AFRICA ENDORSES UGANDA FOR ISO COUNCIL ELECTIONS; UGANDA ELECTED TO ARSO COUNCIL AND SMC

  4th July , 2025     HITS: 181

Uganda, through Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has garnered a triple victory in Continental standardization leadership following recent elections by the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) held during the recently concluded 31st ARSO General Assembly in Zanzibar.

Held under the theme:  Accelerating Fair and Just Trade in Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area through an African Coherent Regulatory Framework and Harmonised Standards;

• The 72nd ARSO Council meeting endorsed Uganda’s Candidature represented by the UNBS Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa as African Candidate for election to the Council of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) under Group 4 for the term 2026 – 2028. The endorsement was secured after a competitive election that saw Eng. Kasigwa emerge winner. 
• Uganda, through UNBS was voted to the ARSO Council, a key policy organ within ARSO responsible for oversight of the organization's activities, a committee that reports to the ARSO General Assembly. UNBS Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa will be representing Uganda on the ARSO Council for the three-year tenure that starts July 2025 – June 2028.
• Uganda, through UNBS was voted to ARSO's Standards Management Committee (SMC), which manages the implementation of the procedures and processes for harmonization of African Standards. The Head of Regional and International liaison at UNBS, Mr. Joel Peter Oryang, will be representing Uganda on ARSO SMC for the three- year tenure that starts July 2025 – June 2028.

The above milestones achieved by Uganda underscore the confidence placed by ARSO Members in the demonstrated leadership offered by UNBS at policy and technical level within the Continent and at international level. 

The UNBS Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa, thanked ARSO Members for the trust in Uganda and lobbied for more support ahead of the ISO Council elections that will be held during the ISO Annual Meeting to be held in Kigali, October 2025.

“Our key priority areas at ISO council include diversity, digital transformation and engagement with policy makers. We need to amplify the African voice at the international level and adopt a common African position to policy decisions.” Said Eng. Kasigwa

Uganda’s endorsement for election to ISO Council and the election to ARSO Council and SMC provides a strategic platform to influence continental and international standardisation policies and standards that will benefit national and continental interests in line with Uganda’s and Africa’s development priorities.

This in turn will facilitate acceleration of fair and just trade in Uganda and Africa under the East African Community, the African Continental Free Trade Area and international markets.

Uganda, through UNBS is now vying for the one available ISO Council seat under Group 4 with Costa Rica.

About UNBS

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a Government Agency responsible for developing, promoting and enforcing of national standards in the protection of Public Health and Safety, and the Environment against harmful and sub-standard products as well as ensure fair trade.

About ARSO

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) is Africa’s inter-governmental standards body formed by OAU (currently AU) and UNECA in 1977, to develop tools for standards development, standards harmonization, and implementation of these systems to enhance Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally, uplift the welfare of African consumers, and serve as a standardization forum for future prospects in international trade referencing.

About ISO

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is a global network of 173 national standards bodies, each representing one country. ISO was established in 1946 and is headquartered in Geneva Switzerland. Through its diverse network of members and experts constituted in the over 800 technical committees and subcommittees, ISO has developed over 25,000 international standards in virtually every field. These standards help organizations improve performance, meet regulatory requirements for export markets and build trust with customers and partners, creating an enabling environment for global trade. Under its Vision 2030, ISO aims to make lives easier, safer and better.

For more information, please contact:

Sylvia Kirabo,

Principal Public Relations Officer,

Telephone: 256 417 333250 / 0703196903

E-mail: sylvia.kirabo@unbs.go.ug