Today, 4th February 2025, the ARSO Secretary General, Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana joined in the discussions at the WTO Committee on trade and environment (CTE) Fourth Thematic session, meeting taking place at the WTO Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland, under Session One on Climate-related Sustainability Standards – Implications and Resources for Developing Countries and MSMEs, highlighting the current ARSO Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)  programme and with specific reference to the ARSO Eco Mark Africa Certification scheme. The VSS comprising eco-certification schemes, labelling programs address issues of environmental quality, social equity, and economic prosperity in global production and trade practices and provide the opportunity by ensuring that the negative social and environmental consequences are addressed and which contributes to better protection of the e environment and the ecosystems and while guarding against pollution and ensuring sustainability in the production systems.

The Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, participates in the WTO Committee on trade and environment (CTE) Fourth Thematic session

In the context of emerging regulations like the EU-Deforestation regulations and the universal sustainability Agenda, the Eco Mark Certification will help African producers, Traders and the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to get certified and access local, regional and international markets for sustainably produced goods and services. This is also in line with the Aspiration 1 of AU Agenda 2063 focusing on an Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development, while ensuring that “the environment and ecosystems are healthy and preserved.

Growing trade in environmental goods and services, as well as the diffusion of sustainability standards and the greening of global value chains promotes greater cross-border trading and integration into regional and global value chains that foster sustainable development.

For the operation of the Eco Mark Scheme, ARSO has harmonised several Agricultural Sustainability Standards (highlighted below), in addition three standards on sustainable Cocoa, and six African Sustainability Standards on fisheries, forestry, tourism, tilapia and the African catfish, with additional scopes being, Sustainable Leather &foot ware, Textile, Fashion, Mining, natural building stone, cotton, Tourism accommodation facilities, green building.