Kigali, Rwanda, 9 October 2025 – The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have today signed the historic Kigali Agreement, establishing a framework to strengthen technical cooperation and accelerate the adoption and impact of international standards across Africa.
The agreement comes at a pivotal moment for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—the largest free trade area in the world covering 54 African Union member states and a flagship initiative of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Technical standards are essential to AfCFTA’s success, enabling regulatory harmonization, assuring product and service quality, and facilitating cross-border trade.
Under the Kigali Agreement, ISO and ARSO will coordinate standards development, align work programmes, and promote the harmonization of national and regional standards to reduce technical barriers to trade across the continent.
ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica said the landmark Kigali Agreement represents a bold step in strengthening the role of international standards as enablers of development, trade, and integration across Africa.
“The Kigali Agreement is a milestone in our long-standing partnership with ARSO and a major opportunity to deepen ISO’s impact across Africa,” Mr. Mujica said.
“This Agreement is not only about technical cooperation but also about building a more inclusive, connected, and sustainable future for the region. Through shared standards, we can strengthen industrial development, support regulatory convergence, and empower national standards bodies to shape solutions that reflect local needs and global expectations.
ISO is proud to support Africa’s journey toward greater economic integration under AfCFTA.”
Inspired by the Vienna Agreement—the cooperation agreement between ISO and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN)—the Kigali Agreement is tailored to Africa’s diverse regulatory and infrastructure realities while aligning with the priorities of AfCFTA and the African Union’s broader development goals.
The five-year agreement coincides with the next cycle of ISO’s Action Plan for Developing Countries, ensuring that collaboration between the organizations is firmly anchored within ISO’s broader strategy to improve inclusivity, capacity building, and access to standards for developing nations.
ARSO Secretary-General Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana described the announcement as a transformative step in building a stronger, more coordinated standardization system for Africa.
“AfCFTA’s vision of a seamless and unified continental market depends on the harmonization of standards,” Dr. Nsengimana said.
“This Agreement gives ARSO and its members the tools and framework to accelerate that process—by reducing duplication, aligning national and regional priorities, and promoting the adoption of globally recognized benchmarks in the context of ‘One Standard–One Market.’
Ultimately, this will help unlock trade, drive industrial development, and ensure that African products and services can compete fairly and successfully on global markets.
We look forward to implementing this agreement with ISO and working together to build a future where standardization supports Africa’s ambitions for growth, resilience, and inclusive development.”
The announcement was made during ISO’s Annual Meeting 2025, hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, by the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB). The event, held from 6–10 October, brought together thousands of participants in person and online to focus on advancing action on international standards and their role in achieving the global sustainable development agenda.
ISO AM25 is open to all with an interest in standards, providing a unique platform for global leaders, national standards bodies, civil society, international organizations, the private sector, policymakers, academics, and young professionals to engage in forward-looking dialogue. The 2026 edition will take place in Paris, France, hosted by the Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR).
Participants around the world can engage online via www.iso.org/annualmeeting. More information about ISO is available at www.iso.org.
For more information or interviews, please contact:
Katie Clift
Public Relations, ISO
📞 +351 913 976 202
✉️ press@iso.org / ext-clift@iso.org
Vanessa Von der Mühll
Head of Communications and Engagement, ISO
📞 +41 79 842 97 34
✉️ vondermuhll@iso.org
About ISO
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 170 national standards bodies. Through its global network, it facilitates the development of voluntary, market-relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges. ISO has published more than 25,000 International Standards and related documents covering almost every industry, from technology to food safety, agriculture, and healthcare. Visit www.iso.org for more information.
About ARSO
The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) is the African Union’s specialised agency for standardisation, tasked with harmonising standards and conformity assessment procedures to promote intra-African trade and ensure access to global markets. ARSO was established in 1977 with the principal mandate to harmonise African Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Procedures to reduce Technical Barriers to Trade, promote intra-African and international trade, and enhance Africa’s industrialization.
About AfCFTA
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), approved in 2012, is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063 – Africa’s development framework. It aims to accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s global trading position by strengthening the continent’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.
About RSB
The Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is a government institution established in 2002 with the mission of providing standards-based solutions for trade promotion and consumer protection. RSB has developed and published more than 4,130 standards covering food and agriculture, engineering, services, water and environment, chemistry, and consumer products. Its mission is to provide quality and affordable standardization, metrology, testing, and certification services for sustainable socio-economic development. Visit www.rsb.gov.rw for more details.
