Delays in harmonising standards are raising trade costs and slowing the movement of goods across African markets. [Courtesy, iStockphoto]
Kenya and other African countries have intensified the drive to adopt and implement harmonised standards to increase exports and imports among themselves.
The continent is rallying for the acceptance of single testing of goods, but this has proved a challenge as only a handful of countries have come on board, making exports and imports within Africa difficult.
They noted that it has been difficult for goods to move across the continent because of disjointed standards, hindering plans to expand intra-Africa trade, leaving most countries to rely on imports from countries outside Africa.
Experts on standards agreed to eliminate technical trade barriers and reduce the cost of doing business across the continent by adopting harmonised standards so that goods and services are accepted within the continent.
The experts attending the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) Council meeting and general assembly held at Sarova Whitesands Beach Hotel in Mombasa this week sought ways to accelerate the harmonisation of standards under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to officials, delayed adoption of harmonised standards will slow down the implementation of continental trade through non-tariff barriers as products will not freely move through countries with different standards.