The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have 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 harmonisation, assuring product and service quality, and facilitating cross-border trade.
Under the Kigali Agreement, ISO and ARSO will coordinate standards development, encourage work programme alignment, and promote the alignment of national and regional standards to strengthen harmonisation and reduce technical barriers to trade across the continent.
ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica said the landmark Kigali Agreement represented 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,” Mujica said. “This Agreement is not only about technical cooperation, but building a more inclusive, connected and sustainable future for the region.
Mujica added, “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 Standardisation (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 the organisations’ collaboration will be 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 said the announcement marked a transformative step in building a stronger, more coordinated standardisation system for Africa.
“AfCFTA’s vision of a seamless and unified continental market depends on the harmonisation of standards,” 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 recognised benchmarks in the context of ‘One Standard-One Market’.”
Nsengimana noted that “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 standardisation supports Africa’s ambitions for growth, resilience, and inclusive development,” said Nsengimana.
The announcement was made during ISO’s Annual Meeting 2025, hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, by the Rwanda Standards Board. The event, which has gathered thousands in person and online, took place throughout the week from October 6 to 10 and focused 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 opportunity for global leaders, national standards bodies, civil society, international organisations, the private sector, policymakers, academics and young professionals to engage in forward-looking dialogue. The 2026 edition will take place in Paris, France, and will be hosted by the Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR).
