AUC seeks cooperation among standard organisations in Africa




L-R:  DIRECTOR OF ETHIOPIA STANDARDS AGENCY, MRS, ALMAZ KAHSAY DR JOSEPH ODUMODU, PRESIDENT AFRICAN STANDARDSATION OF ORGANISATION (ARSO)/DG, SON, MR NADIR MERAH, HEAD OF TRADE DIVISION, DEPARTMENT  OF INDUSTRY, AFRICAN UNION AND DR HERMOGENE NSENGIMAMA, ARSO, SECRETARY GENERAL  AT THE  ARSO 52TH GENERAL COUNCIL FORUM IN ETHIOPIA.



AUC seeks cooperation among standard organisations in Africa

By Jimoh Babatunde

The Head, Trade Division of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mr. Nadir Merah, has disclosed that cooperation among standard organisations in Africa can boost sustainable agriculture and food security in the continent.
Mr. Nadir Merah, who represented the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Zuma , at the just concluded 52nd African Organisation for Standardisation's (ARSO's), meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said Africa was close to realising the lofty dream given the rate of collaboration and cooperation among the ARSO members.
“We see a clear role that standards can play in boosting intra-African trade, promoting sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa. By working together on standards, we will promote continental trade integration and facilitate access to African markets.
“I would like to recall the historic 2012 Summit Decision on Boosting Intra African Trade. Our leaders, determined to trade Africa out of poverty and to chart a new forward for our future, adopted an Action Plan on Areas that must be addressed if Africa is to trade more with itself. The Summit also agreed to establish a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by an indicative date of 2017,” Mr. Merah said.
He decried that Intra-African trade currently at about five per cent drains the continent’s little external reserves to compound the poverty and dependence levels. With the AU Ministerial policy, however, intra-African trade will hit 10 per cent by 2017 and reach 20 per cent by 2020. In particular, Africa is targeting her abundant foods and ensures that the continent feeds itself which has been difficult simply on account of ensuring quality standards.
Dr. Joseph Odumodu, President of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and also the Director General, standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said that the organization would ensure that there are value addition to most of the commodities the continent trade on.
According to him, the predicament of the region over the year was the export raw materials and poor quality food products which have indeed made Africa laying prostrate in international trade.
Odumodu emphasized that the AU Ministerial Council, declaration of 2017 as Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) as a programme was feasible.
He explained that ARSO was working round the clock to ensure that standards plays a role in bring the programme to reality.
Odumodu, the Chief of the umbrella body of African countries standards bodies, ARSO has declared that for the continent to meet the ever rising demand for food products, it must pay serious and urgent attention to adopting the effective use of standards to improve its agricultural sector.
“We see a clear role that standards can play in boosting intra-African trade, promoting sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa. By working together on standards, we will promote continental trade integration and facilitate access to African markets, she said.

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