Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 7/11/2019

Overview

  • ISO- International Organization for Standardization

  • IEC- International Electro-technical Commission

  • IEEE- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

  • CODEX-CODEX Alimentarius International Food Standards

  • ASTM-American Society for Testing and Materials

  • ITU- International Telecommunication Union

  • AOAC- Association of Analytical Communities

  • OIML- International Organization of Legal Metrology

  • COMESA- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

  • ARSO- African Organization for Standardization

  • AFSEC- The African Electro technical Standardization Commission

  • SADC- Southern African Development Community

Testing, Inspection and Certification

Generally, products enter the market freely.  RSB is among Rwanda government agencies using the One Single Electronic Window.  Any imported product related to health, safety or environment requires an employee of RSB to authorize a Release Order from the customs using the One Single Electronic Window.  To allow quick release and avoid custom warehouse charges, RSB is able to conduct quality checks in owner’s premises before products can be released into the market.

Publication of Technical Regulations

Proposed technical regulations are regularly published by the RSB.  U.S. companies should contact the RSB with comments on any proposed regulations.  Final regulations are published in the Official gazette.  Time allowed to comment on proposed technical regulations varies between 30-90 days. RSB prepare an annual standards development work plan based on requests from the previous year.

Sample workplan can be found here.
Standards for public review are posted here 
More information on testing can be obtained here 

Contact Information
Rwanda Standards Board
KK 15 Rd, 49; PO Box: 7099
Kigali-KicuKiro
Tel: +250 252-582945/586103, Hotline: 3250
Website: http://www.rsb.gov.rw/

The Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is the government institution charged with the implementation of standards, testing, product certification, accreditation, labeling, marking, and technical regulations.  Rwanda standards are flexible market driven. RSB does not have inhouse capacity to develop standards and largely rely on (and coordinate) technical committees made of researchers, manufacturers, academia, other government institutions and consumer represenatives that work together to develop standards.  Some new standards are driven  fromm internatioal treaties that Rwanda signs and require revision of existing standards.  There is a mix of mandatory and voluntary standards.  Standards related to  health, stafety and  protection of environment are mandatory both for local production and import.  RSB posts standards under review on its website and issues notifications.  Parties that do not have a manufacturing presence in the market can participate in standards development work by filing comments and receiving feedback during public reviews. More information on RSB is available at http://www.rsb.gov.rw/

Standards

Rwanda develops domestic standards but also accepts international standards.  Rwanda is a member of the EAC Standards Technical Management Committee.  Approved EAC measures are generally incorporated into the Rwandan regulatory system within six months and are published in the National Gazette like other domestic laws and regulations.  Rwanda is also a member of other the International standardization organizations and accepts their standards.  Those include:
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More Information

Rwanda Market Access Trade Development and Promotion