Somalia’s national standards organization has introduced a new requirement for importers to obtain certificates of conformity before bringing goods into the country. This step aligns with international quality standards for trade. In an official communication from the Somali Bureau of Standards (Sobs), the authoritative body overseeing standards, metrology, and conformity assessment, it has been stipulated that entities engaged in the import business must now present evidence of conformity alongside their imports.
Sobs has issued a notice to various stakeholders, including companies, partners, traders (importers, international organizations, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations), as well as the Somali community at large. This notice emphasizes that all imported goods arriving through ports, borders, and airports (entry and exit points) within the country need to be accompanied by a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Effective from September 1, 2023, imports failing to meet the requisite criteria and lacking the mandatory CoC will be subject to penalties.
Furthermore, the memo highlights that Sobs has recently implemented a Consignment Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) program. This initiative is carried out in the exporting countries to ensure that products adhere to relevant standards and approved specifications. Sobs underlines the significance of this program in maintaining product compliance.
On July 22, Somalia’s Minister for Commerce and Industry, Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, initiated an official ceremony to launch the consignment-based conformity assessment collaboration between Sobs and Bureau Veritas, a UK-based firm specializing in safeguarding consumers against unsafe, substandard, or counterfeit products through conformity verification.
Abdi emphasized the crucial role of CBCA in guaranteeing that imported goods meet the mandated standards and regulations for Somalia. Furthermore, Somalia’s actions position the country for alignment with global import quality standards. As part of its trajectory, Somalia is on track to join the East African Community, a regional bloc consisting of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This move follows a favorable evaluation by the seven-member bloc and underscores Somalia’s commitment to international trade standards.
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