Mutetei Mutisya
Chairperson, Marketing & Communication Committee
African Accreditation Cooperation

As Africa advances toward a more integrated trading landscape under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) in accreditation and conformity assessment play a crucial role in ensuring the acceptance of testing, inspection, and certification results across borders. These arrangements help reduce technical trade barriers and enhance Africa’s global competitiveness. Speaking at the Kenya-UK Workshop on Regulatory Development Tools in Policy Making, held from 11 to 13 March 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, the Vice Chairperson of the African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) Technical Committee and Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) Manager, Testing Laboratories, emphasized the need for African economies to embrace MRAs to improve trade efficiency.

The Role of Quality Infrastructure in Trade Facilitation

A strong Quality Infrastructure (QI)—comprising standards, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment—ensures that goods, services, and processes meet quality, safety, and environmental standards. AFRAC, as one of the four pillars of the Pan-African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI), promotes intra-African trade, enhances competitiveness, and safeguards public health and environmental sustainability.

Since May 2018, the AFRAC MRA has provided a framework for global recognition of African accreditation bodies, enabling trade across borders. Accreditation bodies that undergo peer evaluations and sign the MRA gain international acceptance, allowing conformity assessment bodies (CABs) under their oversight to issue results recognized globally. This eliminates redundant testing and certification, reducing costs and expediting market access for African businesses.

Why MRAs Matter for Africa’s Trade and Industrialization

MRAs offer businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), significant benefits by eliminating duplicate conformity assessments and streamlining market entry. A test, inspection, or certification conducted in one MRA signatory economy is accepted by others, fostering competitiveness and allowing businesses to meet international standards while reducing regulatory hurdles. Regulators also benefit, as MRAs provide an internationally recognized structure that ensures quality and safety benchmarks are met.

The global accreditation system operates at regional and international levels. AFRAC represents Africa within the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). These agreements ensure that accredited CABs in Africa meet international best practices, boosting confidence in African products and services.

The Future of Accreditation in Africa

Despite progress, accreditation remains underdeveloped in Africa, with only 14 out of 54 countries having national accreditation bodies, including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Morocco, Southern Africa, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, West Africa, and Uganda. Expanding accreditation across the continent is crucial to maximizing MRA benefits.

AFRAC’s 2022–2026 Strategy aims to strengthen AfCFTA through harmonized accreditation frameworks, sustain AFRAC operations, enhance National Accreditation Focal Points (NAFPs) and emerging accreditation bodies, build human capital, and expand the scope of the AFRAC MRA. These initiatives position accreditation as a key driver of industrialization and economic integration.

Strengthening the Recognition of Accreditation

The ILAC and IAF MRAs offer a globally recognized system for conformity assessment results, ensuring compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines and reducing technical barriers to trade. African regulators and policymakers must actively recognize accredited conformity assessment results from MRA signatories to enhance trade efficiency.

Expanding accreditation bodies across Africa will provide industries, particularly SMEs, with access to global markets, fostering economic growth. By embracing MRAs, Africa can create an enabling environment for trade, strengthen trust in African products, and position itself as a competitive player in the global marketplace.