Rwanda Standards Board and ODA Project Officially Launched
On June 28, a project titled "Strengthening Rwanda's Industrial Competitiveness through ICT Capacity Building for Industrial Standardization," organized by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), was launched in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. This project will run for five years with a budget of 8 million USD, aiming to establish an internationally recognized conformity assessment system and enhance national quality infrastructure capabilities to strengthen the quality competitiveness of Rwanda's majority small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the industrial sector. Through this, it seeks to increase trade, secure market reliability, and contribute to the revitalization of the national economy.
On the 6th, the Korea Standards Association (KSA) announced that it will carry out this project as part of a joint consortium with Solutech System and the Korea Industrial Intelligence Association (KOIIA). The Standards Association and partners plan to undertake tasks including ▲establishing a reinforced RSB industrial standardization management plan ▲strengthening RSB’s industrial standard management ICT system ▲building RSB’s industrial standard management infrastructure and equipment ▲developing industrial standard education programs for SMEs.
On June 28, in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Son Mi-young, Center Director of the Korean Standards Association, who attended as a standards expert, is speaking at the kickoff briefing for the "Rwanda Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Project through ICT Capacity Building in Industrial Standardization."
Rwanda, with a population of 13.7 million and a GDP of 13.3 billion USD, is pursuing diversification of its national industrial structure into secondary (processing) and tertiary (services) sectors by enhancing the added value of agriculture. Rwanda requires industrial standard capabilities such as ▲standards and conformity assessment systems and policies that comply with international standards ▲improving quality reliability through testing and certification of Rwanda’s main products ▲establishing systems and institutions related to metrology and type approval essential for activating Rwanda’s market economy and international trade.
The Korea Standards Association, the cradle of standards and quality in Korea, expects to contribute to strengthening Rwanda’s industrial competitiveness by leveraging its know-how in standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology systems verified through industrialization and quality management. As a specialized institution in standards and certification, the KSA will investigate the comprehensive standardization status of RSB and establish dissemination policies tailored to the characteristics of Rwanda’s SME-centered industrial sector based on its expertise in standards research, policy proposals, standardization and development, dissemination, education, and promotion. Additionally, it will actively conduct invited training for professional workforce development and local training for experts in metrology, testing, certification, and standards.
Kang Myung-soo, President of the Korea Standards Association, stated, “Through this project, establishing internationally equivalent conformity assessment and standard infrastructure will enable Rwanda to increase exports, activate its market economy, and achieve mutual growth through enhanced Korea-Rwanda trade. We will do our best to ensure the successful implementation of this project.”
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