The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have renewed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on standards and conformity assessment, in a move aimed at improving the safety, quality and reliability of electrical and electronic products on the Ugandan market.
The renewed partnership was announced during a breakfast meeting hosted by UNBS at Four Points by Sheraton in Kampala, bringing together IEC Secretary General and CEO Philippe Metzger, UNBS leadership, government officials, members of Uganda’s IEC National Committee, academia, industry players and other stakeholders.
The meeting marked the public highlight of Metzger’s three day visit to Uganda from September 16 to 18, which included engagements at Standards House in Bweyogerere and a tour of UNBS laboratories. The discussions focused on expanding Uganda’s participation in international electrotechnical standardisation and conformity assessment to support manufacturing, trade, energy and industrial development.
Uganda became an IEC Associate Member in 2020 and has since adopted more than 288 IEC standards covering electrical appliances, cables, e-mobility, solar photovoltaic systems, lighting and renewable energy technologies.
Speaking at the meeting, Metzger said international standards have become an essential part of economic development as countries compete for investment, expand manufacturing and integrate into global value chains.
“Standards are economic infrastructure. They help businesses access markets. They reduce costs and uncertainty. They accelerate innovation. They build investor confidence and create the trust that allows economies to grow,” Metzger said.
He said Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy tenfold by 2040 will require more than infrastructure investment, arguing that internationally recognised standards will be critical in helping Ugandan products compete in regional and global markets.
“International standards are a foundation for trust, innovation and sustainable economic growth. Uganda’s active participation in IEC work provides an opportunity to help shape global standards while ensuring they respond to the needs of its industries,” he said.
Metzger said stronger engagement with the IEC could help Uganda strengthen manufacturing, improve competitiveness, facilitate trade and support industrial transformation.
He pointed to sectors such as agro industrialisation, tourism, mineral based industrialisation and science, technology and innovation as areas that stand to benefit from internationally recognised electrical standards.
He also noted that reliable electricity remains central to manufacturing, healthcare, education, communications and transport, adding that standards improve safety, reliability and interoperability across electricity generation, transmission and distribution systems.
Metzger said Uganda’s growing investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grids, off grid technologies and energy storage makes international standards even more important as the country works toward increasing electricity generation capacity from about 2 gigawatts to 8.3 gigawatts and expanding electricity access to 85 percent of the population by 2030.
He encouraged Uganda to make fuller use of its IEC membership and the organisation’s global network of nearly 170 countries and thousands of technical experts, while commending UNBS for coordinating the country’s National Committee.
Representing Trade Minister Sanjay Tana, Commissioner of Industry and Technology Denise Ayinebona said Uganda’s participation in the IEC creates an opportunity to influence standards that will shape the country’s technological future.
“By embracing international standards, we can protect consumers, strengthen domestic manufacturing, support clean energy, facilitate trade and position Uganda as a competitive participant in the global economy,” Ayinebona said.
He urged government institutions, industry and technical experts to actively participate in Uganda’s IEC National Committee and support the implementation of its programmes.
National Standards Council Chairperson James K. Kalibbala said Uganda’s associate membership should translate into greater technical influence rather than remaining a symbolic institutional relationship.
“It presents an opportunity to strengthen our technical capacity, contribute to the development of international standards, access global expertise and ensure that international standards take into account the realities and needs of developing economies such as Uganda,” Kalibbala said.
He challenged members of the IEC National Committee to move “from participation to active engagement, from engagement to influence, and ultimately from influence to measurable national impact.”
UNBS Executive Director Eng. James N. Kasigwa, who also serves as Secretary of Uganda’s IEC National Committee, said closer cooperation with the IEC will strengthen consumer protection while supporting Uganda’s economic transformation.
He said effective implementation of IEC standards is becoming increasingly important as Uganda imports and uses more electrical and electronic products, adding that stronger conformity assessment systems will improve product quality while supporting environmental sustainability.
UNBS said the strengthened partnership is expected to give consumers, businesses and investors greater confidence in the safety and performance of electrical and electronic products, while helping build a more competitive manufacturing sector and supporting Uganda’s long term industrialisation agenda.
