Lesotho Standards Institution Hosts Awareness Session to Promote African Market Access
The Lesotho Standards Institution (LSI), in collaboration with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), is hosting a two-day awareness session in Maseru, which began on Tuesday. This initiative aims to highlight the importance of quality standards and their role in facilitating access to the broader African market.
Opening the session on behalf of the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mr. Molebatsi Rabolinyane emphasized the crucial role the Ministry plays in fostering business growth within the country. He noted that this session presents a significant opportunity for key business sectors, including agriculture, textile, and leather industries, to explore pathways for expanding their reach into the wider African market.
“The Ministry of Trade is mandated to facilitate and foster business growth in Lesotho,” Mr. Rabolinyane stated. “This session serves as a platform for businesses to access not just local markets, but also the entire African market, enabling them to explore new opportunities and avenues for growth.”
He further elaborated that the key to successfully accessing the expansive African market lies in the development of a strong quality infrastructure. This infrastructure must be responsive to Africa’s diverse needs and contexts, while also being internationally recognized. Mr. Rabolinyane stressed that building a robust quality system would help Lesotho’s products stand out in the competitive African market and ensure they meet the necessary standards for global recognition.
The awareness session is expected to provide valuable insights to businesses on how to align with African-wide standards, thereby enhancing their competitiveness on the continental stage. This collaborative effort between LSI and ARSO is a critical step in strengthening Lesotho’s position in Africa’s trade landscape.
