The AFRAC Mid-Term Meetings for the year 2023 were held in Tunisia from 12th to 16th June 2023. The ILAC MCC and IAF CMC meetings were also held at the same venue from the 17th to 18th June 2023. The meetings were exceptionally busy, given the significant number of subcommittees, working groups and Task Forces currently facilitating the implementation of key work items captured in the AFRAC Strategic plan. The Mid-term meetings provided an opportunity to engage with like-minded persons in harnessing opportunities within the continent in the enhancement of accreditation and accredited conformity assessments and mutual recognition both regionally and globally. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, allow me to walk you, in pictorial form, through the meetings that were held.

 

Dr. Ron Josias, the AFRAC Chair during the Opening Ceremony	The Minister for Trade and Industry, Tunisia, CEO TUNAC and the AFRAC Chair
AFRAC Delegates following proceedings at the Technical Subcommittees	Critical Thinking focusing on next steps
TUNAC Delegates following proceedings	TUNAC Delegates following proceedings
Technical Committee Meeting Chaired by Thabo Chesalokile of SANAS	AFRAC MCC Meeting

 

In addition to the standard meetings there was an awareness session on the AfCFTA led by the Head of Non-Tariff Measures: Ms Deneswaree Mohun highlighting the following AfCFTA Priority Areas:

 

 

Awareness session on the AfCFTA

Ms Deneswaree Mohun

 

Non-Tariff Measures are a broad range of policy measures other than tariffs that impact trade. They include NTBs (Standards, regulations, licensing requirements, quotas, TBT and other measures that create obstacles to entry of goods and services) and Non-Tariff facilitation measures. These are measures designed to simplify and expedite trade processes and can include customs procedures, trade facilitation agreements, electronic documentation and single window systems. They aim to streamline trade operations and reduce costs and time associated with importing and exporting)

 

 

Training on IAF MD25 conducted by Sonia and Ghada of TUNAC

AFRAC Members attended a training session, both physically and virtually, on IAF MD 25. IAF MD 25 helps in evaluating schemes like FSSC 22000, Welders, Fire safety inspection, GHG Verification standard, GSO for Halal, Global Gap and BRC among others. It exempts those schemes laid down in regulation, international, regional or National standards e.g. ISO 9001 / ISO 14001, etc. The regulators are encouraged to follow IAF MD 25.

 

 

AFRAC also hosted the ILAC MCC/IAF CMC meeting. Where in addition to the standardized agenda items discussions on the development of the ILAC/IAF one organization project and the plans for rebranding of the one organization when the time comes were held. An awareness session was also carried out for AFRAC Members addressing the following topics:

 

It was noted that AFRAC needs to do more to establish its presence within the continent. A key takeaway was to engage the IAF MCC Chair, Brahim Houla to assist in the production of videos for Accreditation in Africa in support of AfCFTA. 

 

Susanah M-Ochieng

KENAS