The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has called upon all manufacturers in the country to embrace standardization of their products.

While addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on October 15, 2024 in commemoration of the World Standards Day, the Executive Director at UNBS, Eng. James N. Kasigwa, said that it’s very key for all manufacturers to standardize their products since it comes with many advantages.

“Standards solve problems like global challenges for climate change; they enhance the competitiveness of goods, thus improving market access,” Kasigwa said.

He also acknowledged the need to certify products so that they are able to compete not just locally but also on the international markets.

“With standards, we are able to certify products. Once a product is certified and has the Q mark, it can be sold not only on the local market but also in regional and international markets,” Kasigwa added.

The Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa, commended UNBS’ efforts in promoting standardization and echoed the need for them as they help in economic development.

“Standards facilitate the development of reliable and resilient infrastructure, enabling industries to operate effectively and sustainably. Standards not only support economic growth but also contribute to the overarching aim of achieving Sustainable Development Goal IX,” Mwebesa said.

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He further said that it is important to support the industrial sector in line with SDG IX, especially the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to enable them to conform to standards and access these important markets.

UNBS also announced that as of to date, they have developed over 4,862 standards, which include 1,133 standards in the Food, Agriculture, and Forestry sector, 1,465 standards in the Chemicals and Consumer Products sector, 1,488 standards in the Engineering and Construction sector, and 776 standards in the Services and Business Management sector.

Each year on October 14th, the world commemorates World Standards Day by recognizing the dedicated experts who volunteer their time and resources to develop standards that contribute to a better world, and this year’s theme was Shared Vision for a Better World.

UNBS is a government agency responsible for developing, promoting, and enforcing national standards in the protection of public health and safety and the environment against harmful and substandard products, ensuring fairness in trade and precision in industry through reliable measurement systems, and strengthening the economy of Uganda.