Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) has acquired international accreditation of Mass, Balance and Temperature calibration laboratories. The accreditation process was conducted and successfully attested by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS).
The accreditation certificate handover ceremony took place at Lemigo Hotel, in Kigali, and was officiated by Mr. Michel Sebera, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the presence of Mr. Stefan Sckell, Head of Technical Cooperation at the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in Rwanda, Director General of Rwanda Standards Board, representative of German Metrology Institute (PTB) and other senior officials from German Federal Government Development Bank, German International Cooperation (GIZ), DAkkS and delegates from accredited laboratories of Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Raymond Murenzi, Director General of Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) enthused:
“While we celebrate this achievement, it is worth informing that acquisition ofaccreditation of Metrology laboratories is one of fruits of our partnership with the German Metrology Institute (PTB). Since 2015, we have been implementing the project aimed to support Rwanda Standards Board in the qualitative and quantitative development of our verification and calibration services in accordance with the need from industrial, trade and health sector. The impact of this project is having in place a functioning system of metrology, which a precondition for economic growth, innovation of industry and promoting export of Made in Rwanda products. Accreditation of temperature, mass and balance laboratories will pave a way to international recognition not only of our measurements but the products from our industries as well. The exported tea, coffee, food products, textiles and so forth will be more competent on international market as the measurements applied to them will be accepted worldwide.” Mr. Florian Paffenholz, Project Coordinator and representative of PTB at the ceremony made a presentation on PTB services and how its focus is on collaborating with national metrology services in other countries to support and advise on how better metrological systems can be established in relation to envisaged trade development and other sectors in need of accurate measurements application
Mr. Samuel Sebera Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry commended partnership with PTB and especially the contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany in Rwanda’s socio-economic orientation. He noted that Rwanda is committed to fast-tracking industry development and promoting the Made in Rwanda products with regard to quality and safety but also competitiveness at international markets; and that cannot be achieved without having accredited laboratories in place. He informed: “Accreditation is one of the tools available to ensure Technical Barriers to Trade are eliminated. It creates confidence in the work carried out by a testing and calibration laboratory, located anywhere in the world. Without accreditation, tests/calibrations carried out in the exporting country would have to be repeated by a recognized laboratory in the importing country and an adverse test/calibration report could result into the rejection of the finished goods. While international trade is fundamentally linked to supply capacity and cost, laboratory accreditation and the recognition of testing and calibration results are a final determinant as to whether the goods produced by the exporter are acceptable in international markets. We are confident that the accredited laboratories will continue to deliver the services to customers with more confidence and professionalism”.
Accreditation of National Metrology laboratories is of primary importance for any state, since it is the prerequisite for the development of other sectors including trade and industry, health, public safety, environment protection, conformity assessment (namely product quality testing, certification of products and services as well as their accreditation) and for the development of the society as a whole. The basic task of national metrology services is to provide a measurement traceability framework of the national measurement standards and delivering measurement traceability to the users and their measurement needs in various segments (Science, Environment, Health, Food, Agriculture, Transport, Telecommunications, Industry, mining ,Trade, Taxation, Judicial authorities, and Police). Metrology, being a science of measurement, is one of the tools of technological and socio-economic advancement towards sustainable development. The project implemented by PTB and RSB has three pillars, namely:
Extension and setting up of laboratory capabilities for industrial metrology and it is under this pillar that accreditation of a series of laboratories is facilitated through introduction of quality management systems and the revision of calibration processes.The second pillar emphasizes strengthening of legal metrology, and under this pillar RSB is advised on possible reform of current legal metrology framework to ensure an effective ad area-wide exercise of sovereign verification activities.With the third pillar of this project, the partnership aims integration in international and regional organizations and networks whereby RSB staff are enabled to actively participate in implementation of metrological comparison measurements and in committees of regional, pan-African and international organizations.
The impact of this project is having in place a functioning system of metrology, which a precondition for economic growth, innovation of industry and promoting exports.
The Express News
