This major initiative was formed in 2007, based on a recognition that improved Quality and Standards are key to accessing world markets, monitoring the digital revolution, supporting sustainable development, and wider social and economic transformation.
Quality & Standards
“A smart approach to social and economic development is to draw from the wealth of expertise and experience embedded in international standards to achieve competitiveness on world markets and improve the quality of life in developing economies”
Alan Bryden, Former Secretary-General of the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO)
Membership
This includes National Standards Bodies, as well as their appropriate local partners (e.g. in trade, technology, community, finance, National Visions, institutions).
Also participarting are the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the Smart Partnership Brussels Hub (including the ACP Ambassadors).
Smart Partnership Brussels Hub meeting, October 2011
Smart Partnership Brussels Hub meeting, October 2011
Activities
The Quality & Standards Initiative contributes towards raising awareness, as well as encouraging the active involvement of developing countries in international standardisation.
It reports and contributes to ISO’s yearly international meetings (ISO’s committee for developing countries DEVCO ), and also shares its findings with the Commonwealth Heads of Government, as well as meetings of Commonwealth Central Bankers.
Key Participants have come from
Europe: Britain (BSI – the British Standards Institute), Cyprus, Malta and the Brussels Smart Partnership Hub (including ACP Ambassadors).
International Organisations: such as the International Standards Organization (ISO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Southern, East & West Africa, including national standards bureaus from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Rwanda and TradeMark East Africa.
Caribbean & North America, including CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and its members from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Montserrat, St.Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago.
South East Asia/Pacific, including Malaysia and Singapore.