Somali Bureau of Standards (SOBS) Director General Madam Hawo Ahmed Hassan Leads Somalia’s Delegation at the 32nd ARSO General Assembly in Mombasa, Kenya

The Somali Bureau of Standards (SOBS) participated in the 32nd General Assembly of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), held in Mombasa, Kenya, from 24–28 August 2026. The SOBS delegation was led by the Director General, Madam Hawo Ahmed Hassan, accompanied by the Director of Standards Development and technical advisors in the areas of agriculture, quality infrastructure, and trade facilitation. The General Assembly, held under the theme “One Certificate Working for You,” focused on strengthening intra-African trade by enabling products to move more efficiently across African markets through the recognition and acceptance of a single certificate issued by the country of origin where the product is manufactured. The conference was officially opened by the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. Kithure Kindiki, who highlighted the importance of standards, quality infrastructure, and regional cooperation in supporting Africa’s economic development. During the event, the Somali Bureau of Standards (SOBS) delegation presented the progress and development of the Somali National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) and shared Somalia’s experience in strengthening standardisation, conformity assessment, metrology, and trade facilitation systems. The delegation also held productive bilateral meetings with representatives from the Standards and Quality Authorities of Singapore, Kenya, Mauritius, and South Africa, as well as representatives from international and regional organisations including UNIDO, ASTM, TMA, ISO, SMIIC, and GSO. These engagements provided valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and future collaboration to further enhance Somalia’s quality infrastructure and strengthen its integration into regional and international standards systems. The Somali Bureau of Standards (SOBS) remains committed to strengthening quality assurance, protecting consumers, supporting Somali industries, and facilitating safe and efficient trade within Africa and beyond.