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AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDISATION

AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDISATION.

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AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDISATION

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  1. AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDISATION STANDARDISATION ACTIVITIES OF ARSOPRESENTATION OF DAMIAN UDDENNA AGBANELOON THE OCCASION OF UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (UNECE) COMMITTEE FOR TRADE, INDUSTRY AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT WORKING PARTY ON REGULATORY COOPERATION AND STANDARDISATION POLICY GENEVA 22-24 NOVEMBER 2004

  2. INTRODUCTION On behalf of African Regional Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) I commend the UNECE Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development for this unique opportunity to participate in, and make brief presentation on Standardisation Activities of ARSO during this occasion of the fourteenth session of its working party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardisation Policies. Thank you for the honour and privilege to share with you. www.arso-oran.org

  3. ESTABLISHMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY OF ARSO • ARSO was founded in 1977 as Africa Intergovernmental agency. The Organisation holds the Standardisation sector in Africa and its membership comprises NSBs of African countries. • The General Assembly, Council and General Secretariat constitute the Organs of ARSO. www.arso-oran.org

  4. RE-ENGINEERING IN ARSO The dynamics of our time has made the re-engineering of ARSO imperative. Such evolution is aimed at, among others: • giving and adding improved value to socio-economic stakeholders and ARSO respectively. • repositioning ARSO as the apex regional “standardisation-co-ordination” body; • identifying and working mutually with relevant stakeholders for the collective good; www.arso-oran.org

  5. RE-ENGINEERING IN ARSO (Cont.) • imparting on the management of the socio-economic well-being of our society through effective regional standardisation co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration; • developing ARSO models of self-sustaining programmes and change culture; • developing evolving African Standardisation Road Map www.arso-oran.org

  6. RE-ENGINEERING IN ARSO (Cont.) • contributing consensus regional standardisation inputs into the African Common Market Project. • raising awareness among government decision makers, businesses, suppliers, consumers, and society at large, on the importance and benefits of standards and standardisation in enhancing competitiveness and alleviating poverty. • assisting members in building capacity in areas of standards development and conformity assessment procedures with a view to be compliant with the WTO/TBT and SPS Agreements.

  7. THE ARSO REENGINEERING STRATEGY DOCUMENT The ARSO Council recently approved the ARSO Re-engineering Strategy document. ARSO Re-engineering Strategy Document This evolving strategy document symbolises, and signifies a new impetus stimulating a new momentum in standardisation activities in Africa. Driven by stated mission and vision of ARSO, this strategy document constitutes an essential tool for realisation of the above objectives. Hence its implementation becomes very imperative. www.arso-oran.org

  8. ARSO Mission • To facilitate intra-African and global trade by promoting quality through co-ordination and harmonization of standards and conformity assessment in Africa. www.arso-oran.org

  9. ARSO Vision • To be a representative and credible focal point for Standardisation, Conformity Assessment and Quality Promotion in Africa to support the sustainable development of the continent. The Organisation is an Advocate of its members’ common views in international fora and delivers a valuable set of support services to National Standards Bodies and other stakeholders.

  10. SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES 1. Adoption of annual ARSO General Assembly as against the previous triannual. 2. Membership Improvement Drive and Promotional activities • ARSO Sub-regional Liaison Officers Created; • Procedure for ARSO/NSBS/Private Sector awareness programmes on standardisation and its benefits is in place; • Agreement by AU Ministers of Industry, Customs and Immigration to support ARSO activities secured; • Improved procedure for assistance in establishment of NSBs in African countries which do not have and improvement of the existing ones. www.arso-oran.org

  11. SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES (cont.) 3. Identified Critical Success Factors • Commission of African Union (AUC) • United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) • Socio-Economic Stakeholders within and outside Africa. • Imparting on socio-economic management of Africa • Improved value adding activities to the stakeholders and to the Organisation itself. www.arso-oran.org

  12. 3. Identified Critical Success Factors (Cont.) • National, sub-regional and international standardisation organisations. • Donor/co-operation organisation. • Revised and evolving ARSO Constitution. • Financial sustainability. • Team work. www.arso-oran.org

  13. SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES (cont.) 4. Regional Standards • Regional procedure for co-ordination of standards harmonisation at the sub-regional and/or national levels as regional standards is being drafted; • Regional Advisory Committee on Competitive tools (REACTS) created and is being constituted; • Draft ARSO co-ordinated MoU is completed and circulated to African countries preparatory for adoption/adaptation by member States; www.arso-oran.org

  14. 4. Regional Standards (cont.) • Encouragement of adoption/adaptation of international standards (of ISO, IEC, CODEX, OIML) as national/regional standards. • Facilitation of Good Regulatory Practice model in Africa through link with AU/UNECA. www.arso-oran.org

  15. SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES (cont.) 5. Human Resources Development • Regional procedure for identification and co-ordination of member States’ training needs (for instance, in areas of productivity management (quality and environmental management system, for example), trade issues (TBT/SPS, Good Regulatory Practice, Common Regulatory Objectives, among others)) approved; • Donor –sponsored/ARSO co-ordinated training/awareness workshops in African countries identified as a factor in improving continental Standardisation and ARSO membership. www.arso-oran.org

  16. WAY FORWARD • ARSO has planned some long-term objectives, which include: • Establishment of Network of Testing, Metrology and Instrumentation Centres in Africa - by 2006 • Development of ICT Systems in ARSOby 2005 • Improved membership of ARSO - 62% by 2006 • Self sustaining income generating programmes – 50% by 2005 • Assistance in establishment and strengthening of NSBs in African countries - 5 by 2006 www.arso-oran.org

  17. CONSTRAINTS • Our constraints include • Regional networking. • Absence of institutional framework. • Lopsided availability of information technology. • Inadequacy of funding. • Inadequacy of trained personnel. www.arso-oran.org

  18. APPRECIATION • Finally we want to take this Opportunity to appreciate support from the following: • AU - African Union • BADEA – Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa • CEN - European Committee Standards • ITC – International Trade Centre • IDRC – International Development Research Centre • IEC – International Electrotechnolgy Commission • ITU – International Telecommunication Union • ISO – International Organisation for Standardisation • NML/CSIR – National Metrology Laboratory/Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (South Africa) • OIMIL - International Organisation for Legal Metrology • PTB – Physikalish-Technische Bundesanstalt - Germany • Sida – Swedish International Development Agency • SIS - Swedish Institute of Standardisation • UNECE - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe • UNESCO – United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation • UNCTAD – United Nations Committee on Trade and Development • UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organisation • UNDP - United Nations Development Programme • WTO – World Trade Organisation www.arso-oran.org

  19. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS We are Here…. African Regional Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) 3rd Floor, International House Mama Ngina Street P. O. Box 57363-00200 NAIROBI, KENYA. Tel: 254-020-224561/330895/ Fax: 254-020-218792 E-mail: arso@bidii.com http: www.arso-oran.org PARTNERSHIP WITH US. dua www.arso-oran.org UNECE Geneva 2004

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