ADDIS ABABA — The Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise (ECAE) said it has made remarkable progress in improving product quality to enhance competitiveness in global markets and integrate the nation into the international market system.
ECAE Director General Meaza Abera (Eng.) highlighted that Ethiopia has established a robust quality infrastructure, positioning itself to become a leading quality center on the African continent. ECAE provides conformity assessments through internationally recognized laboratory testing, inspection, and certification systems. These services are offered to exporters, importers, producers, and regulatory institutions to ensure product compliance with global standards.
Meaza emphasized that Ethiopia’s quality infrastructure not only enhances product competitiveness but also allows the country to capitalize on opportunities created by regional and continental economic frameworks, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She urged service providers and manufacturers to leverage ECAE’s resources, noting that conformity assessment is vital for achieving national social and economic development goals.
The initiative also focuses on fostering a sustainable manufacturing sector aligned with environmental protection principles, which is critical to boosting exports through efficiency and production.
Trade and Regional Integration State Minister Endalew Mekonen reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing product quality to meet global standards. He noted that ECAE is continuously expanding its capabilities to make Ethiopian products competitive internationally while addressing the needs of the domestic market.
This year’s World Quality Day, celebrated in Ethiopia from December 5-7, 2024, emphasizes the theme “Quality: From Compliance to Performance.” The theme encourages producers and service providers to surpass minimal compliance and strive for excellence in performance.
The celebration aligns with Ethiopia’s Home-Grown Economic Reforms, which aim to achieve national objectives by improving systems, ensuring fair trade, and enhancing production and productivity. These efforts include replacing imports with high-quality domestic products and making exports globally competitive.
Additionally, the adoption of consistent production process standards is increasingly demanded from the manufacturing sector to safeguard public health and safety, prevent resource losses, and enhance the country’s economic resilience.
