MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) on Monday called on African nations to harmonize trade regulations to boost intra-African commerce, which currently stands at just 16 percent.
Speaking during the 32nd General Assembly of the African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO) in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari noted that fragmented regulatory frameworks continue to hinder cross-border trade.
Ngari argued that conflicting national standards create unnecessary friction, frustrating the free movement of goods across the continent.
The 32nd African Organisation for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly brought together delegates from 44 African nations. Key discussions focus on eliminating technical trade barriers to boost intra-African trade.
Hosted by the Kenyan government via KEBS, the five-day summit centers on the theme, "Standards enabling Intra-Africa trade under the AfCFTA -- One Certificate Working for You."
A recent survey revealed that shipping a container overland from Nairobi to Kampala costs more than transporting it by sea from Shanghai, China to Mombasa.
