The Director General of EAC Customs and Trade Directorate, Mr. Peter Kiguta has urged EAC Partner States to play their roles in the implementation of EAC Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing Act (SQMT) in order to realize the intended benefits of harmonized standards, promote trade and increase competiveness of products in the region.
Speaking during the official opening of the 18th Meeting of East African Standard Committee, which is underway at the EAC headquarters, Mr. Peter Kiguta disclosed that the EAC Secretariat will soon undertake a mission to Partner States to sensitize the Ministers responsible for SQMT matters on the need to expedite the alignment of national laws and regulations in order to allow the region to have a uniform documentation for the targeted activities.
He said that implementation of EAC Standards should promote trade, increase competiveness of products in the region, ensure health and safety of citizens, protect environment to mention but a few of the expectations.
The Director General commended the East African Standards Committee for excellent efforts in the regional integration process and in particular the establishment of vibrant quality infrastructures in the region in the areas of reduction of standards related NTBs, mutual recognition of quality marks which have facilitated movement of goods, building of reliable laboratories some of which have achieved international recognition as well as enhanced networking with international SQMT organizations.
The 23-24 October 2014 meeting is being held as follow up of the recommendations from 17th Ordinary meeting of East African Standard Committee held in 2013 in Arusha,Tanzania.
The two-day meeting is expected to consider among others; matters arising from the report of the 17th EASC meeting; annual reports of the East African Technical Sub-committees for the period July 2013-September 2014, and progress reports from Development Partners on implementation of EAC Projects on Standardisation.
In addition, the meeting will consider report of meeting of Legal experts on consolidation of national positions on amendment of the SQMT Act; meeting of Technical Management Board (TMB) held in Zanzibar as well as CEOs meeting on Quality Information System and progress report by the Secretariat
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