Category: Webinar

ASTM/ARSO Webinar Workshop on Petroleum

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Latest News, Newsletter, Webinar

Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 – 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM EST (14:30 – 16:00 EAT)

Concept Note

ASTM International: “ASTM International’s Standards Alliance Project on the Harmonization of Petroleum Standards in West Africa and, ARSO’s Development of African Standards (ARS) for fuels: The importance of testing standards in line with available testing equipment”

  1. Introduction:

ASTM International Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants was formed in 1904. With a current membership of approximately 2500 industry professionals and experts and, jurisdiction over 814 standards, published in six volumes of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, D02 meets twice a year, June and December. During the Committee Week (CW), approximately 1000 members attend 5 days of technical meetings focusing on the latest standards developments in the more than one hundred subcommittees that it serves. This year, the December 4-8 D02 CW to be held in Orlando, Florida, will host eight representatives (two from each of the four ECOWAS countries) that are participating in the ASTM/API (The American Petroleum Institute) Standards Alliance program, aimed at harmonizing petroleum standards in West Africa. To date, two ASTM workshops have been held in Nigeria and Ghana:  #petroleum #standardsdevelopment #Ghana

  • Background:

In November 2019, The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), through its public-private partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – the Standards Alliance – organized a five-day training on international petroleum standards and management systems in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. This event was organized in coordination with the Ivoirian Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energy and the national standards bodies of Côte d’Ivoire (CODINORM), Ghana (GSA), Nigeria (SON), and Senegal (ASN). The training provided an opportunity for 25 participants to discuss international best practices for petroleum, environmental and economic challenges and, the need for regional harmonization of petroleum standards to maximize economies of scale and ensure high quality petroleum products across the ECOWAS.

ARSO/TC 37, Petroleum and petrochemical products – Technical Committee dealing with Standards Development under the Category.

  • Proposed Objectives/Results:

This workshop, the fourth in a series of five ARSO/ASTM’s webinars scheduled for 2022, is in response to the selection of the topic (one of the five priority topics) through a survey conducted with the members of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO). The webinar seeks to share the success of the current ASTM/API harmonization of petroleum standards in West Africa while also looking at ARSO’s Development of African Standards (ARS) for fuels and the importance of testing standards in line with available testing equipment in the continent. Public and private sector Industry experts, regulators, ARSO members and consumers are expected to attend.

  • Panellists & Bios:

This webinar will feature two speakers – one from ASTM and another from an African country to be proposed by ARSO. The ASTM Speaker will highlight the success of the ASTM Standards Alliance Program in West Africa to date and identify existing gaps in test methods in member countries while ARSO Speaker will discuss the Development of African Standards (ARS) for fuels and the importance of testing standards in line with available testing equipment.  

ASTMARSO-WEBINAR-WORKSHOP-ON-PETROLEUM-poster

Speaker 1: Mr. August Wiredu, ASTM Petroleum Standards Consultant, U.S./Ghana.

Speaker 2: Mr. Stuart Raye, Motor industry fuel and emission technical expert, South Africa.

Bioethanol Standardization Web-series – Clean Cooking Fuel

Dan Kithome Latest News, Webinar

Webinar #3 Policy, Trade, and Market Opportunities for Bioethanol as a Clean Cooking Fuel

August 31, 2022 from 15:30 – 17:00 EAT, 13:30 – 15:00 WAT, 8:30 – 10:00 EDT

In support of international best practices and harmonization for bioethanol standards, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) – through its public-private partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is hosting a webinar on Bioethanol as a Clean Cooking Fuel. The series is coordinated in close partnership with the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) and Pivot Clean Energy Co (Pivot).                                                                

In sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of the population cooks with solid or fossil fuels (wood, charcoal, coal, kerosene). The region’s reliance on traditional biomass and solid fuels has enormous negative effects on the environment and health, particularly for women and children.

This webinar, the third of five in the webinar series, will provide discussion around the establishment of regulatory frameworks and smart policy that governments can consider in order to attract and foster enabling environments for emerging markets like bioethanol cooking.  This discussion will help fortify the case for supporting a transition to bioethanol clean cooking businesses and provide context for the consequent webinars that will address the standards and policy considerations for developing this market segment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Speakers will expand on:

  • Policy considerations for smart regulatory frameworks that support emerging markets
  • Implications of policies on international trade opportunities
  • Practical implementation of reviewing and revising policy

Speakers will also have time to engage with the audience after the presentations and welcome questions on their respective areas of expertise.

You can register using the following Zoom registration link: REGISTER HERE

SPEAKERS

Mike Lorenz is the Senior Vice President of Market Development with Growth Energy, a U.S. trade association that works to advance pro-bioethanol policies and expand consumer access to higher blends of bioethanol.

Jad Wakileh is an Ethanol Consultant for U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum, and related products including dried distiller’s grains with solubles and bioethanol.

Emily Marthaler currently serves as the biofuels trade policy lead for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), which links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security.

Sophie Odupoy is the Group Head of Public Affairs for KOKO Networks, an international technology company that is a leader in bioethanol cooking products and fuel.

African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and Underwriters Laboratories Standards Workshop Series

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Latest News, Webinar

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.

Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcoduqqqDotEtymLkvnI04oUvJCcsmJVgit?fbclid=IwAR0jligi3FYWHEFb72Kcv8u3rhArkDV4DMjVIo7ENpMdL21Bx0TrCVzhHfc

ARSO-Webinar-Flyer-V3-3

ARSO Pharmaceutical Standards Harmonisation Programme & the 14th October 2020 – ARSO Webinar on COVID-19 and Post COVID-19 Africa: Tapping the Positive Lessons

Dan Kithome COVID-19, Latest News, Webinar

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 Devices in 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 Devices in 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/)

ARSO Webinar on Mitigating the COVID-19 Pandemic through the African Traditional Medicine

Dan Kithome COVID-19, Newsletter, Webinar

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

14th OCTOBER 2020 – 1430 HRS – 1630 HRS EAST AFRICAN TIME.

CONCEPT NOTE

Moderator – ARSO – Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, ARSO

Sub-Topics and Proposed Speakers:

  1.  “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).
  1. 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.
  1. 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

  1. Algeria
  2. Ethiopia
  3. Madagascar,
  4. 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 Devices in 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, 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/).

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

  1. Understanding the COVID-19 effect on African Economies and how countries are responding with respect to intervention measures.
  2. Understanding the role of Standardisation and Conformity Assessment in the fight against the COVID-19.
  3. Understanding the standardisation activities of the ARSO Member States on providing solutions to the COVID-19.
  4. Understanding How the African Traditional Medicine is being applied among various ARSO member States to contain the COVID 19, and the various Challenges, best practices, needs and opportunities.
  • 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

  1. Presentations.
  2. 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.
  3. Report of the webinar.

Outcomes of Webinar

  1. Enhanced understanding of the COVID-19 effect on African Economies.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

About ARSO – www.arso-oran.org

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)

ARSO Webinar: Understanding the ASHAM in promoting the Policy of One Standard One Market for the Implementation of the AFCFTA AGREEMENT, TBT ANNEX 6

Dan Kithome AfCFTA, Webinar

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrduurpjwiHtaEcbZo4ZQWy7g9JmNkyhhf

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

02.30 p.m. to 04.30 p.m. East African Time 21st July 2020

CONCEPT NOTE

Presiding Moderator: Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, African Organization for Standardization

Speakers

  •  Highlights of the The African Standards Harmonisation Model (ASHAM)- Principles, Objectives, Structures and standards Harmonisation Process and the TBT Annex 6- Reuben Gisore, Technical Director, ARSO.
  • The Standardisation Process and the Role of Experts in the ARSO Standards Harmonisation Process under ASHAM – Shady Nabil, Ass. Professor (Egypt) – Chairperson for THC03 – Building and Construction.
  • The Roles of the Technical Committees, Sub- Committees and the Working Groups (TCs, SCs, WGs) – Ms. Amanda Gcabashe, South Africa – Chairperson of the ARSO THC 13 on African Traditional Medicine.
  • Summary and Way Forward: Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, ARSO.

Rationale for the Webinar and Background Information on ASHAM.

The Abuja Treaty of 1991 establishing the African Economic Community Chapter XI, Article 67 where member states agreed to, among others, adopt a common policy on standardization and quality assurance of goods and services among member states. This was reinforced by the Conference of African Ministers of Trade (CAMI 17) in 2004, which highlighted the need for an Experts Led developed Policy Document for harmonising the African Standards and based on the WTO TBT Agreement principles of openness, consultation and transparency, as expressed in Annex 3 on the code of good practice in the preparation, adoption and application of standards.

Upon this background ARSO in collaboration with the EOS, Egypt organised the 1st Expert Working Group (EWG) Meeting on Evolution of African Standards Harmonisation Model (ASHAM) in Cairo, Egypt on 22-25 May 2007, hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt AND sponsored by the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida), with Experts from ARSO Member States, RECs and Representatives of AU and UNECA. The EWG evolved the ASHAM in two parts namely at the sub-regional and the regional levels.  The harmonisation model was addressed as a recommendation to the sub-regional harmonisation groups with a view to ensuring that all the sub-regional groupings were working according to the same principles which would create confidence among African countries to accept sub-regional harmonised standards.

The 42 ARSO Council, held on 31st March – 1st April 2011, at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria, under its resolution 2, ii, DIRECTED that the ASHAM Model be fully developed to include procedures and marketed to all African stakeholders in simple formats and especially through the NSBs and REC focal points. The first Draft was presented to the 43rd ARSO Council meeting, held in ECA Conference Centre, Caucus Room 10, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ON 23rd – 24th June 2011, which, under its resolution 6, REVIEWED AND APPROVED the first draft of the Standards Harmonization Procedures Manual (ASHAM-SHP-01). The Draft was further validated during the ARSO-PTB Training on the Interplay between Standards and Technical Regulations in October 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The ARSO General Assembly, in its 18th Session held on 20 November 2011in Windhoek, Namibia, considered the ASHAM which was presented to the Assembly as ARSO General Assembly Document No.  18GA/4 – ASHAM-SHP-01, and under its resolution 13, RATIFED the ASHAM.

In furtherance of the  “One Standard-One market policy”  the AfCFTA Agreement in the objectives of the TBT Annex 6, calls for the need to identify and assess the instruments for trade facilitation such as harmonization of standards, equivalence of technical regulations, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment, and the reinforcement of international best practices in regulation and standards setting, through establishing mechanisms and structures to enhance transparency in the development and implementation of standards, technical regulations, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment procedures.

ASHAM REVIEW – THE 2ND EDITION 2019

In order to reflect the new emerging dynamics under the ARSO-RECS Standards Harmonisation Cooperation, the review of ASHAM was initiated in 2018 in which various changes in the ASHAM Structure, including the creation of the African Advisory Group (JAG) and Standards Management Committee (SMC) were created, to reflect the joint ARSO-RECs harmonization activities and joint priorities derived from RECs’ and AU development Agendas and as per the TBT Annex 6 directives on Cooperation Mechanisms in standards development and harmonisation.

Therefore, the 59th ARSO Council Meeting , held at the Boma Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya  on 6th December 2018 under the theme: “The Role of ARSO within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), under its Resolution 8 on ARSO Council Committee (Technical Management Committee) Recommendations, on Item number 4, Proceedings of ARSO-RECs Meeting Report, Nairobi 22nd – 24th October, 2018, (a, iii) TOOK NOTE of the, NEED to ensure comprehensive Stakeholders Engagement in the selection of standardisation projects in ARSO-RECS common priority sectors, and under b, iii,  APPROVED, (i) the Review of the African Standards Harmonization Model (ASHAM) to reflect the joint ARSO-RECs harmonization and reflection of the adoption of the African Standards at RECs levels, (ii) the Establishment of the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) to guide the process of joint ARSO-RECs standards harmonization, and the Standards Management Committee (SMC) to be in charge of the management of procedures (ii)  The development of Joint New Work items generated by RECs and National country members and the analysis of the ARSO and RECS catalogues. Further, the 60th ARSO Council held on 17th and 18th June 2019, at Panari, Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, under its resolution   8, ARSO Council Committee (Technical Management Committee) Meetings and Reports, on item 4, the ARSO-RECs Joint Harmonization Update, (a) TOOK NOTE of the review of the African Standards Harmonization Model (ASHAM) to reflect the joint ARSO-RECs harmonization activities and joint priorities derived from RECs and AU development agendas. On the same note, the 25th General Assembly held at the Panari Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya on 20th June 2019, under its Resolution 7 (ARSO’s Current activities Status) and Resolution 9 a, ii, on Report of the ARSO Council (59th and 60th GA Decisions) to the General Assembly, respectively HIGHLIGHTED and TOOK NOTE the Review of the African Standards Harmonization Model (ASHAM) to reflect the joint ARSO-RECs standards harmonization activities and reflection of the adoption of the African Standards at RECs levels, formally ENDORSED the ASHAM review process.

THE ASHAM

In Scope, the ASHAM document lays down the basic principles ((Openness, Transparency, Impartiality, Coherence, Consensus and Development Dimension), procedures and mechanisms by which the ARSO Technical Harmonization Committees (THCs), ARSO Central Secretariat and the ARSO Member States are to harmonize, publish and maintain African Standards and other deliverables. The procedures define the methodologies for the development, harmonization, adoption and publication of African standards. The ASHAM Document clarifies the standards Harmonisation process, outlining the different stages and the responsibilities. The ASHAM Document defines the various Structures including the Joint Advisory Group (JAG), the Standards Management Committee (SMC), The Technical Committees, The Sub-Committees (SCs), The Working Groups and the role of the National Bureau of Standards. The Document highlights the TCs leadership structures and responsibilities.

Wherever feasible, and with the necessary modifications, the ASHAM procedures are based on the relevant ISO/IEC Directives. Cognizance has also been taken of the WTO TBT Agreements, and consideration of Annex 3 on best International Practices in standards development, adoption and application. The ASHAM document provides referenced documents which are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

  1. The African Standards Harmonization Model (ASHAM)
  2. Treaties, Agreements and Protocols establishing the respective Regional Economic Communities and their attendant Standardization Bodies.
  3. ISO/IEC Directives ― Part 1: Procedures for the Technical Work
  4. ISO/IEC Directives ― Part 2: Rules for the structure and drafting of international standards
  5. WTO Agreement of Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT Agreement)
  6. Procedures for Development of East African Standards, 2005
  7. Principles and Procedures for the Development of SADC Harmonized Texts, 2009
  8. Procedures for harmonization of standards in the COMESA Region, 2004
  9. Principles and Procedures for the Development of Tripartite Standards.

The Webinar

Objective of the Webinar

The Main objective is to offer a platform for discussion about the ARSO ASHAM, its objectives, Principles and Application in African Standards Development and Harmonisation as highlighted in the TBT Annex 6.

Specific Objectives

  1. Understanding the ASHAM Principles on standards harmonisation in line with the WTO TBT Agreements, Objectives and
  2. Undestanding the ASHAM Components and Structures, including the basic Committees (JAG, SMC, TCs, SCs, WGs) and their roles, including their leaderships.
  3. Understanding the basic ASHAM Reference Documents
  4. Understanding the Challenges and possible solutions in the implementation ASHAM.
  5. Understanding the Standards Hamonisation Process and the role of Experts

Outputs of Webinar

  1. Presentations of the ASHAM
  2. Discussions and Comments on the ASHAM
  3. Report of Webinar

Outcomes of Webinar

  1. Enhanced understanding of the ASHAM Principles, Structures and the ARSO Standards Harmonisation process and Activities, including the ARSO Standardisation Sectors and Technical Committees
  2. Enhanced Understanding of the Responsibilities of the Experts and Member States in ARSO Standards (ASHAM) Harmonisation process.
  3. Increased synergy and coordination in the Initiation and coordination in the development and Harmonisation of national and/or sub-regional standards as African standards, including role of RECs.
  4. Enhanced transparency in the development and implementation of standards, technical regulations, and metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment procedures.
  5. Capacity Building of the African Standaisation Experts.

ARSO LOGO WATERMARKImpact

  1. Increased Adoption and Implementation of African Standards
  2. Increased effectiveness of the NSBs national Mirror Committees and the Experts
  3. Greater Cooperation and coordination of the standards development and harmonisation process and the roles of all Technical Coomittees, Experts and Working Groups, as per the TBT Annex 6 of the AfCFTA.
  4. Compitent African Experts in standards Harmonisation Processes.
  5. Common policy on standardization and quality assurance of goods and services among member states, as per the Abuja Treaty Chapter XI, Article 67.
  6. openness, consultation and transparency, in ARSO Standaisation Process as expressed by the WTO TBT Agreement annex 3 on the code of good practice in the preparation, adoption and application of standards and TBT Annex 6, .

Mode of Presentation

Speakers from the ARSO member States may prepare brief slides of no more than 5 minutes to guide the discussions. The presentations will be projected by the ARSO Secretariat. Kindly forward the presentations early enough. The webinar will focus more on discussions. Speakers are requested to forward detailed notes to be used for reporting purposes.

Audience

ARSO Membership, Experts and Stakeholders.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrduurpjwiHtaEcbZo4ZQWy7g9JmNkyhhf

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

De 14:30 à 16:30 Heure de l’Afrique de l’Est 21 Juillet 2020

NOTE CONCEPTUELLE

Président modérateur: Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secrétaire général, Organisation africaine de normalisation (ORAN)

Intervenants

  • Points saillants du Modèle d’harmonisation des normes africaines (ASHAM) – Principes, objectifs, structures et processus d’harmonisation des normes et de l’annexe 6 des OTC – Reuben Gisore, directeur technique, ORAN.
  • Le processus de normalisation et le rôle des experts dans le processus d’harmonisation des normes de l’ORAN dans le cadre de l’ASHAM – Shady Nabil, Ass. Professeur (Égypte) – Président de la THC03 – Bâtiment et construction.
  • Les rôles des comités techniques, des sous-comités et des groupes de travail (CT, SC, GT) – Mme Amanda Gcabashe, Afrique du Sud – Présidente de l’ORAN THC 13 sur la médecine traditionnelle africaine.
  • Résumé et perspectives d’avenir : Dr.Hermogene Nsengimana, secrétaire général, ORAN.

Justification du webinaire et informations générales sur l’ASHAM.

Le Traité d’Abuja de 1991 établissant la Communauté économique africaine Chapitre XI, article 67 où les États membres ont convenu, entre autres, d’adopter une politique commune de normalisation et d’assurance qualité des biens et des services entre les États membres. Ceci a été renforcé par la Conférence des ministres africains du commerce (CAMI 17) en 2004, qui a souligné la nécessité d’un document politique élaboré par des experts pour harmoniser les normes africaines et basé sur les principes d’ouverture, de consultation et de transparence de l’Accord OTC de l’OMC, comme exprimé dans l’annexe 3 sur le code de bonne pratique pour la préparation, l’adoption et l’application des normes.

Dans ce contexte, l’ORAN a organisé, en collaboration avec l’EOS, la première réunion du groupe de travail d’experts (EWG) sur l’évolution du modèle d’harmonisation des normes africaines (ASHAM) au Caire, en Égypte, du 22 au 25 mai 2007, accueillie par la République arabe d’Égypte et parrainée par l’Agence suédoise de coopération internationale au développement (ASDI), avec des experts des États membres de l’ORAN, des CER et des représentants de l’UA et de l’UNECA. Le EWG a fait évoluer l’ASHAM en deux parties, à savoir au niveau sous-régional et au niveau régional.  Le modèle d’harmonisation a été adressé sous forme de recommandation aux groupes d’harmonisation sous-régionaux afin de s’assurer que tous les groupements sous-régionaux travaillent selon les mêmes principes, ce qui créerait la confiance des pays africains pour accepter les normes harmonisées sous-régionales.

Le 42ème Conseil de l’ORAN, tenu les 31 mars et 1er avril 2011, au Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria, en vertu de sa résolution 2, ii, A COMMANDÉ que le modèle ASHAM soit pleinement développé pour inclure des procédures et distribué à toutes les parties prenantes africaines dans des formats simples et en particulier par le biais des ONN et des points focaux des CER. Le premier projet a été présenté à la 43e réunion du Conseil de l’ORAN, tenue au Centre de conférence de la CEA, Caucus Room 10, Addis-Abeba, Ethiopie, les 23 et 24 juin 2011, qui, en vertu de sa résolution 6, A EXAMINÉ ET APPROUVE le premier projet du Manuel de procédures d’harmonisation des normes (ASHAM-SHP-01). Le projet a été validé lors de la formation ORAN-PTB sur l’interaction entre les normes et les règlements techniques en octobre 2011, à Addis-Abeba, en Ethiopie.

L’Assemblée générale de l’ORAN, lors de sa 18e session tenue le 20 novembre 2011 à Windhoek, Namibie, a examiné l’ASHAM qui a été présentée à l’Assemblée en tant que document n° 18GA/4 – ASHAM-SHP-01 de l’Assemblée générale de l’ORAN et, en vertu de sa résolution 13, A RATIFIÉ l’ASHAM.

Dans le cadre de la politique “Une norme, un marché”, l’accord ZLECAf, dans les objectifs de l’annexe 6 des OTC, souligne la nécessité d’identifier et d’évaluer les instruments de facilitation des échanges tels que l’harmonisation des normes, l’équivalence des règlements techniques, la métrologie, l’accréditation et l’évaluation de la conformité, et le renforcement des meilleures pratiques internationales en matière de réglementation et de normalisation, en établissant des mécanismes et des structures visant à améliorer la transparence dans l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre des normes, des règlements techniques, de la métrologie, des procédures d’accréditation et d’évaluation de la conformité.

REVUE ASHAM – 2E ÉDITION 2019

Afin de refléter la nouvelle dynamique émergente dans le cadre de la coopération d’ORAN et les CER en matière d’harmonisation des normes, la révision de l’ASHAM a été lancée en 2018. Diverses modifications ont été apportées à la structure de l’ASHAM, notamment la création du Groupe Consultatif Conjoint (JAG) et du Comité de Gestion des Normes (SMC), afin de refléter les activités d’harmonisation conjointes d’ORAN et les CER et les priorités communes découlant des agendas de développement des CER et de l’UA et conformément aux directives de l’annexe 6 des OTC sur les mécanismes de coopération en matière d’élaboration et d’harmonisation des normes.

La 59ème réunion du Conseil de l’ORAN, tenue à l’hôtel Boma à Nairobi, Kenya, le 6 décembre 2018, sur le thème “Le rôle de l’ORAN au sein de la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf), dans le cadre de sa résolution RESOLUTION 8: COMITE DU CONSEIL DE L’ORAN (Comité technique de gestion), sur le point numéro 4, Compte rendu de la réunion ORAN-CER, Nairobi du 22 au 24 octobre 2018, (a, iii) A PRI NOTE de la NÉCESSITÉ d’assurer un engagement complet des parties prenantes dans la sélection des projets de normalisation dans les secteurs prioritaires communs ORAN-CER, et sous b, iii, A APPROUVÉ, l’examen du modèle d’harmonisation des normes africaines (ASHAM) pour refléter l’harmonisation conjointe ORAN-CER et la prise en compte de l’adoption des normes africaines au niveau des CER et la création du groupe consultatif conjoint (JAG) pour guider le processus d’harmonisation conjointe des normes ORAN-CER; L’élaboration de nouveaux travaux de normes communs générés par les CER et les pays membres nationaux et l’analyse des catalogues de l’ORAN et des CER et la mise en place du Comité de gestion des normes (SMC) qui sera chargé de la gestion des procédures. En outre, le 60e Conseil de l’ORAN qui s’est tenu les 17 et 18 juin 2019, au Panari, Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, en vertu de sa résolution 8, Réunions et rapports du Comité du Conseil de l’ORAN (Comité technique de gestion), sur le point 4, la mise à jour de l’harmonisation conjointe ORAN-CER, (a) A PRI NOTE de la révision du Modèle d’harmonisation des normes africaines (ASHAM) pour refléter les activités d’harmonisation conjointes ORAN-CER et les priorités communes dérivées des programmes de développement des CER et de l’UA. Sur la même note, la 25e Assemblée générale qui s’est tenue à l’hôtel Panari, Nairobi, Kenya, le 20 juin 2019, en vertu de sa résolution 7, sur le statut actuel de l’ORAN dans le cadre du plan stratégique 2017-2022, et de la résolution 9 a, ii, sur le rapport du Conseil de l’ORAN sur les activités du Conseil et le statut de l’ORAN depuis la dernière Assemblée générale de l’ORAN (24e AG), sur la base des résolutions des 59e et 60e réunions du conseil de l’ORAN, respectivement, A SOULIGNÉ et FAIT REMARQUER l’examen du modèle d’harmonisation des normes africaines (ASHAM) pour refléter les activités conjointes d’harmonisation des normes de l’ORAN et des CER et la prise en compte de l’adoption des normes africaines au niveau des CER, en approuvant officiellement le processus d’examen de l’ASHAM.

L’ASHAM

Le document ASHAM définit les principes de base (ouverture, transparence, impartialité, cohérence, consensus et dimension de développement), les procédures et les mécanismes par lesquels les comités d’harmonisation technique (THC) de l’ORAN, le secrétariat central de l’ORAN et les États membres de l’ORAN doivent harmoniser, publier et maintenir les normes africaines et autres produits. Les procédures définissent les méthodologies pour le développement, l’harmonisation, l’adoption et la publication des normes africaines. Le document de l’ASHAM clarifie le processus d’harmonisation des normes, en décrivant les différentes étapes et les responsabilités. Le document ASHAM définit les différentes structures, notamment le groupe consultatif conjoint (JAG), le comité de gestion des normes (SMC), les comités techniques, les sous-comités (SC), les groupes de travail et le rôle du bureau national des normes. Le document met en évidence les structures de direction et les responsabilités des TC.

Dans la mesure du possible, et avec les modifications nécessaires, les procédures de l’ASHAM sont basées sur les directives pertinentes ISO/IEC. Il a également été tenu compte des accords OTC de l’OMC et de l’annexe 3 sur les meilleures pratiques internationales en matière d’élaboration, d’adoption et d’application des normes. Le document ASHAM fournit des documents de référence indispensables à son application. Pour les références datées, seule l’édition citée s’applique. Pour les références non datées, c’est la dernière édition du document référencé (y compris les amendements) qui s’applique.

  1. Le modèle africain d’harmonisation des normes (ASHAM)
  2. Traités, accords et protocoles établissant les communautés économiques régionales respectives et les organismes de normalisation correspondants.
  3. Directives ISO/CEI – Partie 1 : Procédures pour les travaux techniques
  4. Directives ISO/CEI – Partie 2 : Règles pour la structure et l’élaboration des normes internationales
  5. Accord de l’OMC sur les obstacles techniques au commerce (Accord OTC de l’OMC)
  6. Procédures pour l’élaboration de normes est-africaines, 2005
  7. Principes et procédures pour l’élaboration des textes harmonisés de la SADC, 2009
  8. Procédures d’harmonisation des normes dans la région du COMESA, 2004
  9. Principes et procédures pour l’élaboration de normes tripartites.

Le webinaire

Objectif du webinaire

L’objectif principal est d’offrir une plate-forme de discussion sur l’ORAN ASHAM, ses objectifs, ses principes et son application dans le développement et l’harmonisation des normes africaines, comme le souligne l’annexe 6 des OTC.

Objectifs spécifiques

  1. Comprendre les principes de l’ASHAM sur l’harmonisation des normes conformément aux accords OTC de l’OMC, les objectifs et
  2. Comprendre les composantes et les structures de l’ASHAM, y compris les comités de base (JAG, SMC, CT, SC, GT) et leurs rôles, y compris leur direction.
  3. Comprendre les documents de référence de base de l’ASHAM
  4. Comprendre les défis et les solutions possibles dans la mise en œuvre de l’ASHAM.
  5. Comprendre le processus d’harmonisation des normes et le rôle des experts

Résultats du webinaire

  1. Présentations de l’ASHAM
  2. Discussions et commentaires sur l’ASHAM
  3. Rapport du webinaire

Résultats à long-terme du webinaire

  1. Meilleure compréhension des principes et des structures de l’ASHAM ainsi que du processus et des activités d’harmonisation des normes de l’ORAN, y compris les secteurs de normalisation et les comités techniques de l’ORAN
  2. Meilleure compréhension des responsabilités des experts et des États membres dans le processus d’harmonisation des normes ORAN (ASHAM).
  3. Synergie et coordination accrues dans l’Initiation et la coordination dans le développement et l’Harmonisation des normes nationales et/ou sous-régionales en tant que normes africaines, y compris le rôle des CER.
  4. Amélioration de la transparence dans l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre des normes, des règlements techniques et des procédures de métrologie, d’accréditation et d’évaluation de la conformité.
  5. Renforcement des capacités des experts africains en matière de normalisation.

Impact

  1. Adoption et mise en œuvre accrues des normes africaines
  2. Efficacité accrue des comités miroirs nationaux des ONN et des experts
  3. Une plus grande coopération et coordination du processus d’élaboration et d’harmonisation des normes et des rôles de tous les comités techniques, experts et groupes de travail, conformément à l’annexe 6 OTC de la ZLECAf.
  4. Experts africains compétents en matière de processus d’harmonisation des normes.
  5. Politique commune de normalisation et d’assurance qualité des biens et services entre les Etats membres, conformément à l’article 67 du chapitre XI du Traité d’Abuja.
  6. L’ouverture, la consultation et la transparence, dans le cadre du processus de normalisation de l’ORAN tel qu’exprimé par l’annexe 3 de l’Accord OTC de l’OMC sur le code de bonne pratique pour la préparation, l’adoption et l’application des normes et l’annexe 6 de l’OTC,.

Mode de présentation

Les orateurs des États membres de l’ORAN peuvent préparer de brèves diapositives d’une durée maximale de 5 minutes pour orienter les discussions. Les présentations seront projetées par le secrétariat de l’ORAN. Veuillez faire parvenir les présentations suffisamment tôt. Le webinaire sera davantage axé sur les discussions. Les orateurs sont priés de transmettre des notes détaillées qui seront utilisées à des fins de compte rendu.

Audience

Membres, experts et parties prenantes de l’ORAN