As part of moves to strengthen intra African trade and ensure that goods and services exchanged on the continent meet global standards, the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with key stakeholders is rolling out African Quality Assurance Centres.
The centres when fully activated will not only boost trade within the African Continent but also enhance the capacities of indigenous producers.
This was disclosed by the President and Chairman of the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank), H.E Prof. Benedict Oramah at the 30th AGM in Accra.
“We are working with African Regional Standards Organization (ARSO) to harmonize trade standards across Africa. Using Afreximbank mobilised grant funding, over 155 standards have been harmonized, covering priority areas of automobile, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals while work on textiles is on-going,” he said.
“We also recognise that setting standards is one thing but having the infrastructure to implement them is another. So, working with Bureau Veritas of France, we are building testing, inspection, and certification centres across Africa, under the branded Africa Quality Assurance Centres (AQACs),” he added.
“The first project has been completed in West Africa, and others are underway in North and East Africa. In the next 4 years, African Quality Assurance Centres will be dotted across all regions of Africa,” he intimated.
Source:https://citibusinessnews.com/
