Benefits

Benefits of a Pan-African Quality Infrastructure
An integrated PAQI will have the following benefits as envisaged in Objective 6 of the 2010-2015 AU/NEPAD African Action Plan and Chapter XI, Article 67 of the Abuja Treaty:

a) Capacity Development of relevant bodies in standardisation, measurement, conformity assessment and accreditation in a more unified way;

b) Enhancement of consumer protection and improvement of living standards of the citizens of Africa in line with MDGs;

c) Support of African technical regulatory framework with a view to removing unnecessary technical barriers to trade;

d) A common quality policy and quality infrastructure will be realized at a continental level to facilitate economic integration of Africa;

e) Cost effective standards, measurement, conformity assessment and accreditation services in Africa will be realized;

f) It will provide a platform for the participation of African countries in quality infrastructure activities and exchange of knowledge in the fields of interest to boost inter-Africa and intra-African industrialization and trade;

g) Fast-tracking the adoption and implementation of common policies on measurement, standardization, conformity assessment, and accreditation among Member States to promote industrialisation and trade in Africa;

h) Harmonization of Regional Economic Community standards and conformity assessment
procedures as well as accreditation to enhance market access and global trade around the WTO procedures;

i) Support programmes for infrastructure development in Africa such as PIDA;

j) Support to SPS programs where they interface with TBT issues.