17th February 2025, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ARSO joins in the discussions at the Africa Business Forum 2025, organised by UNECA, under the theme: “From Potential to Prosperity, Activating Regional Value Chains” and where the ARSO Secretary General is participating in the discussions of the role of ARSO in the development and harmonisation of Sustainability Standards and Conformity Assessment procedures, (including the Eco Mark Africa) in Africa in a round table discussions under the title: Achieving Sustainability and Standards Compliance: Unlocking African Value Chains for Local and Global Markets .

The round table aims to examine the critical role of sustainability and standards compliance in unlocking the potential of Africa’s regional value chains (RVCs), particularly in the livestock, pharmaceuticals, and agri-pack sectors, in alignment with the Africa Business Forum (ABF) 2025 theme: “From Potential to Prosperity – Activating Africa’s Regional Value Chains.”  The discussion will explore the barriers that African businesses, particularly SMEs and smallholder producers, face in complying with international quality, safety, and sustainability standards, which are essential for accessing global markets.