ECOWAS Develops Regional Accreditation System In Bid To Ensure Quality Infrastructure, Products In West Africa

11/11/2017 Harouna MAYAKI

Mr. Kalilou Traore, Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector of the ECOWAS Commission, responding to questions from journalists

Abuja, 10^th November 2017. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken steps to ensure quality Infrastructure and adopt a common standard of goods and services in the region by constituting a Regional Accreditation System (RAS) and community committees in the areas of metrology, technical regulation, and conformity assessment.

These were notable outcomes of a four day meeting held in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) which concluded on 9^th November, 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The constitutive meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Accreditation System and Community Committees witnessed the election of their respective chairmen and vice chairmen and adopted a work plan for the year 2017-2018.This will enable the committees implement the rules of procedure which were also adopted during the meeting.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion, Mr. Kalilou Traore, at the close of the meeting, expressed his confidence in the RAS and Community Committees in bringing quality infrastructure, services and products to the region.

The Commissioner informed the participants of the Forum on Quality Infrastructure Meeting scheduled to hold in January 2018 with the aim to further deliberate on mechanisms to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the ECOWAS Quality Infrastructure Scheme at the technical and financial level.

During the meeting, representatives of Member States and accreditation bodies in the region also urged ECOWAS to assess the RAS through the Community Council for Quality (CCQ) based on its approved work plan and objectives.

Participants of the meeting included regional organizations such as the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FEWACCI), the Federation of Employers’ Organizations in West Africa (FOPAO), the West Africa Accreditation System (SOAC), the Nigeria Accreditation Service (NINAS), and the Ghana Accreditation Service.

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