Category: Press Release

AFREXIMBANK, ITFC, BADEA and ARSO Lead Harmonisation of African Standards to Facilitate Intra-African Trade in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Latest News, Press Release

Project Sees Signing of MoU between ARSO and the AfCFTA

Nairobi, Kenya – (7th November 2022) – African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), and the African Organization for Harmonization (ARSO), have partnered on a project to advance the harmonisation of standards governing Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. The project, deployed under the umbrella of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) programme, is designed to promote the quality, safety, and trade of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal products and Medical devices and Equipment imported or produced on the continent. This forms part of a broader regulatory framework harmonization programs across the continent, linked to the implementation of the AfCFTA and preparedness for such pandemics like COVID-19 in future.

Indeed, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD have identified the COVID-19 pandemic as the largest threat to the global economy since the financial emergency of 2008–2009, as COVID-19 had severely demobilized the global economy. For Africa, on a positive note, due to the endemic reliance on imports, and the breakdowns in supply chains associated with lockdown measures, COVID‑19 has strengthened the case for developing intra-African regional value chains and unlocking the continent’s business potential, with a positive shift from global to a more regional and local supply chain in the key sectors including Agro-processing and the pharmaceuticals to foster manufacturing, trade, industrialization, and sustainable development,

With about 95.9% of Africa’s imports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products, originating from outside the continent (Karisha Banga, et al. 2020) COVID-19 pandemic, has not only magnified Africa’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals (both final and intermediate products) but has also amplified the urgency for partnerships to build competitive, resilient and robust value chains and manufacturing opportunities in this sector, while addressing the regulatory and policy challenges to facilitate a regional approach to developing medical value chains based on comparative advantages and economies of scale, while focusing on the transformation of Africa into a location of competitive industrial production and the prioritisation of sectors with high potentials for industrial growth, and meaningfully making Africa leapfrog in its industrial development.

The ongoing partnership between AFREXIMBANK, ITFC, BADEA, and ARSO, has the objective to Harmonise standards for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in Africa,  linking to the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement in coordination with the AfCFTA Secretariat, given that the anticipated standards to be harmonised by ARSO being comparable to the 4,547 HS6, Tarif lines for the AfCFTA, as the WTO encourages Harmonization, use of equivalence and mutual recognition in the Free Trade Agreements, such as the AfCFTA.

This project, designed to be implemented in a phased manner over three years, till 2023, begun with the harmonisation of standards for Medical devices and equipment, Pharmaceutical and medicinal products, and African traditional medicine under the auspices of ARSO Technical Committees, ARSO/TC 78, ARSO/TC 80 and  ARSO/TC 82, respectively, whereby the 1st phase focused mainly on the analysis of the existing international, regional, and national standards for their suitability in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries. The 2nd phase is focusing on the long-term development and harmonization of African Unique Standards, which are non-existing standards developed from the level zero draft. The project is also addressing the issue of technical regulations under the ARSO Conformity Assessment Committee (ARSO CACO) under its Working Group five, ARSO CACO WG5/ Technical regulation Subcommittee.

The Project which was launched in September 2020, aims to enhance intra-African trade and investment, reduce substandard counterfeit products, and build resilient regional health systems, in the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, with the following milestones:

  • The harmonisation of One-hundred and Thirteen (113) standards and Thirteen (13) Technical Regulation Guidelines that have already been published, and distributed both to the Partners, ARSO Members, and relevant Stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical industry;
  • The ongoing consideration of an additional Two Hundred and Sixty (260 standards and Seven (7) Technical Regulation Guidelines, under the process of harmonisation, and with the analysis of work in progress reflected below:
  1. Medical devices and Equipment – ARSO TC 78
  • ARSO TC 80/ Pharmaceutical and Medicinal products
  • Fifty-One Final Draft African Standards (51 FDARS) – international standards to be presented to the ARSO Council for adoption approval by the end of 2022
  • Forty-Eight (48) Unique standards under discussion at different stages in the Committee
  • ARSO TC 82/ African Traditional medicines
  • Twenty (20) – Unique standards under National Consultation by Member States
  • Forty-Two (42) – Unique standards under discussion at different stages in the Committee
  • ARSO CACO WG5/ Technical regulation Subcommittee
  • Seven (7) guidelines are currently at the inquiry stage by Member States

From the foregoing, taking into consideration that Standards underpin Industrialisation, Trade, and Market Access, and that the Pharmaceuticals Industry is one of the levers for building the Africa We Want, key stakeholders commented as follows:

H.E. Wamkele Mene, the AfCFTA Secretary General explained: “The AfCFTA Value Proposition for the Health Sector. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement has established one of the largest free markets across 55 African countries. It is meant to increase intra-Africa trade among State Parties. This however must be supported by an enhanced industrialization effort to meet the supply side constraints.

The pharmaceutical industry constituting $17billion of imported pharmaceutical preparations and products is one of the sectors which will release major gains from the market access provided by the Agreement for increased trade among African countries if well supported. We know and understand

that Africa continues to import a majority of its medicines and vaccines from outside the continent. The COVID19 pandemic however presents a potential for the continent to tap into the production of medicines and vaccines to contribute to addressing health gaps in the continent and increasing GDP growth.

The Secretariat has developed the Private Sector Engagement Strategy 2022-2032, and in this strategy, we have identified pharmaceuticals as part of four initial priority value chains, the others being agro-processing, automotive, and transportation and logistics. The strategy indicates that one of the main barriers to increasing production and intra-African trade is the lack of harmonized standards and regulations across the continent. This is in addition to a lack of markets, a lack of competitiveness compared to other regions, and insufficient transport and logistics. Addressing the bottlenecks around the pharmaceutical sector requires an urgent focus on strengthening Pan African regulatory bodies to harmonize regulations of pharmaceutical standards, increasing procurement of locally produced drugs, upgrading the capacity and scale of local manufacturers, and increasing access to affordable intra-continental freight capacity.

Focus on Standards Development in the Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement

In our quest to implement the AfCFTA Agreement, related to Technical Barriers to Trade, it is known that standards and regulations are among the most important types of trade‐related measures used around the world to regulate trade. Due diligence must therefore be given to how they are crafted to help governments achieve important policy objectives, including safeguarding human health and safety, as well as protecting the environment and without unnecessarily disrupting trade. State Parties have therefore prioritized harmonization of standards in priority sectors as a high-impact deliverable for the implementation of the AfCFTA. To this end, the AfCFTA Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ARSO to provide a framework of cooperation to strengthen intra-Africa trade by prioritizing the development and harmonization of standards for enhanced diversification, industrialization, and transformation of Africa’s economy and to boost the continent’s capacity to meet its internal demand from its own resources.

Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with ARSO

The MoU and its implementation plan, therefore, provide a basis and resources for the execution of the deliverable on harmonization of standards in priority areas as envisaged by the AfCFTA Policy Organs. It is our interest to therefore partner with relevant technical institutions such as ARSO to deliver on our mandates while leveraging on the technical expertise on the development and harmonization of standards already existing in the continent. The activities specified in the ARSO and AfCFTA Secretariat MoU Implementation Plan (2022-2025) will directly contribute to the overall objectives of the AfCFTA, specifically on speeding up Africa’s economic integration, increasing intra-Africa trade, and addressing the key challenges related to COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges facing the continent.”

H.E. Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga, the Commissioner for Economic development, Trade, Tourism Industry and Minerals of the African Union Noted, “Africa is home to some of the most diverse plant and floral varieties known to man and these potentially form the base of many pharmaceutical products. The pharmaceutical and medical devices industries are, however, not that well developed in Africa. Aside from its potential to become a strong driver for economic growth, events of the last few years have shown that the continent needs to establish its own self-reliance when it comes to medical requirements across the board. Africa now has enough pharmaceutical and medical device standards developed or under development to enable this industry to expand in those countries where it has been established and to be seeded in many other African countries. In this sector, perhaps more than in any other, the door to potential counterfeit and sub-standard products must remain firmly shut due to the negative consequences of such on health and safety. We at the AUC, therefore, encourage and support the ongoing development and harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in Africa being carried out under the Umbrella of the Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program.”

Ms. Kanayo Awani, the Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, Afreximbank, while reflecting on the initiative’s progress, said “As Africa undertakes the ambitious implementation of the AfCFTA, it is vital that our regulatory and policy framework reflects an interconnected region in which growth can be cross-border and truly intra-African. The recent pandemic proved the vulnerability of Africa’s dependence on foreign medical imports, and this partnership is advancing a new model of manufacturing and production which secures the continent and its people against future crises and challenges.”

Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, ITFC CEO, commenting on the initiative, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the urgent need to develop intra-African regional value chains and unlock the continent’s business potential to foster more trade as a counterbalance to the region’s high exposure to global supply chain challenges.  As the pandemic’s impact on the global economy begins to fade, now is the time to strengthen our resiliency as we look to achieve more sustainable economic development.  The AATB Harmonization Project, which aims to enhance the continent’s health resilience, will continue to build competitive and robust value chains and manufacturing opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector.  A thriving homegrown pharmaceutical sector will increase trade and investment, which will deliver more jobs, greater economic opportunities, and enhance Africa’s overall economic prospects.”      

His Excellency Dr Sidi Ould Tah BADEA Director General, “As the pandemic stretched the abilities of the medical and health supply chain and demonstrated the health dangers from extreme import dependence. The same pandemic created an opportunity to reflect and reassess how we can stimulate and standardize the medical manufacturing and medical trade in Africa. This joint project is critical commitment from BADEA and our partners to the project to provide the tools, coordination platform and the necessary funds to build capacity and create resilience to future health shocks through manufacturing and harmonizing the medical industry necessary medical supplies in the continent”

Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO’s Secretary General,  while referring to the partnership said that, “All the work items were identified and proposed by the ARSO Member States, as a priority to respond to the Covid–19 pandemic and partnering to bring a solution for Africa with the vision of prioritising the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, a step that was sealed during the Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2021 that took place in Durban, South Africa in November, where ARSO and the AfCFTA Secretariat signed an MoU aimed at the implementation of the TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7, as the Agreement binds all state parties to work collaboratively to reduce the challenges of the TBTs in Africa.”

END

About African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union member States, is a free trade area founded in 2018 and is one of the fourteen (14) flagship projects of the African Union Agenda 2063, the Africa we Want. The Agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019 for the 24 countries that had deposited their instruments of ratification by this date, with the operational phase, launched during the 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union on the AfCFTA in Niamey, Niger on 7 July 2019. Considered the largest free-trade area in the world in terms of the number of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization the start of real trading under the AfCFTA Agreement began on 1 January 2021, however, no trade has as yet taken place under the AfCFTA regime.

Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement is on course and as of April 2022, 43 of the 54 signatories (80%) have deposited their instruments of AfCFTA ratification. The AfCFTA Secretariat, which implements the Agreement, is hosted in Accra, Ghana by the Government of the Republic of Ghana.

About African Union Commission (AUC)

The African Union Commission (AUC) is the African Union (AU)’s secretariat and undertakes the day-to-day activities of the Union. It is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and six commissioners, plus staff. The Assembly elects the AUC Chairperson and AUC Deputy Chairperson. The Executive Council elects the six AUC Commissioners, who are then appointed by the Assembly. Commission members’ terms are for four years, renewable once. Elections and terms are governed by the AU Assembly Rules of Procedure, the Executive Council Rules of Procedure , and the Commission Statutes.  Its functions include:

  • Representing the AU and defending its interests under the guidance of and as mandated by the Assembly and the Executive Council
  • Initiating proposals to be submitted to the AU’s organs as well as implementing decisions taken by them and Acting as the custodian of the AU Constitutive Act and all other OAU/AU legal instruments
  • Liaising closely with the AU organs to guide, support, and monitor the AU’s performance to ensure conformity and harmony with agreed policies, strategies, programmes, and projects
  • Providing operational support for all AU organs and assisting Member States in implementing the AU’s programmes
  • Drafting AU common positions and coordinating Member States’ actions in international negotiations
  • Managing the AU budget and resources and elaborating, promoting, coordinating, and harmonising the AU’s programmes and policies with those of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
  • Ensuring gender mainstreaming in all AU programmes and activities and Taking action, as delegated by the Assembly and Executive Council.

For more information visit: www.au.int

About African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

Afreximbank is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. Afreximbank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Afreximbank is working with the AU and the AfCFTA Secretariat to develop an Adjustment Facility to support countries in effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of 2021, the Bank’s total assets and guarantees stood at US$24.8 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$4 billion. Afreximbank disbursed more than US$51 billion between 2016 and 2021. The Bank has ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A-), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), and Fitch (BBB-). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com 

About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which contributes to the overarching goal of improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$61 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity-building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

Contact Us

Twitter: @ITFCCORP

Facebook: @ITFCCORP

Linkedin: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

Tel: +966 12 646 8337

Fax: +966 12 637 1064

E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org

About the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA):

Founded in 1974 by eighteen Arab countries, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) is BADEA is rated Aa2/Positive outlook by Moody’s, and AA/Stable outlook by S&P Global Ratings. BADEA is a multilateral development financial institution recognized as a reputable partner in Arab–Africa cooperation. BADEA offers a wide array of products and services for financing development in Africa. BADEA products include loans to public and private entities that finance trade, infrastructure, agriculture, rural development, and social sectors, small and medium enterprises with special focus on women and youth, as well as grants for capacity development. BADEA 2030 strategy positions the bank as a flexible, effective, and reliable development partner in Africa’s transformation and progress towards 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for the African Union’s Agenda 2063

For More Information visit: www.badea.org

About the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO)

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) is Africa’s intergovernmental standards body formed by OAU (currently AU) and UNECA in 1977 in Accra Ghana. The ARSO mandate is to facilitate intra-African and World Trade through Harmonisation of Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures and facilitation of opportunities for Mutual recognition arrangements for the harmonised standards and conformity assessment which directly aims at reducing Technical Barriers to Trade in Africa.

On the African level, harmonisation of African standards has been championed through ARSO and more than 1485 standards have been harmonised[1]. The harmonised work is done within 15 sectors comprised of 84 Technical committees (TC) covering various areas of major African interest.

These 15 Sectors are: Basic and General Standards; Agriculture and Food Products; Building and Civil Engineering; Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy; Chemical & Chemical Engineering; Electro-technology; Textiles and Leather; Transport and Communication; Environmental Management Systems; Energy and Natural Resources; Management and Quality; Services; African Traditional and Complimentary Medicine; Healthcare Technology; Household Goods and Services.

For More Information visit: – www.arso-oran.org

[1] Harmonised as at October 2022

Prof. Alex Dodoo inaugurated as the 15th ARSO President for the 2022-2025 Term of Office.

Dan Kithome Congratulation messages for new appointments, General Assembly, Latest News, Press Release
Inaugurated ARSO President Prof Alex Dodoo receives the ARSO Flag from the Outgoing President Booto a Ngon Charles

Prof. Alex Dodoo was Inaugurated by the 28th ARSO General Assembly, on 30th June 2022,in Yaoundé Cameroon, as the 15th ARSO President for the 2022-2025 Term of Office, following his election as the President-Elect by the 26th General Assembly held on a hybrid form on 16th June 2021, Taking Note, of the Constitutional Provision which under Schedule I, Rule 4, clause 4.2.2, highlights that “One year prior to the completion of office of a President, the next President shall be elected and shall commence his/her duties upon approval by the General Assembly”.

Prof. Alex Dodoo, who is also the ARSO Political Good Will Ambassador to the African Continental Free Trade Area, made commitments to take ARSO to the next level, in the context of the implementation of the goals of the ARSO 2022-2027 Strategic Plan which was also approved and adopted by the 28th ARSO General Assembly, and which focuses on:

  • Facilitation of Quality Culture in Africa with increased focus on Quality Policy at the National and Regional levels, Cooperation in standardisation activities, including Mutual Recognition Arrangements and Information Sharing.
  • The promotion and acceleration of industrialisation in Africa with a focus SMEs and the Made in Africa Products (AfCFTA Products) and Strengthening the Conformity Assessment to serve the interest of African industries, farmers, producers and consumers, while aligning Africa to universal Sustainability policy in accordance to SDG 2030.
  • Expectation on ARSO under the AfCFTA Agreement TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7, and the implementation plans, under the Sub-Committee for Technical Barriers to Trade, including addressing the SPS Measures, greater partnerships, and Universal of membership of African Countries in ARSO.

28th ARSO General Assembly – Yaounde, Cameroon (2022)

Dan Kithome General Assembly, Latest News, Press Release

ARSO – CAMEROON 2022

ARSO WEEK 2022

28th ARSO General Assembly Events – 27THJUNE – 1ST JULY 2022

Welcome to Yaoundé, Cameroon

Read More here and Register for Hotels and City Tours on – https://www.anor.cm/arso

The Government of the Republic of Cameroon Hosts the 28th ARSO General Assembly Events, at the Hilton Hotel, Yaoundé, through the Agence Des Normes Et De La Qualité (ANOR),

Theme: “the Standards We Want – African Union Agenda 2063 and African Continental Free Trade Area: “The Role of Standardisation and Conformity Assessment During a Journey of 41 Years”.

The General Assembly composed of the ARSO members is the Supreme organ of ARSO and meets once a year to review the progress of the Organisation based on the Yearly Strategic Plans.  This Year’s (2022) General Assembly week (27th June – 1st July 2022), hosted by the Government of the Republic of Cameroon, through ANOR, focuses on a week-long event that review the progress of ARSO Programmes under the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, since the 26th General Assembly (16th June 2021) and the Extra-Ordinary Meeting 27th ARSO General Assembly held on 7th October 2021, with forward looking into the implementation of the ARSO 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. The theme emphasises on the need for harmonised standards and Conformity Assessment Regimes that “We Want”, for the seamless flow of goods and Services in a single Market under the AfCFTA Agreement, while facilitating global Market Access Global Trading Systems and in meeting the Aspirations of Agenda 2063 and the UN 2030 SDGs.

Message from the ARSO President and the Director General of Agence des Normes et de la Qualité (ANOR), Mr. BOOTO à NGON Charles.  The Standards We Want”.

Mr. BOOTO à NGON Charles

On behalf of the ARSO Fraternity and the ANOR Administration, I welcome you to Yaoundé Cameroon for the 2022 ARSO Week, to discuss the standardisation strategy for the Africa we Want, based on effective Quality Infrastructure and Africa Quality Policy. As you are aware, the decision by the African Union to adopt the African Quality Policy and the current momentum being witnessed to achieve the Africa’s regional integration and industrialization Agenda as reinforced the Aspirations of Agenda 2063, Africa we Want, Industrialised, Self -reliant and trading more with itself, on products and services Made in Africa.  As we celebrate, therefore, the milestones in standardisation in Africa, at the ARSO 2022 Week, the 28th ARSO GA Events, I wish to point out that, the fast-tracking of the implementation of its Flagship Project, the AfCFTA Agreement, explains, therefore, why the increased need for strengthening the capacity of Quality infrastructure in African countries in relations to  metrology, standards (Technical Regulations), accreditation and conformity assessment to address the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs) issues remains a key strategy for the Achievement of the Agenda 2063, the Africa we Want, prosperous and self-reliant. This requires appropriate Standards. As an intergovernmental body, ARSO, in partnerships with the regional and International Standardisation Community, continues to harmonise Standards and Conformity Assessment Regimes, that we want, to achieve this goal. The Standards that will facilitate the competitiveness of the African SMEs, Made in Africa Products and the establishment the Regional Value Chains for increased intra-African Trade. ANOR welcomes you to the Weeklong ARSO 2022 Week to discuss the Standards we want for the next 41 years, under the Agenda 2063.

Message from the ARSO Secretary General, Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, in understanding the Mandate of ARSO in the Context of “The Role of Standardisation and Conformity Assessment During a Journey of next 41 Years”.

Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana

There is no doubt that the next 41 years of Africa Integration Agenda needs a Universal membership of African countries in ARSO and greater partnerships between International and African Standardisation Community under the PAQI Platform, for Common “Standards and harmonised Conformity Assessment” regimes that “we want” to reduce the regulatory burden (which currently has hindered intra-Africa trade and global market access) of African producers, traders and Consumers. As the ARSO Fraternity welcomes you to the events of the 28th ARSO General Assembly, we must stay focused to the reality that making the AfCFTA work effectively requires establishing the mechanisms envisaged in its operative provisions, protocols and Annexes and introducing the obligations it imposes into the laws and regulations of each state Party. Within its TBT Annex 6 and TBT Annex 7, AfCFTA Agreement, binds all state parties 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. Formed in 1977 by the African Union (formerly OAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and currently with a membership of Forty two (42) African countries, (has (42) member States : Algeria, Botswana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, New State of Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and with Zanzibar as an Observer member.). Having ratified the ARSO Constitution and ARSO Instrument of Accession, Burundi is tipped to be the 43rd ARSO member after Chad and Somalia which have joined and will be welcomed by the 28th ARSO General Assembly.  This is in response to AfCFTA Agreement TBT Annex 6, article 6, f, which calls on State parties to promote membership, liaison and participation in the work of ISO, IEC, ARSO, AFSEC and similar international and regional standardisation organisations.  Already with a mandate (under article 6) to Harmonise standards and Conformity Assessment to facilitate the free movements of goods and Services under the African Single Market of the AfCFTA Agreement, the anticipated standards (the WANTED/DESIRABLE STANDARDS) needed to be harmonised by ARSO is comparable to the 4,547 HS6, Tarif lines for the AfCFTA. This, therefore, calls for increased cooperation, in the Context of the AfCFTA TBT Agreement Annex 6 (Article 6 – Cooperation in Standardisation; Article 7 – Cooperation in Technical Regulations and Article 8 – Cooperation in Conformity Assessment, including facilitation of Mutual Recognition Arrangements). Already the signed MoU, with an endorsed Implementation Plan, with the AfCFTA Secretary General, H.E. Wamkele Mene, on 17th November 2021, in Durban South Africa, during the IATF, 2021, provides a Framework for developing the Standards we want. For more information visit the ARSO Website: http://www.arso-oran.org/.

28th ARSO General Assembly – Key Expectations

  1. The 28th ARSO General Assembly opening Ceremonies will be officially presided over by the Prime Minister of the Government of Cameroon, Joseph Dion Ngute. 
  2. The General Assembly will also be addressed by Chief Guests from the African Union, Afreximbank, UNECA, AfDB, and ISO.
  3. Election of New ARSO Council and the Inauguration of the New ARSO President, Prof. Alex Dodoo for the Term of Office 2022-2025
  4. One week long Capacity building Workshop for ARSO TCs Chairpersons and Secretariates and ARSO CACO members
Official admission of three New ARSO Members by the General Assembly into ARSO Membership as witnessed the Stakeholders
Somalia – Somalia Bureau of Standards, Chad – l’Agence Tchadienne de Normalisation, Burundi– Burundi Bureau of standards and quality control (BNCQ)
Discussions and Recommendations at the African Day of Standardisation Workshop under the four sessions of: Session 1 – Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices industry; Session 2 – Value addition and access to market for Agriculture and Food products; Session 3 – Automotive Industry  , and Session 4 – Sustainability standards role within the AfCFTA.
Week long Made in Africa Expo – for the Cameroon Local Industries and SMEs – Awards Ceremony for the best three Exhibitors (Recognition Awards for the 9th ARSO Continental Essay Competitions 2021/2022)
Engagements with Stakeholders and Development Partners on cooperation within the ARSO 2022-2027 Strategic Plan to be approved by the GA during the 28th General Assembly.
Networking, engagements and Discussions during the Gala Dinner, Welcoming Cocktail and Industrial/lab visits.

Expected Delegates at the 28th ARSO General Assembly Events

Representatives of:

ARSO Champions Members:Botswana (Vice Chairperson), Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe). Chaired by the Chairperson, Zambia.
ARSO-AfDB Steering Committee:(ARSO Vice President, ARSO Treasurer, ARSO Secretary General, ARSO Technical Director, ARSO Project Coordinator, UNECA Representative).
 
ARSO Council Members:  Botswana (Vice President), Burkina Faso (Treasurer), DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) Chaired by the President.  
ARSO Members (42):  Algeria, Botswana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, New State of Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Zanzibar as an Observer member.
African Countries which are Non ARSO Members:  Angola, CAR, Cape Verde, Lesotho, Eritrea, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Rep., São Tomé & Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho. 
ARSO Stakeholders: African Union, African Organisations, RECs, PAQI Institutions, International Organisations and Development Partners:  ARSO Stakeholders and Development Partners: African Union, AfCFTA Secretariat., Afreximbank, AfDB, UNECA, PAQI (AFRIMETS, AFRAC, AFSEC), RECS (AMU, COMESA, CEN-SAD, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, SADC, SACU, EAGC, EABC, CBC,), IAPSC, OAPI, ARIPO, AUDA-NEPAD, KENAS, SANAS,, NRSC, TMEA, IACO, IEC-AFRC, AOAC, AFNOR, AAS, COTECNA, DNVGL-France, AMC -APEX, ASTML International, ANSI, AOAC, AMCOW, GIZ-Germany, PTB-Germany, BSI, COLEACP, ISMIIC, ESMA-UAE, HAI-UAE, COTECNA, IEC, Intertek, IEEE, UL, , ITFC, BADEA, FAIRTRADE Africa, HIAF, KATS-Korea, NESTLE, CEN-CENELEC, RNF, INBAR, AFNOR, CEN-CENELEC, INBAR, Proctor and Gamble, PTB-Germany, DNVGL, QCI, SIS, RNF, ISO, ITC, ITU, SAC-China, , UNIDO, UNECE, UL, WTO…

ARSO SIGNS MoU with AfCFTA Secretariat – 17th November 2021

Dan Kithome AfCFTA, International Cooperations, Newsletter, Press Release

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.

Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices in Africa, Round Table Discussion

Dan Kithome AfCFTA, COVID-19, International Cooperations, Newsletter, Press Release

Press Release

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and its partners set to organize a high-level roundtable on the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical products and Medical Devices in Africa on the 17th November 2021.

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.

To access the event, kindly log in here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrf-qgqTwqGtJ6NA-_bQAFM3zz-iZtYysp (Translation will be provided in English and French)

Afreximbank Supports ARSO in the Harmonisation of African Automotive Standards

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Latest News, Press Release

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.

– Ends –

What are the harmonized African standards for the automotive sector all about?

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Press Release
Image Courtesy of Mobius Motors

Introduction

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

  1. ARS 1355-1:2020, Vehicle Standards — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 1: Roadworthiness of vehicles already in use
  2. ARS 1355-2:2020, Vehicle Standards — Specification for vehicle roadworthiness — Part 2: Roadworthiness of vehicles prior to entry into service and thereafter
  3. ARS 1355-3:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 3: Supporting information
  4. ARS 1355-4:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 4: Requirements for vehicle examiners
  5. ARS 1355-5:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 5: Requirements for testing equipment
  6. ARS 1355-6:2020, Road vehicles — Specification for Vehicle Roadworthiness — Part 6: Requirements for combinations of vehicles
  7. ARS 1357:2020, Vehicle test station evaluation — Code of practice
  8. ARS 1362-2020, Automotive Fuels—Unleaded Petrol-Requirements and test methods
  9. ARS 1363-2020, Automotive Fuels—Diesel—Requirements and test methods
  10. ARS 1370:2020, Transportation of dangerous goods by road
  11. ARS 1379-2020, Definitions and classifications of power-driven vehicles and trailers
  12. ARS 1371:2020, Cross border road transport management system (XB-RTMS)
  13. ARS 1595:2020 Vehicle homologation – All Categories

International Standards recommended for adoption by Member States

  1. ISO/IEC 18013-1:2018, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 1: Physical characteristics and basic data set
  2. ISO/IEC 18013-2:2020, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 2: Machine-readable technologies
  3. ISO/IEC 18013-3:2017, Information technology — Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 3: Access control, authentication and integrity validation
  4. ISO/IEC 18013-4:2019, Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving licence — Part 4: Test methods
  5. ISO 3779:2009, Road vehicles — Vehicle identification number (VIN) — Content and structure
  6. ASTM D4950:2019, Standard classification and specification for automotive service greases
  7. EN 13012:2012, Petrol filling stations — Construction and performance of automatic nozzles for use on fuel dispensers
  8. EN 15293:2018, Automotive fuels — Automotive ethanol (E85) fuel — Requirements and test methods
  9. EN 15376:2014, Automotive fuels — Ethanol as a blending component for petrol — Requirements and test methods
  10. EN 16709:2015+A1:2018, Automotive fuels — High FAME diesel fuel (B20 and B30) — Requirements and test methods
  11. EN 16734:2016+A1:2018, Automotive fuels — Automotive B10 diesel fuel — Requirements and test methods
  12. EN 589:2018, Automotive fuels — LPG — Requirements and test methods
  13. ISO 4925:2020, Road vehicles — Specification of non-petroleum-based brake fluids for hydraulic systems
  14. ISO 4926:2006, Road vehicles — Hydraulic braking systems — Non-petroleum-base reference fluids
  15. SAE J 2227:2019, Global tests and specifications for automotive engine oils
  16. SAE J1616:2016, Standard for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel
  17. SAE J1616:2017, Recommended Practice for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel
  18. SAE J1703:2019, Motor vehicle brake fluids
  19. SAE J310:2005, Automotive lubricating greases
  20. SAE J357:2016, Physical and Chemical Properties of Engine Oils
  21. UNECE 100:2013 Rev. 2, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to specific requirements for the electric power train
  22. UNECE R 052RV3:2008, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of M2 and M3 small capacity vehicles with regard to their general construction
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. UNECE R 136 concerning Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles of category L with regard to specific requirements for the electric power train
  26. .
  27. UNECE Regulation No 107 Uniform provisions concerning the approval of category M2 or M3 vehicles with regard to their general construction
  28. UNECE Regulation No. 36:2008. Rev. 3, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of large passenger vehicles with regard to their general construction
  29. 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.

ARSO announces a Collaboration Agreement with AOAC INTERNATIONAL

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Press Release

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.”

Morocco formalises its membership in ARSO

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Members, Newsletter, Press Release

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

ARSO Signs MoU with AOAC – Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) INTERNATIONAL

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Latest News, Press Release
Dr. Hermogene N.

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.

Press Release – AFREXIMBANK and ITFC Partner with ARSO to Facilitate Intra-African Trade in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, under the Umbrella of the AATB Program

Dan Kithome International Cooperations, Press Release

The new initiative aims to harmonize African standards for pharmaceuticals and medical devices thereby enhancing intra-African trade, reducing substandard counterfeit products, and building resilient regional health systems.

(Jeddah, Cairo, Nairobi, 14 September 2020) – The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), have partnered with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), 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.

Harmonized product standards are critical to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), ensuring that producers of goods on the continent comply with one shared set of minimum regulatory and customer quality requirements, in turn allowing them to supply the continental market and beyond with goods that meet those standards. The harmonisation of standards also serves to enhance the quality of African manufacturing and boost intra-African and Arab-African trade and investment – one of the AATB’s key objectives.

The initiative, which will be implemented in a phased manner over three years, begins immediately with the harmonisation of standards for pharmaceutical products and medical devices for use in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 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 said, “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 sector. Such standards provide a necessary baseline from which to regulate the sector more effectively, raising the quality of locally produced life-saving drugs and related products, and ensuring timely access to appropriate and affordable medicines, vaccines, and other health services for those who need them most. It will also act as a catalyst for Africa to benefit from a burgeoning pharmaceutical sector, expanding trade opportunities locally and beyond borders thus creating long term sustainable socio-economic impact on the continent”.

The initiative will also serve to enhance trade and investment within Africa’s healthcare industry by boosting the manufacture of high-quality homegrown products and services – objectives laid out within the AfCFTA.

Welcoming the initiative, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative said, “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. This would also contribute to building the continent’s resilience against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future. Furthermore, leveraging on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, this joint initiative will also facilitate increased intra-African trade in pharmaceuticals and medical consumables.”

As part of a COVID-19 response, the harmonization of standards will facilitate the development of equivalent technical regulations among African countries. Therefore, distribution of medical supplies and equipment from one country to another can be fast-tracked.

A long-term outcome of the initiative will be the emergence of regional supply chains for pharmaceutical and medical devices, which will foster an ecosystem of innovation, local production and the development of medical products for diseases that are currently neglected.

Commenting on the initiative, ARSO’s Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, said “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. 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. This Initiative with Afreximbank and ITFC, 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.”

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) will play a key role in the development of standardization policies, applying existing principles and procedures that are already set out in the African Standards Harmonisation Model (ASHAM). ARSO’s involvement will be supported by its Council, in addition to a Joint Advisory Group comprised of Regional Economic Communities, and a series of technical committees, which will carry out the harmonisation work with the resources provided under this grant from AFREXIMBANK and ITFC.

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About the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world.  Since 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$51 billion to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for the Member Countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC Member Countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in Member Countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

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Twitter: @ITFCCORP 

Facebook: @ITFCCORP 

LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) 

Tel: +966 12 646 8337

Fax: +966 12 637 1064 

E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org 

About the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution with the mandate of financing and promoting intra-and extra-African trade. Afreximbank was established in October 1993 and owned by African governments, the African Development Bank, and other African multilateral financial institutions as well as African and non-African public and private investors. The Bank was established under two constitutive documents, an Agreement signed by member states, which confers on the Bank the status of an international organization, and a Charter signed by all Shareholders, which governs its corporate structure and operations. Afreximbank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that are supporting the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby sustaining economic expansion in Africa. At the end of 2019, the Bank’s total assets and guarantees stood at USD$15.5 billion and its shareholders funds amounted to US$2.8 billion. Voted “African Bank of the Year” in 2019, the Bank disbursed more than US$31billion between 2016 and 2019. Afreximbank has ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A-), Moody’s (Baa1) and Fitch (BBB-). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com.

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About the African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO

The African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO) traces its genesis to the unfolding events and the prevailing mood of the African socio-political and economic Pan-Africanism of the 1970s, the idea of a continental standardization body had received considerable impetus from the buoyant and optimistic mood that characterized the post-independence period in most of Africa.  The mood then, under the Organisation of African Unity (OAU),currently African Union, was one of pan-African solidarity and collective self-reliance born of a shared destiny with standardization viewed as a guidepost of the destiny and bedrock of African Economic Integration Agenda and a route to linking up of the fresh Africa’s economy with the rest of the world and to deliver the African Common Market for economic prosperity of the continent. ARSO was then established by OAU as intergovernmental organization, 1977 mandated to harmonize standards and conformity assessment to increase intra Africa trade and global trade. Under the AfCFTA agreement, ARSO is in charge of developing standards to be used by the State party. The standardization work is done by experts nominated by African Union’s member states who are members of ARSO, and the work is guided by the Africa Standard Harmonization Model (ASHAM).

About the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program

AATB is a multi-donor, multi-country and multi-organizations program, aiming to promote and increase trade and investment flows between African and Arab member countries; provide and support trade finance and export credit insurance; and enhance existing capacity building tools relating to trade. The program specifically focuses on the key sectors of agriculture and related industries including textiles; health industry including pharmaceuticals; infrastructure and transport; and petrochemicals, construction material and technology.

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Twitter: @aatb_program

Facebook: @aatbprogram

E-mail: aatb@itfc-idb.org