Kenya is taking a prominent role in shaping global trade standards as delegates attend the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) General Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda. The high-level meeting has brought together representatives from national standards bodies across the world under the theme “United for Impact.”
Kenya’s delegation includes Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Esther Ngari, former ISO President Eddy Njoroge, and ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) chairperson Caroline Outa. Their participation highlights Kenya’s growing influence in advancing the global standards agenda and its commitment to fostering international collaboration.
“This is a very important forum because Kenya is a member of the International Standardisation Organisation, which brings together all national standards bodies to deliberate on issues of international standards,” said Ngari. “International standards are the passport for trade. For any country to trade globally, we must adopt and align with these standards so that our traders can access diverse markets.”
While in Kigali, the Kenyan delegation has engaged in bilateral talks with trade partners and standards bodies from Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ethiopia, the United States, and China. The discussions focused on enhancing conformity assessment, expanding market access, and supporting Kenyan traders in meeting global product standards.
The meeting coincides with preparations for World Standards Day on October 14, a global event recognizing institutions and experts who develop and implement standards. “Standards are the language of trust and the foundation of trade,” Ngari emphasized.
Meanwhile, KEBS is conducting public participation on the Standards Bill 2025, aimed at modernizing Kenya’s standards framework to align with emerging trade realities and global best practices.
During the summit, ISO and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) signed the historic Kigali Agreement, establishing a framework to boost technical cooperation and accelerate the adoption of international standards across Africa supporting the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063.
