G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
22 September  2022 
(22-7117) Page: 1/13 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  
ARSO UPDATE TO THE TBT COMMITTEE  
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY  ARSO  
This document contains information provided by ARSO  at the TBT Committee meeting of 
13-15 July 2022 under Agenda Item 4 (Update by Observers).  
 
_______________  
 
 
1  BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
1.1  Introduction  
1.1.  Experts (Mevel, Simon and Karingi, Stephen - 2012, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi - 2016, Henri J. Nkuepo, 
2012) highlight the fact that the AfCFTA which is the Flagship project of the Agenda 2063, (and 
which entered into force in M ay 2019, and operational phase in July 2019, and with 1  January 2022 
as the commencement of the actual trade among the African countries), is poised to contribute 
significantly to increased competitiveness of Africa's industrial products through harnessing the 
economies of scale of a large continental market; increased rate of diversification and transformation 
of Africa's economy and the continent's ability to supply its import needs from its own resources and 
better integration of the continent into the global economy, pave the way for the industrialization 
and economic transformation necessary for African countries to achieve the ambitious targets of the 
global Agenda 2030 and Africa's own Agenda 2063.  
1.2.  However, given the fact that NTMs, especial ly the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs - 
Standards, technical regulations and Conformity assessment regimes) are still prevalent across 
Africa´s regional groupings, despite positive efforts made in reporting and monitoring mechanisms, 
and given that unde r the TBT Annex 6, article 3: "the State Parties reaffirm their rights and 
obligations under the WTO TBT Agreement in respect of the preparation, adoption, and application 
of standards, technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures and related ac tivities", 
experts highlight that "the AfCFTA would be confronted with the main challenge of the need to 
improve the quality of regulation to remove the NTMs (TBTs) in goods, and to deliver competitive 
markets, while achieving essential public policy objec tives as governments introduce more and more 
regulatory requirements to address inter -lia health, safety or environmental issues in accordance 
with the WTO TBT Agreement (Gerhard Erusmus, 2017)."  
1.3.  This therefore increases the scope for African countries, un der the AfCFTA, to look for 
opportunities for greater collaboration among countries for a common regulatory framework and the 
optimism for increased intra -African Trade associated with the AfCTFA creates the greatest 
opportunity for Africa to Address the i ssues of Technical Barriers to Trade, strengthen the Quality 
Infrastructure, as the AfCFTA Agreement binds all State parties to commit to the progressive 
elimination of tariffs and non -tariff barriers to trade in goods and services. As a policy instrument,  
the AfCFTA Agreement, under the TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7, which is based on the WTO 
TBT/SPS Agreements, addresses the TBTs and SPS issues, and binds all State parties to commit to 
their progressive elimination and calls for cooperation in their develop ment, harmonisation and 
implementation.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  1.4.  Considerably, ARSO together with the African Union, UNECA, the African Quality Infrastructure 
Institutions (AFRIMETS, AFRAC, AFSEC) and the African Regional Economic Communities, the 
Member States NSBs, the Stakeholders and development partners, including the WTO, has the 
greatest opportunity and the goodwill to make standardisation a key pillar in the implementation of 
the for increased intra -African Trade.  
1.5.  Under its TBT Agreement, the WTO encourages Harmonization, use of equivalence and mutual 
recognitio n in the bilateral free trade agreements, such as the AfCFTA. This is based on the fact even 
when standards in different countries have been harmonized, the free flow of trade is inhibited if 
products are subjected to redundant testing and certification re quirements in multiple export 
markets, this calls for harmonised Conformity Assessment systems. But even with harmonised 
standards and conformity Assessment regimes, without Mutual recognition arrangements of 
accreditation and certification systems, then h armonised standards and conformity assessment 
systems will not be effective enough. The WTO TBT Agreement under Article 6.3 strongly also 
encourages WTO Members to enter into negotiations with other Members for the mutual acceptance 
of conformity assessmen t results through Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) and facilitate 
the international concept and goal of "Certified Once, Accepted Everywhere".  
1.6.  Under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, TBT Annex 6, Article 3, 
on guiding princ iples, the State parties, have agreed that the WTO TBT Agreement shall form the 
basis of the TBT Annex 6 and under article 5, the Agreement calls on the State Parties to cooperate 
in the development and implementation of standards, technical regulations, c onformity assessment 
procedures, accreditation, metrology, capacity building and enforcement activities in order to 
facilitate trade within the AfCFTA. Under Annex 5, NTBs, article 6 on Establishment of NTB 
Coordination Unit, National Monitoring Committees  and the National Focal Points the Agreement calls 
on the AfCFTA Secretariat to establish a Unit for the coordination of NTBs elimination and calls on 
the State The State Parties establish National Monitoring Committees and National Focal Points on 
NTBs; U nder the TBT Annex 6, Article 11 on Transparency, In order to enhance transparency, the 
State Parties reaffirm that transparency is essential in ensuring clarity, predictability and trust within 
the AfCFTA framework and shall comply with the transparency o bligations of the WTO TBT 
Agreement including notification procedures and notification systems developed from time to time 
and under Article 13, the Agreement sets on the establishment of the TBT Sub -Committee, to among 
other things, track amendments (if a ny) made to the WTO TBT Agreement, and, if necessary, 
develop proposals to amend this Annex in accordance with Article 29 of the Agreement in order for 
it to remain aligned to the WTO TBT Agreement.  
1.2  About ARSO  
1.7.  Admitted as an Observer member of the WTO TBT Committee in November 2015, ARSO is an 
intergovernmental Organisation established by the Organization of African Unity (OAU, currently 
African Union (AU)) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1977, with 
21 African Governments as  founder members, and hosted by the Government of the Republic of 
Kenya on Diplomatic Status. Currently, ARSO has 43 member States (Algeria, Benin, Botswana, 
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Democratic Republic of 
Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, New State 
of Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, 
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Togo, 
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and with Zanzibar being a paying member). Chad, Burundi 
and Somalia were formally admitted into ARSO membership by the ARSO General Assembly, during 
the 28th ARSO General Assembly Events held on 27  June -1 July 2022, after joining recently.  
1.3  Mandate of ARSO  
1.8.  Admitted as an Observer member of the WTO TBT Committee in November 2015, ARSO is an 
intergovernmental Organisation established by the Organization of African Unity (OAU, currently 
African Un ion (AU)) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1977, with 
21 African Governments as founder members, and hosted by the Government of the Republic of 
Kenya on Diplomatic Status. Currently, ARSO has 43 member States (Algeria, Beni n, Botswana, 
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Democratic Republic of 
Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, New State 
of Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, 
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Togo, G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and with Zanzibar being a paying member). Chad, Burundi 
and Somalia were formally  admitted into ARSO membership by the ARSO General Assembly, during 
the 28th ARSO General Assembly Events held on 27 June -1 July 2022, after joining recently.  
1.9.  The principle mandate of ARSO is to harmonise African Standards and conformity assessment 
proce dures, based on International standards, and best International practices, in order to reduce 
Technical Barriers to Trade in Africa, thus promote intra -African and international Trade. This entails 
the mandate to:  
a. Harmonise national and/or sub -regional st andards as African Standards;  
b. Encourage and facilitate the adoption of international standards by member bodies as the 
basis of Regulations and Conformity Assessment procedures.  
c. Initiate and co -ordinate the development of African Standards (ARS) with ref erences to 
products which are of peculiar interest to Africa and where no international standards 
exist;  
d. Develop tools for Good Conformity Assessment practices including Mutual Recognition 
Arrangements  
e. Promote Capacity building and awareness creation in standardisation activities;  
f. Avail relevant information on standards, Technical Regulations, Conformity Assessments  
g. Co-ordinate the views of its members at the ISO, IEC, OIML, Codex and other international 
organisations concerned with standardisation acti vities;  
1.10.  Under the TBT Annex 6, ARSO has been mandated to develop the required standards to 
facilitate trade between State Parties, as the State Parties, on the other hand, have been urged to:  
a. promote the adoption of standards developed by the ARSO and th e AFSEC;  
b. designate liaison focal points to ensure that all State Parties are well informed of the 
standards developed or to be developed by the ARSO and the AFSEC;  
c. apply harmonized rules and procedures for the development and publication of national 
standards in accordance with international requirements and best practices; and  
d. promote membership, liaison and participation in the work of ISO, IEC, ARSO, AFSEC and 
similar international and regional standardisation organisations.  
1.11.  To facilitate the impleme ntation of the Mandate of ARSO under the AfCFTA, ARSO -AfCFTA 
Secretariat have signed an MoU on 17  November 2021 during the Roundtable event on the 
Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices in Africa and discussions on the 
role of Qual ity Infrastructure in the promotion of the Pharmaceutical Sector under the AfCFTA, in 
Durban South Africa, organised by ARSO, on the side -lines, of the 2021 IATF. A joint implementation 
Plan for the MoU has been developed and endorsed on 9 March 2022, when  H.E. Wamkele Mene, 
Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, visited the ARSO Central Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya. 
The preparation of a Workplan on the implementation plan, with targeted priority areas, including 
standards harmonisation, Mutual Recog nition Arrangements, Notifications, Capacity Building.  
1.12.  ARSO has just held its 28th ARSO General Assembly Events including the African Day of 
Standardisation and Made in Africa Expo, under the theme: "the Standards We Want – African Union 
Agenda 2063 and A frican Continental Free Trade Area: "The Role of Standardisation and Conformity 
Assessment During a Journey of next 41 Years".  
1.13.  H.E. Wamkele Mene also Graced the 28th ARSO General Assembly Events and highlighted 
specific and priority areas of focus, to the  66th ARSO Council, for consideration.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  2  CURRENT ARSO ACTIVITIES AND COOPERATION IN FULFILLING ITS MANDATE AND 
PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO TBT AGREEMENT IN AFRICA  
2.1  Standards Harmonisation  
2.1.  With an aim to strengthen and minimize the formidable and unjustifiable technical barriers to 
trade across -African countries borders through regional and continental harmonization and 
certification, ARSO Standards Harmonisation Work Continued under various  Priority Sectors and the 
Technical Committees with Experts nominated by member States to facilitate the harmonisation 
Work. The following, ongoing projects are highlighted:  
a. Automotive Technology and Engineering, ARSO TC 59, through the technical support of 
the Physikalisch -Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).  
i. NWIPs for standards development through Unique phase – 18 Standards  
ii. NWIP phase based on International Standards – 34 Standards  
b. Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Project through the Technical support o f the African 
Export -Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance 
Corporation (ITFC), with standards harmonisation work under:  
i. ARSO/TC 78, Medical devices and equipment  
ii. ARSO/TC 80, Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products  
iii. ARSO/TC 82, African Traditional Medicine  
iv. ARSO/TC 74, Healthcare Services  
v. ARSO/CACO SC 2 WG 5, Pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment  
2.2.  Currently, in a period of 2 years, ARSO has approved 126 standards and regulatory guidelines. 
ARSO projects to approve a pproximately 300 standards by the year 2023.  
a. Harmonization and Certification of African Standards for Dairy, Horticulture, Fisheries and 
Aquaculture Products with a technical support from African Development Bank. 10 TCs 
involved:  
i. ARSO/TC 03, Fish, fishe ries and aquaculture  
ii. ARSO/TC 04, Milk and milk products  
iii. ARSO/TC 05, Horticulture  
iv. ARSO/TC 06, Coffee, cocoa, tea and related products  
v. ARSO/TC 17, Animal feeding, feeds and feeding stuffs  
vi. ARSO/TC 23, Live animals  
vii. ARSO/TC 61, Eco -labelling, sustainabili ty and resilient systems  
viii. ARSO/TC 83, Agriculture and biotechnology  
ix. ARSO/CACO, ARSO Conformity Assessment Committee  
x. ARSO/COCO, ARSO Consumer Committee  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  2.1.1   Approval, Adoption and the implementation of the standards  
2.3.  The AfCFTA Agreement emphasises under TBT Annex 6, article 6, the adoption of international 
standards and the harmonisation of African Standards where there are no international standards. 
In November 2021 and June 2022, under ARSO/TC 14, Food packaging an d labelling, following 
standards were approved by ARSO for adoption by members, after consideration for due process by 
the ARSO Standards Management Committee.  
i. ARS 1709 -2022, Corrugated fibre board boxes for general packaging  
ii. ARS 1710 -2022 - Natural and extensible sack Kraft paper - Specification  
iii. ARS 1711 -2022, Paper and board food contact packaging material  
iv. ARS 1712 -2022, Paper plates and cups for food packaging  
v. ARS 1713 -2022 Nutrition labelling — Requirements  
vi. ARS 1714 -2022 Claims on food — General re quirements  
vii. ARS 1715 -2022 Use of nutrition and health claims — Requirements  
viii. ARS 1716 -2022 Plastic packaging - Migration of the constituents of plastic materials 
and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs.  
ix. ARS 1718 -2022, Aluminium cans for  beverages — Specification  
x. ARS 1719 -2022, Packaging — Code of practice — Glass containers  
xi. ARS 1748:2022, Glass containers — Specification — Part 1: Bottles for carbonated and 
non-carbonated drinks  
xii. ARS 56:2022, Pre -packaged foods — Labelling  
xiii. ARS 988:2022  Plastic crates — Specification  
xiv. ISO 23560 Woven polypropylene sacks for bulk packaging of foodstuffs  
2.4.  International standards approved and recommended for adoption through notification under 
the ARSO/TC 14, Food packaging and labelling.  
i. ISO 13106:2014 Pl astics — Blow-moulded polypropylene containers for packaging of 
liquid foodstuffs.  
ii. ISO 15394:2017, Packaging — Bar code and two -dimensional symbols for shipping, 
transport and receiving labels.  
iii. ISO 18601:2013, Packaging and the environment — General requ irements for the use 
of ISO standards in the field of packaging and the environment  
iv. ISO 18603:2013, Packaging and the environment — Reuse  
v. ISO 18604:2013, Packaging and the environment — Material recycling  
vi. ISO 18605:2013, Packaging and the environment — Energy recovery  
vii. ISO 18606:2013, Packaging and the environment — Organic recycling  
viii. ISO 21067 -1:2016, Packaging — Vocabulary — Part 1: General terms.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  ix. ISO 3394:2012, Packaging — Complete, filled transport packages and unit loads — 
Dimensions of rigid recta ngular packages.  
x. ISO 7348:1992, Glass containers — Manufacture — Vocabulary  
xi. ISO 780:2015, Packaging — Distribution packaging — Graphical symbols for handling 
and storage of packages.  
2.2  Awareness Creation and Notification  
2.2.1   Events in member States, on the harmonised standards  
2.5.  Zimbabwe - 2 August 2021 - ARSO together with SAZ, Zimbabwe organised an Awareness 
launching session for the Harmonised African Standards for Automotive Industry.  
2.6.  Nigeria – 25 October 2021 - The Central  Secretariat in collaboration with the Standards 
Organisation of Nigeria (SON) held Virtual Awareness creation event on the harmonised Automotive 
Standards.  
2.7.  Ghana - 26 November 2021 Ghana – ARSO and the GSA organised a Ghana Stakeholders 
Awareness creatio n on African Standards during the 65th Council meetings, in Accra Ghana held 
between 24 – 26 November 2021.  
2.8.  South Africa – 17 November 2021 – ARSO, under the PAQI platform held a Roundtable 
Awareness and launching session, in the side -lines, of the 2021 IATF, held in Durban South Africa, 
on the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices in Africa and discussions 
on the role of Quality Infrastructure in the promotion of the Pharmaceutical Sector under the AfCFTA .  
2.2.2   ARSO DISNET - Increased awareness creation on ARSO Standards  
2.9.  Originally established in 1988, to facilitate Notifications and exchange of standardisation 
information among the Member States, the ARSO Documentation and Information Management has 
been revigorated to play a key role in the ARSO 2022 -2027 Strategic plan on facilitation of 
implementation of the Notification and Transparency clauses, under the TBT Annex 6, Article 11 
transparency. Notifications and 13, TBT Sub -Committee Programmes.  
2.10.  Currently with 29 ARSO Member s as Members, the activities are implemented via 3 Sub -
Committees, (ARSONet – NSBs Information Centres Networks; ARSO DISNET NSBs TBT NEP unit – 
NSBs National Enquiry Points; and the DISNET ATWP – African Trade Web Portal, which facilitate 
the disseminatio n and Notification on ARSO Standards and Conformity Assessments.  
2.2.3   ARSO Webinars  
2.11.  Due to COVID 19 regulations, The ARSO Council in its 62nd Virtual Council meeting, 
underscored the importance of holding online webinars for members and stakeholders to create  
opportunity for discussions on Standardisation and Trade issues. To date, twenty -one (21) Webinars 
have been held since June 2020 – June 2022. From June 2021 – June 2022 a total of Twelve (12) 
webinars have been held, with the participation of the WTO Off icials as Panelists, highlighting the 
position of WTO in various Trade and Standardisation policies, as per the WTO TBT/SPS Agreements, 
as Highlighted below:  
a. The 2021 Monthly Webinars  
i. 23 June 2021: Addressing Specific Trade Concerns and disputes under th e AfCFTA 
single market and promoting Africa's exports in world markets – Role of Conformity 
Assessment: Streamlining standards development, increasing the efficiency of product 
testing and certification in Africa - Role of ARSO CACO  
ii. 21 July 2021: The Afri can Quality Award, Do we need it? - Promoting the 
Competitiveness of the African Enterprises and adopting the Culture of Quality in Africa 
- are our industries ready for participation in an African Quality Award process?  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  iii. 25 August 2021: Equivalence and Mu tual Recognition in Free Trade Agreements – 
Establishing a Continental Framework to address the African Divergent Regulatory 
Systems in the AfCFTA single market – Role of PAQI.  
iv. 23 September 2021: Fostering the Small and Medium -Sized Enterprises (SMEs) tra de 
competitiveness through standardisation: Helping SMEs to be an Engine of Trade, 
Growth and Employment under the AfCFTA and the Role of ARSO.  
v. 27 October 2021: The Gender Agenda in African Standardisation: The gender 
dimension of standards and mainstream ing gender in the development and 
implementation of standards in Africa. Why it Matters. ARSO Gender Policy Document 
is attached on Annex 8.  
vi. 29 October 2021: ARSO -WTO joint Webinar Session during the 2021 Annual WTO 
Public Forum "28 September – 1 October 2021" under the theme "Trade Beyond 
COVID -19: Building Resilience" – and topic, "Quality Infrastructure for post COVID -19 
resilience in Africa".  
vii. 30 November 2021: The Africa Quality Policy: the basis for National Quality 
Infrastructure and Quality Policy in Africa. 2.3. Promotion of Conformity Assessment 
and Mutual Recognition Arrangements 2.3.1. The Development of Technical Guides  
b. The 2022 ARSO Monthly Webinars  
i. 23 February 2022: Theme: Trade facilitation through standardisation and Trade 
Expos/Fairs. Top ic: Boosting Intra -African Trade and Global Market Access – The Role 
of the Annual ARSO Made in Africa Expo".  
ii. 23 March 2022: Theme: Industrial Transformations and Fourth Industrial Revolution 
(4thIR). Topic: Leveraging on the AfCFTA Agreement's unique opp ortunities to 
enhance governance around the 4thIR.  
iii. 20 April 2022: Theme: Standardisation Essay Competitions: Linking Standardisation 
with the Academia and Industry. Topic: From Industry to the classrooms and 
Universities  
iv. 25 May 2022: Theme: Rules of Orig in and Trade. Topic: Attributing one country of 
origin to each product. The inter -dependences between Rules of Origin, Products, 
trade, markets and industrial policies.  
v. 15 June 2022: Theme: Common Regulatory Framework and Trade. Topic: The impact 
of NTMs on competitiveness and productivity - The influence of regulatory/non -Tarif 
measures on global and Intra -African Trade – Demystifying the NTBs' Technical and 
Non-measures.  
c. Scheduled  
i. 20 July 2022: Theme: Trade Information and trade promotion. Topic: The role of Trade 
Web Portals as sources of Trade Information (products, technical requirements 
regulations and standards), tariffs) for enhanced market access and planned export 
drive.  
ii. 24 August 2022: Theme: The Pharmaceutical Industry – Productivity and Trade. Topic: 
The role of standardisation in Facilitating the growth of the pharmaceutical Industry 
and Trade in Africa.  
iii. 28 September 2022: Theme: Continental Certification Marks and Trad e. Topic: The 
promotion of ARSO African certification Mark (marking scheme) in the Context of Lagos 
Plan of Action paragraph 250, l and in comparison, with the role of the EU CE Quality 
Mark in EU Single market, with a view to facilitating intra -African tr ade under the single 
African Market and the AfCFTA.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  iv. 26 October 2022: Theme: The Automotive Industry – Productivity and Trade. Topic: 
The role of standardisation in facilitating the growth of the Automotive Industry and 
Trade in Africa  
v. 30 November 2022: T heme: Sustainable Development Goals – 2030 (SDGs 2030) 
and Standardisation. Topic: Towards Africa's Sustainable Development and 
Industrialisation and the role of standardisation in the implementation of the UN 2030 
Sustainable Development Goals.  
2.12.  Key recom mendations of the webinars are being considered for strategic goals and objectives 
in ARSO 2022 -2027 Strategic Plan for implementation.  
2.3  Promotion of Conformity Assessment and Mutual Recognition Arrangements  
2.3.1   The Development of Technical Guides  
2.13.  The ARSO C onformity Assessment Programme (ACAP), scheme, launched on 8  March 2020, 
is meant to facilitate the harmonisation of the Africa Conformity Assessment Procedures. ARSO has 
developed rules and procedures for its Certification operations in nine schemes that include 
sustainability and eco -labelling that awards the Eco mark label to products and services complying 
with requirements to the African sustainability standards. Highlights of the Technical Guides : 
a. African regulation guidelines for African Traditional Medicine (ATM)  
b. Guideline on Marketing Authorization of Human Pharmaceutical products  
c. African guideline for regulation and conformity assessment for Medical devices  
d. African guideline for regulation and conformity assessment for in vitro diagnostic medica l 
devices (IVDs)  
e. African Guideline for Setting up emergency/temporary / field Hospitals.  
2.3.2   Development of Guide for the adoption of ARSO Standards 2.3.3. Sustainability 
Standards and the Implementation of the Eco Mark Africa Certification Scheme  
2.14.  To facili tate, the Adoption and implementation of the ARSO Standards, ARSO has developed 
a guideline that specifies the basis and the basic principles, procedures and processes for the 
Acquisition, Purchasing, Adoption/Adoption, Referencing, Usage and Implementatio n of the ARS as 
regional or national standards and other ARSO deliverables, by the ARSO Members, Non -members 
and Stakeholders/Private Sector, in line with the WTO TBT Agreement and The WTO Code of Good 
Practice (Annex 3 of the TBT Agreement) The "Code of G ood Practice" which establishes the 
principles for the preparation, adoption, and application of standards and aims for the harmonization 
of standards for adoption.  
2.3.3   Sustainability Standards and the Implementation of the Eco Mark Africa 
Certification Scheme   
2.15.  ARSO continued to implement the ARSO Eco Mark Africa Certification Scheme which was 
launched on 8  March 2019, in Nairobi Kenya through the support of KEBS/Kenya. Eco Mark Africa 
aims to facilitate the Certification of goods and services and assist Africa n producers to access local, 
regional and international markets for sustainably produced goods and services, and promote Small 
and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to get certified and access markets. For the operation of the 
Eco Mark Scheme, ARSO has harmo nised several Agricultural Sustainability Standards, in addition 
three standards on sustainable Cocoa, and six African Sustainability Standards on fisheries, forestry, 
tourism, tilapia and the African catfish. The Scheme is based on a performance maturity model and 
through which companies and especially SMEs can be certified at a low performance level (bronze) 
and upgraded and certified to a higher performance level (silver, gold or platinum) as their 
performance improves. Currently, there are on -going disc ussions with the UNCTAD and UNECA to 
facilitate Capacity building programmes, in the Eco Mark Africa Certification, within member States .  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  2.16.  In cooperation with United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) ARSO has 
launched (on 6  April 2022) the African Continental platform on Voluntary Sustainability to promote 
the cooperation with national governments to launch national platforms on sustainability standards.  
2.17.  ARSO has engaged with World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) for the recogniti on 
and registration of the ARSO Conformity Assessment Mark to promote the WTO international 
Regulatory Policy of "One Standard – One Test - One Certificate -Accepted everywhere ", under the 
AfCFTA.  
2.3.4   Initiative on the Mutual Recognition Arrangements and Harmoni sation activities of 
Technical Regulations - ARSO Conformity Assessment (ARSO CACO)  
2.18.  The African Experts under the ARSO CACO Working Group 1 on Technical Regulation, currently 
with 10 members (Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, Sierra Leonne, Seneg al, Tunisia, 
South Africa and Uganda), is promoting regulatory cooperation between regulators from different 
Member States and seeking to leverage on the benefits of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRMs).  
2.19.  To facilitate Regulatory Cooperation, ARSO has initiated a Mutual Recognition Arrangement 
between Ghana, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya, as Champions of the MRAs, with the 
initial communications made on 19  August 2021, with an initial Concept Note prepared, establishing 
a roadmap as a pilot. Currently a draft MRA Framework, has been developed in consultation with 
the members Experts.  
2.20.  This is in line with the AfCFTA Agreement, TBT Annex 6, Article 12, Cooperation in Conformity 
Assessment, where the State parties are called "promote mutual acce ptance of conformity 
assessment results of conformity assessment bodies which have been recognised under appropriate 
multilateral agreements between their respective accreditation bodies and the relevant mutual 
recognition arrangements of the AFRAC, ILAC a nd IAF".  
2.4  ARSO Essay Competitions 2021/2022  
2.21.  The ARSO Essay Competition is meant for Youth Empowerment through Standardisation. 
Given the opportunities provided for by the AfCFTA Agreement for the Youth, the Essay competition 
remains crucial.  
2.22.  The 2021 -2022, 9th Standardisation Essay completion was held under the theme, The Role of 
Standardisation in Promoting African Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industries to Attain Self -
reliance and resilience in Combating COVID -19 and Future Pandemics". 12 countries participated, 
(Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, 
Zanzibar and Zimbabwe) and the Winners' recognition Awards Ceremony was held on 1 July 2022, 
during the 28th ARSO GA Events in Yaoundé Cameroon, f or three best Winners and the 
12 participating countries.  
2.23.  The theme for the 2022/2023 10th Essay Competition has been approved by the 28th General 
Assembly as "The role of standardisation in promoting the growth of Micro, Small and Medium -sized 
Enterprise s (MSMEs) for sustainable, inclusive and diversified industrial and economic development 
in Africa". The theme recognises the SMEs as engines of development the world over and the need 
for their increased competitiveness and productivity for inclusive grow th, through standardisation.  
2.5  Initiatives for Gender Responsive Standardisation  
2.24.  Given the role Standards play in Trade and Industrialisation and noting the greater 
involvement of Women in Trade, and the effect of Standards as TBTs, Gender Mainstreaming in 
standardisation is crucial. This also calls for the development of standards conducive to gender 
equality. In this case, when planning annual work programmes, standardization bodies should favour 
the development of standards that have a high potential for gender equality and the empowerment 
of women.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  2.25.  Already ARSO is a signatory to the UN (UNECE) "Declaration for Gender Responsive Standards 
and Standards Development" and has currently developed, in November 2021, the Gender 
Mainstreaming in Standardisation Policy to ensure that ARSO programmes and standards 
harmonisation facilitate Gender equality.  
2.6  Capacity Building for African Standardisation Experts  
2.26.  ARSO also Continued to engage with International Stakeholders in Capacity building activities 
for the Afri can Standardisation Experts, including:  
a. UL Standards – Capacity Building Standardisation Workshops: Standards for Photo Voltaic 
System, Standards for Lithium -ion batteries; Standards for Energy storage system, 
Standards for UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) ; Workshop on Standards for cyber security  
b. ANSI-USAID/PIVOT -PCPC – Capacity building Workshop series on Cosmetics and best 
Manufacturing Practices/ and a Training on WTO TBT Agreement and AfCFTA Annex 
provisions, notification obligations, current complian ce across Africa, and options for joint 
notification to the WTO for DARS.  
c. ASTM International – Capacity Building Webinar Workshops, based on the members 
interests and priorities: Additive Manufacturing (AM) Technologies, Textiles, Robotics, 
Automation and  Autonomous Systems, Petroleum, Nanotechnology.  
d. ARSO TCs Secretaries and Chairmen and the ARSO CACO Members Capacity Building 
between 17  June to 1 July 2022 during the 208 ARSO General Assembly Events on the 
Standardisation Procedures as per ARSO ASHAM, W TO TBT Agreement and the ISO/IEC 
Directives, including the implementation of International Standards, and where Resource 
persons form ISO, AOAC, Intertek, WTO, CEN -CENELEC, participated.  
3  ARSO BEYOND 2022  
3.1  2022 -2027 Strategic Plan  
3.1.  Approved by the 28th General Assembly on 30th June 2022, the ARSO Strategic Plan for the 
2022-2027 was developed through a Consultative engagement between the Consultants, Central 
Secretariat, Member States, the Standardisation (including International and regional) and 
regulatory  bodies, the Private Sector, and the African Organisations, with a focus on:  
a. Facilitation of Quality Culture in Africa with increased focus on Quality Policy at the National 
and Regional levels.  
b. The promotion and acceleration of industrialisation in Afri ca with a focus SMEs and the 
Made in Africa Products (AfCFTA Products)  
c. Strengthening the Conformity Assessment to serve the interest of African industries, 
farmers, producers and consumers.  
d. Aligning Africa to universal Sustainability policy agenda with the Eco Mark Africa and in 
accordance to SDG 2030 Agenda. 4.1. African Quality Policy.  
3.2.  The Strategy Offers a great opportunity for the Implementation of the AfCFTA and increased 
harmonisation of Standards and Conformity Assessment.  
3.2  ARSO President and Council for the 2022 -2025 Term of Office  
3.3.  The 28th General Assembly, on 30th June 2022, Approved and Inaugurated Prof. Alex Dodoo, 
the current Ghana Standards Authority and the ARSO Goodwill Ambas sador to the AfCFTA 
Secretariat, as the ARSO President for the 2022 -2025 Term of Office, after being the ARSO President 
Elect since June 2021, as elected by the 26th ARSO General Assembly. On the Same Note the 
28th ARSO General Assembly elected New ARSO Co uncil for the 2022 -2025 Term of Office.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  4  INITIATIVES UNDER PAQI  
4.1  African Quality Policy  
4.1.  The African Quality Policy has been developed and finally endorsed by the by the 40th Ordinary 
Session of the AU Executive Council on 2 - 3 February 2022 to address the regulatory inconsistency 
in Africa. There is also the ongoing development of the implementation plan to facilitate alignment 
with National Quality Policies.  
4.2  Survey on Quality Infrastructure in Africa  
4.2.  In 2020, the Pan -African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI) published the third edition of the 
"Technical Barriers to Trade Stocktaking report", which highlights the 18 African countries with 
"reasonably or well developed" quality infrastructure institutions at national level, increasing the 
scope for technical coo peration and support to strengthen Quality Infrastructure in African Countries 
as per the WTO TBT Agreement Article 11 and AfCFTA TBT Annex 6, article 12.  
4.3  Development 0f African Continental Technical Regulatory Framework (ACTReF)  
4.3.  Stakeholders under the P AQI platform has initiated the process of the development of a 
Continental African Continental Technical Regulatory Framework (ACTR eF) to facilitate regulatory 
Coherence in Africa for the implementation of AfCFTA.  
5  TECHNICAL COOPERATION AS PROVIDED FOR UND ER THE WTO TBT AGREEMENT 
ARTICLE 11 AND THE AFCFTA TBT ANNEX, ARTICLE 12, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND 
CAPACITY BUILDING  
a. African Development Bank (AfDB) – on the Harmonisation and Certification of African 
Standards for Dairy, Horticulture, Fisheries and Aquac ulture Products.  
b. African Union – Development of the Made in Africa — Criteria for qualification and guidance 
for implementation, African Guideline, ARS/ MiA/First Edition 2021),  
c. AU/AfCFTA Secretariat – Implementation of the TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7, u nder the 
TBT Sub -Committee for Africa.  
d. Afreximbank – The harmonisation of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal devices Standards and 
Conformity Assessment in response to the COVID -19 Pandemic.  
e. PTB-Germany – Harmonisation of Standards in Automotive Sector and in the Agricultural 
Sector and support to the training in Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development 
(QuISP).  
f. UL Standards –Capacity Building in Standardisation Webinar Workshops on various 
standardisation issues/topics, including WTO Best Practices and Principles in 
standardisations.  
g. ISO – Cooperation in the participation of African Experts in the International 
Standardisation.  
h. ASTM International – Capacity Building Webinar Workshops, based on the members 
interests and priorities,  
i. ANSI-USAID/PIVOT -PCPC – Capacity Building in Cosmetics Standardization Good 
Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetics  
j. ITC – Discussions on the support of members/Private sector on Eco Mark Africa 
Certification Scheme and Implementation of the Made in Africa Qualification Crite ria  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  k. SADC – The ARSO Central Secretariat is currently engaging with the SADC on the 
implementation of the Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy 
Trade Corridors in SADC Region 1  
l. KATS Korea – Discussions on cooperation under an Action Plan 2022 -2027, taking into 
consideration of Capacity Building and Standards Education.  
m. SAC-China - Initiated talks on support for standards harmonisation in various sectors.  
n. UNIDO – Strengthening of Quality Infrastructure in the ACP Region.  
6  COOPERATION WITH THE WTO  
6.1.  ARSO appreciates the mutual cooperation with the WTO, which currently is promoting the 
creation of awareness in Africa about the challenges of the TBTs and the ne ed for strengthening 
Quality Infrastructure in Africa.  
6.2.  Since June 2021, The WTO Officials continue to participate in the ARSO Webinars as Panelists, 
raising awareness on the WTO Perspectives on standardisation issues, including  
a. 25 May 2022 : Theme: Rules of Origin and Trade. "Facilitating international Trade through 
transparent, consistent, uniform, impartial and Harmonized Rules of Origin based on a 
positive standard – the Experience of the WTO" - Darlan F. Marti, WTO.  
b. 29 October 2021: ARSO -WTO joint Web inar Session during the 2021 Annual WTO Public 
Forum "28  September – 1 October 2021" under the theme "Trade Beyond COVID -19: 
Building Resilience" – and topic, "Quality Infrastructure for post COVID -19 resilience in 
Africa" Trade aspects of Quality Infrastr ucture, WTO work on Quality Infrastructure" , 
Erik Wijkström, Head of the TBT Unit, World Trade Organi zation, WTO .  
c. 23 June 2021 – Conformity Assessment and Trade . Topic: Addressing Specific Trade 
Concerns and disputes under the AfCFTA single market and pro moting Africa's exports in 
world markets – Conformity Assessment and Trade - an Enabler or a Technical barrier to 
Trade". Creating a predictable trading environment through better Trade Policies – How to 
ensure that conformity assessment procedures are non -discriminatory and facilitate trade 
through harmonisation and Mutual recognition arrangements. Serra Ayral, Counsellor in 
the Trade and Environment Division, WTO .  
6.3.  The Central Secretariat and the WTO Secretariat also continued to facilitate joint activiti es. 
Currently, the following initiatives are highlighted:  
a. Transparency Champions initiative to facilitate the Transparency in Standards 
harmonisation process within the AfCFTA Framework, as per the WTO TBT Agreement and 
the AfCFTA Agreement, TBT Annex 6, Article, 11 on Transparency, with the first meeting 
held on 29  April 2022. There is a proposed official engagement in Geneva for TBT officials 
(mainly Enquiry Points of member States) in the week of 10 October 2022 and a follow -up 
with virtual sessions as well as an in -person regional event in Africa in 2023.  
b. Proposal of cooperation in an ARSO -WTO Study on Quality Infrastructure and the 
Implementation of the AfCFTA focusing on various Regional Value Chains (Aquaculture, 
Automotive, Agro -processing), and in cluding the QI Status in the RECs . A first meeting 
was held on 19  April 2022 and Concept Note is being reviewed for the Way forward. These 
initiatives will involve member States participation.  
7  CONCLUSION  
7.1.  Standards and associated regulatory components, ha ve grown in economic and political 
importance in globalization and in governance (production, processing, packaging, trading) of Global 
Value Chains and Trade and becoming Integral parts of Economic and Trade Policies.  G/TBT/GEN/332  
 
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  7.2.  ARSO continues to be open to mutual collaborations with WTO within the context of article 11 
of the WTO Agreement on Technical Assistance to the developing countries in upgrading and 
strengthening their Quality Infrastructure, and in the context of the Annex 3 of the WTO TBT 
Agreement, for s tandards development, harmonisation and implementation, for which ARSO is a 
Signatory member, and in the context of the ARSO 2022 -2027 Strategic Plan within the huge 
expectations on ARSO under the AfCFTA Agreement, including, in the  
a. Delivery of the requir ed harmonised African Standards, as per the AfCFTA TBT Annex 6 on 
the mandate of ARSO to harmonise the standards ; 
b. Strengthening implementation of standards through African conformity assessment 
program including ECOMARK Africa, and Engagement of consumers and consumer 
organizations through ARSO COCO ; 
c. Awareness creation and Capacity -building – comprising of courses, seminars and trainings, 
Essay Competition, Webinars, Made in Africa Expo, standardisation forums and trade fairs 
like the yearly Intra African T rade Fair ; 
d. Sharing of information on trade, technical regulations, standards and conformity 
assessment through the ARSO DISNET, African Trade Web portal ; 
e. Strengthening Policy Re -orientation through the African Quality Policy and WTO TBT 
Agreement ; 
f. Promotio n of Research, Studies and Surveys on Quality Infrastructure and the AfCFTA 
Agreement Implementation .  
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