By Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB) on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, convened a high-level interactive workshop to promote the role of harmonized African standards in facilitating trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Themed “The Role of Harmonized African Standards as Enabling Tools Facilitating Trade Under AfCFTA in The Gambia,” the workshop brought together stakeholders from government, industry, regulatory bodies, and the private sector to foster dialogue, share insights, and explore strategies to align national and regional standards with continental and international best practices.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Papa Secka, Director General of TGSB, emphasised the importance of harmonised standards in global trade. Citing a 2016 ISO study, he noted that product standards influence production processes across all industries and that country-specific standards can lead to high investment costs and hinder trade efficiency.
“ARSO has achieved a great deal, with nearly 3,000 harmonised standards across key economic sectors. But standards are only impactful when implemented. Awareness is critical—users must first know these standards exist to benefit from them,” Mr. Secka stated.
Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), highlighted the organization’s role in reducing non-tariff barriers and boosting intra-African trade. He encouraged stakeholders to adopt the mantra “Compete, Conform, and Connect” to thrive in the continental and global markets.
Speaking on behalf of the Trade Minister, Permanent Secretary Mod AK Secka reaffirmed the government’s commitment to standardisation as a trade facilitation tool. He stated that harmonised standards reduce technical barriers, ensure product quality and safety, and create broader market access for businesses.
He pointed to Annex 6 of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Goods, which promotes the use of international standards to support regulatory alignment.
“Harmonized standards are the backbone of regulatory convergence,” he said, noting the encouraging progress made by ARSO and the strategic direction provided by The Gambia’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy.
The workshop, organised with technical input from ARSO, underscored the pivotal role of harmonised standards in empowering African nations to integrate economically, improve competitiveness, and enhance trade opportunities under AfCFTA.
