In a key step toward strengthening global standardization ties, CEN and CENELEC participated in the 9th General Assembly of the African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (AFSEC) in Kigali, Rwanda, on 4-5 September 2024.
AFSEC has been one of CENELEC’s strategic regional partners in Africa since 2011, when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed. CEN and CENELEC Director Policy & External Affairs Mrs. Andreea Gulacsi represented the European standardization bodies at the meeting. It was a great opportunity to meet in person with our counterparts and stakeholders in Africa, strengthening relationships and fostering closer collaboration between Europe and Africa in advancing global standards.
Other partnerships in the region include the national committees of Cote d’Ivoire (CODINORM), Egypt (IEC NC of Egypt) and Tunisia (INNORPI), who are Companion Standards Bodies of CENELEC.
In support of the EU’s Standardization Strategy and our own Strategy 2030, CEN and CENELEC are engaging with various different partners in the implementation of standards and quality infrastructure related projects in Africa, including:
- Partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): the multi-annual EU-Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access Programme, which aims to enhance intra-Africa trade and inter EU-Africa trade by strengthening continental-level and subregional-level quality infrastructure;
- Partnership with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI): the Global Partnership for Human-Centric ICT Standardization Project covering Africa, Latin America and Asia, as well as the InDiCo-Global Horizon Europe Project, which aims to promote European ICT standards globally.
CEN and CENELEC value our partners in Africa and look forward to other opportunities for collaboration across both regions.
