Rwanda is hosting a two-day summit organized by the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), aimed at harmonizing quality standards across the continent to boost trade and market access for small and medium enterprises. The meeting, which began on April 28, 2025, brings together experts and industry leaders from six African countries to align certification systems and promote the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The conference, officially launched on April 28, 2025, brought together ARSO leaders, officials from standardization bodies, product inspectors, and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The discussions focused on aligning quality requirements to make it easier for SMEs to access various markets within Africa.
Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General of ARSO, stated that the meeting is focused on training different participants from six African countries, including those working in agriculture, livestock, leather products, and clothing sectors.
He said: “We want to teach them how to obtain the African quality mark. This will help them trade in other African countries without barriers, as their products will have undergone a single, continentally accepted inspection.”
Dr. Nsengimana explained that this initiative is meant to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which requires goods to comply with quality standards approved by ARSO or international benchmarks.
He added that they plan to support 100 individuals this year to ensure their products bear the quality mark, thus allowing them to engage in trade without facing technical barriers in various markets.
Jean Pierre Bajeneza, Head of the Quality Mark Division at Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), stated that Rwanda has already established around 4,500 quality standards.
He explained that these standards are being disseminated across different sectors, including SMEs, youth, women, and service providers.
He said: “After awareness and training, we follow up by inspecting how these standards are being implemented. Challenges include limited capacity and lack of up-to-date knowledge for producing internationally competitive products.”
Claudine Kampire, a Rwandan entrepreneur who owns a manufacturing business, said that obtaining the African quality mark would make trade much easier.
She said: “Getting this mark will allow us to export our products to other African countries without difficulty, and it will reduce the costs previously incurred in trying to meet diverse market requirements.”
Participants from different countries highlighted the significance of this initiative in supporting their businesses.
Gueye Moustapha, a businessperson from Senegal, stated that ARSO’s work will greatly help small enterprises to expand their market reach.
He said: “This initiative will help eliminate doubts about the credibility of some small-scale products, as they will now carry ARSO certification confirming they meet national food and product safety standards.”
Moustapha acknowledged that while challenges remain such as political issues and restrictive border policies this program focuses on harmonizing quality standards to facilitate the free and reliable movement of goods, particularly within the framework of AfCFTA.
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