Standards and Global Trade: A Voice for Africa

This volume contributes to ongoing search for prospects to strengthen Africa’s capacity to comply with international trade standards and technical regulations. It provides a comprehensive and in-depth case-by-case assessment of the current and anticipated use of international standards, and capacity for compliance in five African countries – Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mozambique. It is intended to be a resource for information and guidance for policymakers, the development community, and others in a critical new are of “behind the border” barrier to trade. Each chapter discusses the economic context in which standards apply to each country and examines the mechanisms with which the country and its representatives have participated in the process of setting/revising standards and technical regulations at the local and international level. The analysis includes a review of existing laws and regulations and the extent to which they are consistent with current international norms. It examines each country’s physical infrastructure and organizational capacities to design and implement standards and technical regulations. The authors also discuss and analyze the implementation processes and some estimated impact of various standards, technical regulations, and related production/marketing practices in about five specific industry segments in each country. The volume suggests concrete action plans on how African firms and farmers can be supported to improve product quality and reach to international markets in key commodity sectors.