Trade is a basic economic commodity that activates and improves people’s socio-economic livelihoods. To increase competitiveness and spur regional economic growth, quality control and checking are pivotal.

Standards, testing, conformity and assessment processes have been frequently mentioned as barriers to trade. East African countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and now the rookie member, South Sudan — are addressing these barriers with the aim of increasing intra-EAC trade.

Proper testing and certification increases the speed at which goods are traded across borders, ensures conformity assessment certificates are accepted, reduces rejection of goods and minimises costs.

This is where the TradeMark Africa-supported Standards Harmonisation and Conformity Testing Programme comes in. The programme was launched in 2011 to help the East African National Standards Bureaus achieve regional harmonisation of standards and improve testing capacities, thereby improve trade competitiveness.

So far, there are 70 new harmonised standards. Also, a 59 per cent testing cost reduction and 74 per cent average testing time reduction have been achieved across the East Africa Community bureaus of standards respectively.

An analysis of volumes and values of intra- and extra-EAC trade of sampled products that the programme supported, indicates a growth trajectory — a 144 per cent increase in intra and extra EAC trade (from $857,997 in 2010 to $2,094,748 in 2014).

The programme has also achieved clear results on market access requirements and certification of locally manufactured products by small and medium enterprises, particularly in Kenya. There has been a 194 per cent increase in the number of certification permits issued (619 in 2010 to 1,820 in 2014).

The programme has also contributed to a reduction in the testing cost and time of 85 per cent (from $800 to $120) and 93 per cent (from 14 days to one day) respectively.

Similar results have been achieved in Uganda with testing costs and times reducing by 71 per cent (from $350 to $100) and 58 per cent (from 19 days to 8 days) respectively. There was also an increase in the number of products certified as a result of an awareness campaign run by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.

Rwanda has implemented an e-portal system that automates the internal and external services of the Rwanda Standards Board, reducing the time taken to process applications for certification and other conformity assessment services.

Currently, they have achieved a testing cost and testing time reduction of 50 per cent (from $500 to $250) and 87 per cent (60 days to 8 days) respectively.

Finally, in Burundi, the Burundi Bureau of Standards has been able to carry out analyses on oils, fats, cereals, flour, milk, salt, coffee, tea and alcoholic drinks.

The programme has supported the purchase and installation of testing laboratories. Technical training and capacity building programmes have built confidence in the analysis, inspection and product certification systems in the country. Overall, Burundi has achieved a testing reduction time of 77 per cent – 65 days to just 15 days.

These are some of the key achievements of the programme. There is a lot that needs to be done on gender to improve women’s competitiveness and access to more markets.

There is also a need to work closely with key stakeholders in standards harmonisation to support certification of the most traded and priority products in the EAC region to promote free movement of goods in the region and enhance trade.
This is a process with challenges but let us start celebrating this small yet significant milestone that we have accomplished as a region.