IEC and AFSEC finalize cooperation agreement

Claude Koutoua, President of AFSEC (left)
and Ronnie Amit, IEC General Secretary
and CEO, at the IEC-AFSEC agreement
signing ceremony

The IEC and AFSEC (African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission) have agreed to cooperate in a number of areas, covering, in particular, cross representation and exchange of technical information in the fields of standardization and the development of electrotechnology.

With the assistance of the IEC, AFSEC will develop and harmonize standards based on existing IEC International Standards. Where products are not covered by IEC Standards, AFSEC will work on development of standards, ensuring they are relevant to African needs, before submitting them for consideration by the IEC.

This agreement aims to:

• Promote communication between AFSEC and the IEC
• Promote the use of IEC International Standards in response to African market demands
• Ensure transparency of the standardization process in order to facilitate world trade
• Accelerate the standardization process in order to meet various market demands
• Make rational use of available resources in standardization activities
• Facilitate implementation of agreements already in place concerning the countries and RECs (Regional Economic Communities) of Africa
• Increase the involvement of African experts in the various committees of the IEC
• Inform non-IEC Members of AFSEC about related activities

AFSEC plans to work closely with the IEC, making use of proprietary IEC material such as the website, the annual report, the catalogue of IEC Standards, databases and other documentation as required, in agreement with the IEC Central Office, as well as establishing TCs (Technical Committees) or SCs (Subcommittees) and possibly taking part in future joint programmes.

An agreement of this kind is an ideal opportunity to bring home the advantages of IEC involvement. AFSEC members will be encouraged to form NCs (National Committees) and participate actively in IEC technical work, thus ensuring that IEC International Standards have an even greater global relevance.