MONROVIA – The Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) has concluded a one-day consultative meeting with stakeholders on the public review of the African Regional Standardization Organization (ARSO) and ECOWAS proposed final draft standards.
The African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are spearheading regional harmonization initiatives to strengthen trade, ensure product quality, and promote consumer safety. Liberia, through LiSA, is committed to engaging actively in these processes to align national standards with regional and international benchmarks.
Giving an overview of the meeting, LordErnest P. Benjamin, Head of the Standards and Quality Assurance Department at LiSA, said the technical review session aimed to present the final draft ARSO and ECOWAS standards to Liberian stakeholders, provide a platform for discussion and technical commenting, consolidate national positions and recommendations, and ensure Liberia’s participation in regional standardization reflects national priorities.
“As part of this process, twenty final draft standards have been circulated for review, including fifteen (15) final Draft African Standards under ARSO/TC 22 on Agrochemicals, and five ECOSHAM Standards proposed to Member States for adoption at the Enquiry Stage. The commenting period for the Draft African Standards ends on September 23, 2025, while the ECOSHAM review period runs until October 10, 2025,” he explained.
According to Mr. Benjamin, securing input from national stakeholders is critical to ensure the standards reflect Liberia’s context, safeguard public interest, and support regional competitiveness.
In special remarks, LiSA Director General Stephen Y. Mambu emphasized that standards are developed through consensus, and it is important that all relevant stakeholders are at the table to contribute. “This is not the end of our process but the beginning, and we are going to strengthen our standardization programs,” he stated.
Following the review, comments and recommendations from Liberia’s stakeholders were documented and will inform the consolidation of national positions for submission to ARSO and ECOWAS.
The meeting was held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Ministry of Agriculture conference room in Monrovia. It brought together representatives of government ministries and regulatory institutions, private sector organizations, consumer protection groups, academia and research institutions, and LiSA technical staff and committee members.
LiSA will continue working with ARSO and ECOWAS to ensure that Liberia’s standards framework supports national development and regional integration.
