focusing on the African Pharmaceutical industry and the Role of Standardisation. Experiences and Challenges of ARSO Members and Strategies for Africa’s resilience and increased intra-African Trade in the post COVID 19
Moderator – ARSO – Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, ARSO
Sub-Topics and Proposed Speakers:
“Scope and Standardisation needs for the African Traditional Medicine (ATM) and the role of the WHO Policy on Mainstreaming and recognition of the ATM into National Health Care systems – highlights for the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products; and the Medical devices and equipment – ARSO Central Secretariat (Mr. Reuben Gisore).
Post COVID-19: repositioning Africa for self-reliance and resilience in the face of future Global pandemics: fast-tracking the development of “made in Africa” brands embedded in competitive regional value chains for Africa’s Key Sectors like Agro-processing and Pharmaceuticals: the AfCFTA Framework and opportunities and the role of Afreximbank – Afreximbank Official.
Reducing the Africa’s overreliance on imports and thinking Africa’s Industrialisation: positive lessons arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic with potential Home-Grown Solutions, the various Challenges, best practices, needs and opportunities. NEPAD Official
ii Experience and Challenges in the use of African Traditional Medicine – The Standardisation processes : Standards and Conformity Assessment activities : Policy and the Quality and Safety Issues – Case studies from ARSO members
Algeria
Ethiopia
Madagascar,
Nigeria.
Summary and Way Forward: ARSO – Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General.
Rationale for the Webinar and Background Information.
The COVID-19 pandemic which brought the world to a halt, is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind has faced since the 2nd World War, with the UN’s Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to the COVID 19 Crisis warning that “The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis as it is affecting societies and economies at their core. Indeed, never in the living memory, in recent times, has humanity faced such a challenge in medical, social and economic spheres of life that threatens the viability of all human systems and never before has health, safety and wellbeing been so vital to every aspect of our lives. COVID-19 presents unique challenges because it has no geographic center, its impact is dynamically shifting without regard to borders, and it spreads from human to human, thus threatening the very fabric of humanity that is embedded teamwork, interdependence and consultations, discussions and socialization among citizens.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have indicated COVID-19 pandemic as the largest threat to global economy since the financial emergency of 2008–2009, as COVID-19 has severely demobilized the global economy. In its April 2020 report, the African Union has reported that “Indeed, the high dependency of African economies vis-à-vis foreign economies predicts a negative economic spinoff for the continent, evaluated at an average loss of 1.5 points on economic growth 2020 and t it is unlikely that the 3.4 percent economic growth rate for the continent, forecast last year by the African Development Bank, will be achieved because of the COVID 19 crisis”. (AUC, 2020, https://africatimes.com/2020/04/06/new-au-report-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-economic-impacts/).
In the midst of extraordinary challenges and uncertainties, leaders are under pressure to make decisions on managing the immediate and long term impact of the pandemic and its consequences, decisions that will shape the state of the world for years to come and what might be the silver linings in the crisis and how might leaders use this moment to build a more resilient, prosperous, equitable and sustainable world, is a subject of interest (World Economic Forum 2020). On a positive note, due to the endemic reliance on imports, and the breakdowns in supply chains associated with lockdown measures, for the African continent, COVID‑19 has strengthened the case for developing intra-African regional value chains and unlocking the continent’s business potential, while focusing on the African SMEs and Africa’s Industrialisation and Manufacturing. COVID 19 has also magnified Africa’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals (both final and intermediate products) and amplified the urgency to build competitive, resilient and robust value chains in this sector, including mainstreaming the African Traditional Medicine in the National Healthcare systems and pharmaceutical policies. Karisha Banga, et al. 2020, highlights that in 2018, 82.2% and 95.9% of Africa’s imports of food items, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, respectively, originated from outside the continent. Not only were many of the main providers of Africa’s pharmaceuticals heavily hit by COVID‑19 (with main sources of imports being the EU-27, India and Switzerland), but many have also limited exports of medical supplies and medicines associated with the pandemic, putting many African countries in perilous positions.
In the wake of countries’ struggles to procure essential medical products to fight COVID‑19, there has already been a positive shift from global, to, towards more regional and local supply chains (with local Manufacturers and SMEs taking the lead to manufacture the required PPEs that comply with the recommended product standards) and with policy re-orientation towards self-reliance and endogenous self-sustained development, within the broad industrialization agenda of Africa (accelerating structural transformation, manufacturing, regional value chains with commensurate positive effects on the made in Africa products and product diversification) and within the prism of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)., . (https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/boosting-african-regional-value-chain-development-response-covid-19-catalysing-role-afcfta). But the long-term economic benefits, according to UNCTAD, 2018c, will arise from unleashing the potential of regional value chains in the key sector, including Agro-processing and the pharmaceuticals (African Traditional Medicine), to foster manufacturing, trade, industrialisation and sustainable development.
At the continental level, UNECA and AFREXIMBANK have also partnered to support the scaling up of manufacturing of COVID‑19 medical supplies that can be produced in Africa and sent across borders. This is expected to facilitate a regional approach to developing medical value chains based on comparative advantages and economies of scale. It will also help ensure that African countries without the capacity to produce these products can access them from within the region. A recent survey jointly carried out by the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of UNECA and International Economics Consulting Ltd. (IEC) on the impact of COVID‑19 on business and trade across Africa substantiates the ability of African firms, with effective support from the African Quality Infrastructures (NSBs), to adapt and innovate in response to COVID‑19 challenges, including global supply chain disruptions.
Therefore, as countries all over the world are making a focused effort towards the re-opening of their economies with increased surge on the demand for safe and quality Personal Preventive Equipment, the role of standardisation is being tested and manifested at the same scale, to achieve the intricate balance of saving lives and livelihoods at the same time. Like their international counterparts (ISO, ASTML, AFNOR, CEN-CENELEC, SAC-China, SIS, INTERTEK, COTECNA) the African National Bureau of Standards and Certification Bodies are taking leadership role to offer, free of charge, the necessary standards and Conformity Assessment Services (see the link https://www.arso-oran.org/standards-for-covid-19/) for the local manufacturers/SMEs. At the continental level, ARSO has partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to launch a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devicesin Africa, aimed at promoting the quality and safety of medicines and medical devices imported or produced on the continent. The initiative, to be implemented in a phased manner over three years, has begun with the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products (ARSO/TC 80), and Medical devices and equipment (ARSO/TC 78). The second phase will analyse and assess existing international, regional, and national standards for their suitability in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries before achieving the 3rd phase, which is the harmonization of the related African Standards and their adoption on the continent. Participating ARSO members have nominated Experts to expedite the process.
Commenting on the initiative, ITFCCEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol highlighted that “From a trade development standpoint, harmonizing the standards of pharmaceutical products and medical devices in Africa is a crucial first step in facilitating local production and trade within the sector and those standards will provide a necessary baseline from which to regulate the sector more effectively, raising the quality of locally produced life-saving drugs and related products”. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’ s Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative praised the initiative, noting that“At a time when the demand for quality medicines and medical devices is increasing, Africa needs to reinforce regional value chains to scale-up the supply of quality medical products and build up the continent’s resilience against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future.”ARSO’s Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, noted that “While on one hand COVID-19 has created social distancing as a new norm, on another hand it has brought Africa together by opening our eyes to the need for industrialisation, pointing out that Standards circulated by ARSO and other standards organisations related to face masks, and hand sanitizers have been used widely by African SMEs to develop locally made personal protective equipment thereby shedding light on the role of standards in industrialization, safety, and trade, and the project, will not only help in increasing local production but will also create trust and enable cross border trade and investment for pharmaceutical products and medical devices.”(https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/14/afreximbank-and-international-islamic-trade-finance-corporation-itfc-partner-with-arso-to-facilitate-intra-african-trade-in-pharmaceuticals-and-medical-devices-under-the-umbrella-of-the-aatb-program/).
The Webinar is also taking place when the International Standardisation Community is celebrating the 2020 World Standards Day on 14th October 2020 under the theme “Protecting the planet with standards”.In their Message, the IEC, ISO and ITU Presidents have highlighted that “the International standards prepared by IEC, ISO and ITU are used to help reduce the environmental impact of industrial production and processes and impact greatly on Government Policies and Health care Systems”. ARSO takes note of the initiatives by ISO to make its 20 standards freely available globally, including in Africa, (https://www.iso.org/covid19), AFNOR for the freely available AFNOR Spec – Barrier masks. The Standardisation Community appreciates ITU’s initiative on the REG4COVID platform to serve as a repository of emergency actions that the digital community around the world is taking to ensure the continued availability, accessibility and resilience of networks and resources, including virtual standardisation activities.
In all these lies the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement that serves as the leading framework for boosting intra-African trade and fast-tracking the development of “made in Africa” brands embedded in competitive and robust regional value chains and ensuring that manufacturing, agro-processing and other activities across the continent are stimulated to supply the African Single Market’ and to position Africa, more strongly in the face of future global shocks and Pandemics.
The Webinar
Objective of the Webinar
The Main objective is to offer a platform for discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects on economies, the standardisation and conformity assessment systems being put in place by ARSO members, and more so the experiences of the ARSO members in the use of the Traditional medicine to offer herbal remedies to the citizens, while also focusing on building the Africa’s resilience in the post COVID-19, through increased industrialisation, manufacturing and establishment of regional value chains and intra-African trade.
Specific Objectives
Understanding the COVID-19 effect on African Economies and how countries are responding with respect to intervention measures.
Understanding the role of Standardisation and Conformity Assessment in the fight against the COVID-19.
Understanding the standardisation activities of the ARSO Member States on providing solutions to the COVID-19.
Identifying the positive lessons arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic with respect to Africa’s Industrialisation, Manufacturing and need for increased intra-African trade, with potential Home-Grown Solutions to support pandemic resilience for Africa.
Understanding the role of ARSO and its activities towards the mitigation of COVID-19 Pandemic, including standardisation and conformity Assessment activities, and the initiatives for the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment.
Understanding the role of the International Community and the International Standards in the mitigation of COVID-19 Pandemic, highlighting the theme of the 2020 World Standards Day.
Outputs of Webinar
Presentations.
Discussions and comments on the COVID-19 Pandemic, the standardisation initiatives, the use African Traditional Medicine the policy gaps, African industrialization Agenda, the intra African trade.
Report of the webinar.
Outcomes of Webinar
Enhanced understanding of the COVID-19 effect on African Economies.
Improved understanding of the role of African Traditional Medicine in mitigation of the COVID-19 and how to address the challenges associated with Quality and safety as well as policy gaps.
Increased understanding of the need for Africa’s industrialisation, Manufacturing, Regional Value Chains and the Made in Africa products for Africa’s resilience and self-reliance, in the post COVID-19 and the need for necessary policies, as per the AfCFTA Agreement.
Better understanding of the role of Standardisation (Quality Infrastructure) in the fight against COVID -19, and the need for harmonised standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures.
Better Understanding of the need to promote Competitive Africa’s SMEs and made in Africa Products and the opportunities created under the AfCFTA.
Impact
Increased productivity and Trade in Made in African Products with established Regional Value Chains, including in the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment, with increased Africa’s Industrialisation, manufacturing and Intra-African Trade.
Appreciation of the Role of African Traditional Medicine in the fight Against COVID-19 and strengthened efforts towards formulation of polices for mainstreaming ATM in the National Health Care systems.
Increased development, harmonisation and adoption of Standards and Conformity Assessment procedures for the management of the COVID-19 Pandemic, including putting in place policies for the post Covid-19 to help the continent handle such pandemics in future.
Increased awareness and accessibility of the existing international (ISO), Continental (ARSO), regional (RECs), and national (NSBs) standards in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries
Strengthened Policies and Clear frameworks for activities that prioritize the production, trade and competiveness of Made in Africa Products, including the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment’s.
Right policies for the competitiveness of the African SMEs for scaled up manufacturing of made in Africa products, under the key sector for Africa’s self-reliance and resilience, including COVID‑19 medical supplies and trade across the borders through established regional (medical) value chains based on comparative advantages and economies of scale
Increased partnerships and collaborations in the implementation of the standardisation activities that address Africa’s Industrialisation, manufacturing and Intra-African Trade, including the unique challenges of the African healthcare/Pharmaceutical industries.
Mode of Presentation
Speakers may prepare brief slides of no more than 5 minutes to guide the discussions. The presentations will be projected by the ARSO Secretariat. Speakers, therefore, are kindly requested to forward their presentations early enough. The webinar will focus more on discussions. Speakers are further requested to forward detailed notes to be used for reporting purposes. The Presentations will be shared with the Participants.
ARSO, the African Organisation for Standardisation, is an Intergovernmental Organisation formed by the African Union (formerly OAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1977 to promote Standardisation activities (harmonisation of standards and Conformity Assessment procedures) in Africa to facilitate intra-African and Global trade.
Audience
ARSO Membership, Experts and Stakeholders.
Cover Image Courtesy of Google Pictures (Market_Pharmacy_Tana_MS5179)
