National Quality Infrastructure Strategy has been produced by ecbp and will soon be approved by the government – an important rung on the ladder to true competitiveness.
ecbp has worked closely with the Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE) to help it bring Ethiopian products and services up to international standards. The following outcomes have been so far achieved:
- A German consultant (The Rhine - Maine Chamber of Skilled Crafts ) has been recruited to establish the first Ethiopian certification body for ISO 9001:2000 quality management standards. This step is vital to provide fair certification services for small and medium businesses which can’t afford to buy the service from foreign certification bodies.
- Two mobile calibration trucks have been bought by ecbp and provided to QSAE. The trucks will travel to various towns throughout the country offering calibration services (like mass, tempreture, length, pressure, electrical and energy)to industries. People used to have to travel to Addis Ababa to avail such a service, losing productivity and spending more money than was necessary.
- Accreditation of mass and temperature calibration laboratories.
- Adopt/Adapt and approve more than 2,500 engineering standards.
ecbp is supporting private companies from the priority sector to comply with quality requirements in order to be competitive in the international market. For instance, 8 construction companies were supported for ISO 9001:2000 certification.
ecbp helps to strengthen the Ethiopian Consumer protection Association, focusing on products which concern health, safety and environment.
