Dakar hosted a Capacity Building Workshop for Evaluators from the region from 7 to 11 August 2017. This is part of the activities of the WAQSP, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNIDO, which supports the establishment of a Regional Accreditation System (RAS) by ECOWAS.

Indeed, following the Regulation C / REG. / 12/13  from 2013 adopting the Scheme of the Regional Quality Infrastructure and taken by the Council of Ministers of ECOWAS, the WAQSP has conducted a study for the operation of quality infrastructures created by this Regulation, including the Regional Accreditation System (RAS). Thus, based on the findings of this study, the Council of Ministers adopted in June 2017 the Regulation C / REG.10 / 06/17 on the organization and operation of the RAS.

The RAS has started its activities in the framework of the WAQSP, including through promotion and information on the importance of accreditation of some ministers in charge of quality within the region, participation in a workshop reflection on ECOWAS Quality Infrastructure funding mechanism, and participation in a mission of information on the Tunisian experience in the field of quality infrastructure. It should be highlighted that during this mission, a partnership agreement has been signed between the Tunisian Accreditation body (TUNAC) and the West African Accreditation System (SOAC) which is the accrediting body of UEMOA and covers eight economies within the region.

At the technical level, with the assistance of the WAQSP, the RAS has started its activities with the organization of a capacity-building workshop that will bring the first group of candidate assessors in accreditation proposed by:

• the two accreditation bodies legally established in the region, namely the SOAC and the Accreditation body of Nigeria (NINAS);

• The Ghana Accreditation Body, which is being set up under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry.

The purpose of the meeting was to train candidate assessors in accreditation of the RAS on the key documents for:

• the accreditation of testing laboratories and

• For operation procedures of accreditation bodies.

"For the first time, candidates evaluators in accreditation from five countries of West Africa (has participated) in a joint workshop," stated the representative of UNIDO at the opening ceremony.