In a significant step toward enhancing regional integration and boosting trade, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to harmonize standards between the two East African Community (EAC) member states.
The agreement, signed by UNBS Executive Director James Kasigwa and KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari, is aimed at enhancing trade, market access, and industrial development through closer cooperation in the fields of standardization, conformity assessment, metrology, and training.
According to Sylvia Kirabo, the Principal Public Relations Officer at UNBS, the MoU will enable both institutions to assist and support each other at both national and international levels in all matters related to standards and quality assurance. “The two countries agreed to exchange information and documents relating to standardization, including rules and procedures for standards formulation,” she said.
The cooperation is also geared toward aligning national standards with international ones. This is in line with broader EAC goals to create a more integrated and competitive regional market by eliminating technical barriers to trade, enhancing the quality of products, and improving consumer protection.
One of the key outcomes of the MoU is the mutual recognition of each country’s conformity assessment procedures and quality marks. This means that goods certified in Uganda will be recognized in Kenya and vice versa, provided they meet harmonized EAC or national standards. This is expected to reduce duplication of certification processes, lower trade costs, and ease the movement of goods across the border.
“This cooperation provides for benchmarking and exchange of information on issuance and renewal of standardization and quality marks,” Kirabo explained. “It also includes technical exchanges in certification activities and information on certified products.”
The two standards bodies have also agreed to share resources and information related to laboratory testing facilities.
This includes exchanging operational procedures, protocols for laboratory tests, and developments aimed at ensuring laboratories operate according to international standards.
The goal is to eventually achieve mutual recognition of test results, allowing businesses to avoid the cost and time of repeated testing in both countries.
In terms of inspection, UNBS and KEBS will benchmark and harmonize their procedures, share insights on product risk assessments, and cooperate on developing automated risk profiling systems. Importantly, the countries will also recognize each other’s inspection marks issued under harmonized standards, enabling smoother clearance of goods at points of entry.
Beyond certification and inspection, the MoU also paves the way for joint research activities in the field of metrology, the science of measurement, which is critical for ensuring accuracy and consistency in trade-related measurements.
The two agencies further committed to organizing joint training programs and capacity-building initiatives to enhance technical expertise in standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology. Personnel and quality practitioners from both countries will benefit from reciprocal training opportunities and knowledge exchange.
“This strategic partnership will not only strengthen our institutions but also support the growth of industries and SMEs by reducing trade barriers and ensuring product quality across borders,” said Kirabo.
The partnership between Uganda and Kenya is a model for regional cooperation and is expected to inspire similar collaborations among other EAC member states.
By working together to develop common standards and procedures, the region can create a more predictable and efficient trade environment, attract investment, and foster industrial growth.