Uganda has officially been endorsed to represent Africa in the upcoming elections to the Council of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), marking a major milestone in the country’s growing leadership in global standardization.
The announcement was made on July 4, 2025, via the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) official Twitter handle after elections were held during the 31st General Assembly of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
During the Assembly, ARSO endorsed Uganda’s UNBS Executive Director, Eng James Kasigwa, to run for a seat on the ISO Council under Group 4 for the 2026–2028 term. Uganda’s candidacy received full backing from ARSO member states, positioning the country as Africa’s official contender in the global standards body elections.
In addition to the ISO endorsement, Uganda, through UNBS, was also elected to two key leadership bodies within ARSO, the ARSO Council and the Standards Management Committee (SMC).
Eng Kasigwa will represent Uganda on the ARSO Council, the organization’s top policy organ, while Joel Peter Oryang, UNBS Head of Regional and International Liaison, will serve on the ARSO SMC. Both appointments run from July 2025 to June 2028.
These endorsements signal growing recognition of Uganda’s commitment to strengthening quality infrastructure and harmonizing standards, not only in Africa but globally. They also offer Uganda a strategic opportunity to influence international standards that impact trade, innovation, consumer protection, and policy alignment.
Uganda will now face Costa Rica in the ISO Council elections scheduled for October 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda. Only one seat is available in ISO’s Group 4 category, which is reserved for developing countries. A win would give Uganda a significant voice in shaping international standards.
While thanking ARSO member states for their trust, Eng Kasigwa called for continued support ahead of the ISO elections.
“Our key priority areas at ISO Council include diversity, digital transformation, and engagement with policymakers,’’ Eng Kasigwa said. ’’We need to increase the African voice at the international level and adopt a common African position on policy decisions.’’
ARSO is Africa’s continental standards body, established in 1977 by the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to boost infra-African trade and protect consumers through harmonized standards.
ISO is a global network of national standards bodies that develops and promotes international standards supporting business competitiveness, safety, quality assurance, and fair trade across industries.
Uganda’s endorsement and leadership roles position it at the forefront of shaping the future of standards in Africa and on the global stage
