KAMPALA, Uganda– Uganda, represented by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), has secured a triple victory in continental standardization leadership following recent elections by the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO). The elections took place during the 31st ARSO General Assembly in Zanzibar.
The 72nd ARSO Council meeting endorsed Uganda’s candidacy, represented by UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa, as the African candidate for election to the Council of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) under Group 4 for the 2026-2028 term.
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Uganda, through UNBS, was also voted to the ARSO Council, a key policy organ within ARSO responsible for oversight of the organization’s activities. Eng. James Kasigwa will represent Uganda on the ARSO Council for a three-year tenure that starts July 2025 and concludes in June 2028.
Additionally, Uganda, through UNBS, was voted to ARSO’s Standards Management Committee (SMC), which manages the implementation of procedures and processes for harmonization of African Standards. Mr. Joel Peter Oryang, Head of Regional and International Liaison at UNBS, will represent Uganda on ARSO SMC for a three-year tenure that starts July 2025 and ends June 2028.
Eng. Kasigwa thanked ARSO members for their trust in Uganda and lobbied for more support ahead of the ISO Council elections that will be held during the ISO Annual Meeting in October 2025, in Kigali – Rwanda. “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, through UNBS, is now vying for the one available ISO Council seat under Group 4, with Costa Rica. These milestones 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. 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.
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.
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.
