Kenya
Accreditation Service chief manager for laboratories Lucy Namu, CEO Walter
Ongeti and chair of the conference’s organising committee, Felista Nyakoe, at a
press conference ahead of the conference. /HANDOUT
Kenya is looking
to strengthen the competitiveness of its small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
by addressing one of their biggest barriers to growth, the lack of technical
and financial capacity to meet international quality standards.
The Kenya
Accreditation Service (Kenas), the country’s sole national accreditation body, says
it will next week host the world’s first International Accreditation Conference
in Mombasa, bringing together global and regional leaders in quality assurance,
regulators, industry players, researchers and policymakers to chart a new path
for quality-driven trade.
The event, seeks
to identify strategies for resource mobilisation and capacity building for
small enterprises, ensuring that more local producers can compete in
international markets.
“Many MSMEs do not
have the funds or technical support to ensure their products meet the standards
required for export. We are using this conference to discuss how we can
mobilise resources, strengthen capacity, and integrate these enterprises into
global value chains,” said Felista Nyakoe, chair of the conference’s organising
committee.
Kenya’s
accreditation chief Walter Ongeti noted that conformity assessment, which
includes testing, inspection, and certification, remains poorly understood, even
though it is central to trade facilitation and public safety.
Kenas says that
accredited results and certificates that are globally accepted can reduce
technical barriers to trade, ease customs clearance, and enhance trust in goods
made in Kenya.
The conference
will also explore the role of technology and innovation, including artificial
intelligence, data integration, and machine learning, in improving testing and
certification processes.
Experts say these
digital tools can lower compliance costs and open up new opportunities for
MSMEs in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare.
“Conformity
assessment must be seen not just as a bureaucratic requirement but as a
business enabler. When MSMEs are properly accredited, they can sell faster,
reach new markets, and build consumer confidence both locally and abroad,”
Ongeti said.
The five-day
meeting will feature representatives from the United States, Germany, Bahrain,
Mauritius, Ghana, South Africa, and several East African countries.
Locally, the
conference will be graced by senior government officials, including the Head of
Public Service, cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, and CEOs from
public and private institutions.
Beyond trade,
accreditation also has far-reaching implications for health, safety, and
environmental protection, covering sectors such as medical laboratories,
construction, automotive testing, and energy.
Kenas says a
stronger quality infrastructure will ensure that goods and services produced in
Kenya not only meet international benchmarks but also protect local consumers.
The conference’s
outcomes are expected to feed into Kenya’s broader “Buy Kenya, Build Kenya” and
Made-in-Africa initiatives, which aim to promote regional integration under the
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Accreditation
gives credibility to local products, it helps us move from being consumers of
imports to trusted producers of quality goods that meet global standards,” said
Ongeti.