The ECOWAS Community Metrology Committee (ECOMET) organized, in Dakar (Senegal), from January 23 to 24, 2020, the first meeting of its Technical Committees on Awareness, Legal Metrology and Thermometry.

One of the major achievements of the meeting was the appointment of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the various technical committees. They were appointed for a two  year term, after a vote of the members present:

- Mr. Sambujang Drammel from Gambia for President while Mrs. Moussa Sama Mariama from Niger  for Vice-President of the Awareness Technical Committee;

- M Ibrahima SARR from Senegal for President while Ms. Comfort Kunle from Nigeria for Vice-President of the Legal Metrology Technical Committee;

- Mrs. Sylvia Agbesinyale from Ghana for President and Mr. Sawadogo Issa from Burkina Faso for Vice-President of the Thermometry Technical Committee.

After the presentation of the national reports, the Committees then met in working groups to propose and plan their activities. A plenary session allowed to identify the activities that can be selected for the support of the ECOWAS-PTB program.

Activities have been recommended to be carried out in member countries. These are generally;

• The extension of metrology awareness activities in all regions

• The incorporation of training modules in schools

• Improving cooperation with journalists for proper dissemination of information on metrology.

The main challenge identified, common to all member countries, is the awareness of political decision-makers and the general public of the importance of metrology in the field of socio-economics.

At the end of the work, members expressed only one recommendation to ECOMET: considering and adopting the action plan approved by the members. Ms. Laura Haeussler, Project Coordinator at the PTB (German Metrology Agency) presented the objectives and indicators of the ECOWAS-PTB program and indicated which activities could be financed by the program. She explained that the final decision on the activity plan, including a schedule for the ECOWAS-PTB program, will be taken at the ECOMET meeting scheduled in Niger from March 3 to 5, 2020.

This meeting, the fourth official meeting but the third Committee meeting , was held as planned and effectively validated the draft program of activities of the technical committees presented by their respective presidents. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Mines of Niger, Mr. Hassane Barazé (who represented his Industry counterpart), in the presence of Commissioner Mamadou Traoré (Industry and Promotion of the Private Sector, ECOWAS).

 Hassane Barazé noted the importance of metrology for public authorities and for consumers of industrial products. "Metrology, if it is the science of measurement for the specialists, for us, public authorities it is a pillar of  national edifice of quality. Metrology is also an important tool for ensuring transparency and improving the business environment. It therefore constitutes the foundation which supports  competitiveness within the framework of our policy of development of the industrial sectors ”, he said. For his part, the ECOWAS Commissioner in charge of Industry and the promotion of the private sector, Mr. Mamadou Traoré was pleased to note that ECOMET has REACHED fully into its operational phase. To this end, he thanked partners and stakeholders especially Ms. Laura Haeussler the Project Coordinator at the PTB (German Metrology Agency), he praised the good collaboration between her institution and the ECOWAS member countries within the framework of this initiative.

After having made the history of the Committee which is one of the five community committees set up by UNIDO within the framework of the Community Quality Council of ECOWAS, Mr. Aka Jean Joseph Kouassi, presented the WACQIP of which he is the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA). He recalled that his presence was part of the coordination between the WACQIP and PTB in the implementation of ECOMET activities. Therefore, he informed the stakeholders about what the WACQIP is expecting from the ECOMET in terms of taking care of metrology issues for the value chains selected by the WACOMP. "UNIDO, as an observer in the Steering Committee of the PTB-ECOWAS Program, is delighted to note that this concern is perfect line with the program of activities of the committees," he concluded.

According to Zakary Oumarou Director General of the Niger Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (ANMC), the work is of paramount importance for ECOWAS member states, because,  it  concerns health, security and economic development,  as it is about  securing consumers and promoting the competitiveness of businesses.