The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), through its public-private partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Standards Alliance, organized a three-day training in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire on March 26-28 covering ISO 37001, which is a management standard to help combat bribery and corruption. This training was held in coordination with Cote d'Ivoire's national standards body, CODINORM.
The goal of this workshop was to provide an opportunity for Cote d 'Ivoirian and U.S. experts to exchange information and increase the understanding of various aspects of ISO 37001. Two U.S. experts Worth MacMurray and Bruno Samuel representing DNV GL, traveled to Abidjan to facilitate this training.
The workshop began with an awareness-building seminar attended by more than 40 participants from the public and private sector in Cote d'Ivoire. Participants received an overview of ISO 37001 including the value of the standard and examples for organizational implementation to improve management structures and minimize corruption. The U.S. experts also discussed the impact and use of ISO 37001 around the globe.
Following the awareness-building event, select Ivorian experts were invited to participate in a two-day training (course?) to cover the standard in detail. This training included 17 participants from certification bodies, inspection agencies, and government decision-makers. The in-depth training session provided an opportunity for participants to discuss practical application of ISO 37001 as well as local and regional challenges to implementation in Cote d'Ivoire.
In total, both activities attracted more than 50 participants, including Bakari Traore of the Ivorian High Authority for Good Governance (HABG), the organization in charge of promoting good governance and fighting corruption in Cote d'Ivoire. Following the event, Ivorian participants -intend to create a strategic planning meeting to discuss next steps for the utilization of ISO37001 in Cote d'Ivoire.
About the Standards Alliance and Trade Africa
The Standards Alliance was announced by USAID in November 2012 as a new funding facility designed to provide capacity-building assistance to developing countries, specifically related to implementation of the WTO TBT Agreement. The main objectives of the program include: increased understanding of WTO TBT principles; implementation of the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards; improved transparency in the development and/or modification of technical regulations; and more robust and transparent engagement with the private sector in standards development and use.
Trade Africa was an initiative between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa that was initiated in 2013 with countries of the East African Community to increase continental and regional trade within Africa, and to expand trade and economic ties among the Unites States, Africa, and other global markets. In 2014, the Trade Africa Initiative expanded to involve new partners, including Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique, Senegal, and Zambia. In support of Trade Africa, the Standards Alliance partnered with Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique, Senegal, and Zambia to improve compliance with the WTO rules on trade facilitation and technical barriers to trade.
For more information on the Standards Alliance and for information on how to get involved in Standards Alliance activities with West Africa, visit the Standards Alliance web page.