In this interview with Funminiyi Philips, Sergio Mujica, the Secretary-General of the International Organisation for Standardisation, discusses how ISO and the African Organisation for Standardisation have solidified a transformative partnership through the Kigali Agreement, aiming to dismantle technical trade barriers across Africa, among other initiatives. Mujica has led ISO since 2017. Under his leadership, ISO adopted its Strategy 2030, aligned with the UN SDGs, to make lives easier, safer, and better. Previously, Sergio served as Deputy Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation and held senior roles in the Chilean government, including director-general of Chile Customs. He holds a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a master’s in international law from American University in Washington, D.C. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organisation with 170 member national standards bodies. Through its global network, it facilitates the development of voluntary, market-relevant international standards that support innovation and address global challenges. ISO has published more than 25,000 international standards and related documents covering almost every industry, from technology to food safety, to agriculture and healthcare. Excerpts:
Can you explain the role of ISO in facilitating international trade and innovation?
ISO’s role is to create the conditions where trade and innovation can flourish. By bringing countries together to agree on voluntary, globally accepted standards, we reduce the technical barriers that often slow business down. These standards give the world a shared foundation for quality, safety and interoperability, the fundamentals that allow trusted products to move across borders and new technologies to scale with confidence. When governments, industry and innovators speak the same language, markets open, costs fall, and ideas travel much more freely.
What do you think are the key benefits of implementing International Standards in industries such as technology and healthcare?
For sectors undergoing rapid transformation, standards provide stability in the best sense of the word. In technology, they build trust in digital systems, from secure data exchange and cybersecurity to the responsible use of artificial intelligence. In healthcare, they support consistent quality of care, improve patient safety and reinforce the resilience of medical supply chains.
From my own discussions with policymakers and industry, I know these fields advance with far greater confidence when they can rely on clear, globally recognised benchmarks. Standards help ensure that new solutions are not only creative, but also safe, reliable and accessible to the people who need them.
How does AfCFTA’s aim to accelerate intra-African trade align with ISO’s mission to develop voluntary International Standards?
AfCFTA and ISO share a common ambition: to create an open, predictable environment where innovation, trade and opportunity can thrive. International Standards provide exactly the kind of technical coherence that a continental free trade area needs. They help countries align their regulatory frameworks, reduce duplication in market requirements and build the trust that enables goods and services to move effortlessly across borders.
Many African countries already base national standards on ISO deliverables, which can support harmonisation efforts under the AfCFTA. The recently signed Kigali Agreement between ISO and ARSO deepens this alignment by strengthening cooperation, supporting Africa’s participation in global standardisation and ensuring that International Standards reflect African priorities. This alignment places the continent in a strong position to benefit fully from its growing regional market.
How do you think organisations like ISO and ARSO can collaborate to support Africa’s industrialisation?
Industrialisation succeeds when countries can produce at scale, meet global expectations and integrate into regional value chains – and standards play a central role in all three. ISO and ARSO can accelerate this progress by aligning technical work, reducing duplication and giving industries clear, consistent guidance across the continent. Strengthening the participation of African experts in ISO technical committees is also essential; when African voices help shape global standards, adoption becomes faster and more meaningful.
Joint capacity building can further empower national standards bodies, helping them support domestic industries, attract investment and build strong quality infrastructure. I firmly believe that by working together in a coordinated way, our organisations can create the enabling environment Africa needs to build competitive, high-value industries.
What role do you think standardisation plays in addressing global challenges, and how can it be promoted?
Global challenges demand global solutions, and standards are one of the most powerful tools we have for collective action. Whether we are advancing climate goals, governing emerging technologies or improving health outcomes, International Standards create the common frameworks that allow countries and industries to act together. They make systems interoperable, risks manageable and progress measurable.
Promoting their use requires inclusive participation in standardisation, stronger regional and international partnerships and sustained investment in capacity building. In Africa, initiatives such as the Kigali Agreement are helping ensure that standardisation supports regional integration and long-term development. Standards translate ambition into action – and their value grows as more stakeholders join the effort.
How does ISO’s global network facilitate the development of International Standards, and what benefits does this bring to industries?
ISO’s global network brings together 175 national standards bodies, creating a uniquely inclusive system where expertise from every region and sector contributes to the development of International Standards. I often describe this as one of ISO’s greatest strengths. Our consensus-based approach ensures that standards reflect global needs rather than the priorities of any single country or industry.
For businesses, the benefits are clear: interoperability across markets, lower compliance costs and the ability to innovate on a trusted global foundation. Companies that apply International Standards earn greater consumer confidence and improved access to international markets. With frameworks like the Kigali Agreement, Africa’s voice in this global system will only grow stronger, something I sincerely welcome.
What are some of the key challenges facing standardisation in Africa, and how can they be addressed?
Africa’s standardisation landscape holds enormous promise, but progress is inconsistent. Some national standards bodies operate with limited technical or financial resources, while overlapping initiatives at regional and subregional levels can dilute impact. This leads to fragmentation, a common issue that underscores the need for stronger alignment at the continental level. Regulatory differences between countries also add complexity for businesses seeking to trade across borders. And in many policy circles, the strategic value of participating in international standardisation is still not fully appreciated.
Addressing these challenges requires coordinated regional action, stronger partnerships and sustained capacity building. By aligning priorities through ARSO and the Kigali Agreement, investing in expert training and strengthening national quality infrastructure, Africa can build a more coherent, empowered standards ecosystem. Harmonising conformity assessment systems, testing, certification and accreditation, will also enhance trust and unlock the benefits of AfCFTA. These are efforts I am personally committed to supporting.
Can you give an example of how standards have improved product quality or safety in a specific industry?
A powerful example comes from Somalia’s growing food sector. Somfresh, a woman-owned local producer, applied ISO 22000, the internationally recognised food-safety management standard, to its fresh-cut bananas. This enabled the company to adopt rigorous processes for hygiene, traceability and risk management, leading to safer, more consistent products. The improvements not only enhanced consumer protection; they also gave buyers greater confidence and opened doors to regional and international markets. For me, this is a clear illustration of how standards help businesses raise quality, manage risks and grow responsibly.
How do you think organisations like ISO, ARSO, and national standards bodies can work together to promote sustainable socio-economic development in Africa?
One of the things I value most about our work in Africa is the spirit of partnership that defines it. ISO brings global expertise, ARSO brings regional leadership, and national standards bodies bring deep knowledge of
local needs and aspirations. When these strengths come together, standardisation becomes a powerful engine for development: reducing barriers to trade, strengthening regulatory coherence and building confidence in African products and services.
But beyond the technical outcomes, there is something more meaningful at stake. These collaborations help create the conditions for young entrepreneurs to grow their companies, for consumers to trust the products they buy and for governments to build stronger, more resilient economies. As Africa moves toward greater integration and industrialisation, this shared effort will be essential. Together, we can help unlock the continent’s extraordinary potential and support a future of innovation, opportunity and sustainable growth for all.
