Kigali, Rwanda — The East African Business Council (EABC), in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Rwanda Association of Quality Assurance (RAQ), convened a national webinar aimed at strengthening the capacity of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to meet quality requirements for regional and international trade.
The webinar, titled “Navigating Quality Requirements with the EAC Quality for Trade Platform,” brought together exporters, quality professionals, business support organizations, and policymakers to enhance awareness and practical understanding of standards, certification processes, and market access obligations.
Opening the session, representatives from EABC underscored the importance of quality infrastructure in improving the competitiveness of East African enterprises. SMEs were encouraged to proactively integrate standards compliance into their production and export strategies to reduce rejection rates and build buyer confidence.
Experts from the International Trade Centre introduced participants to the EAC Quality for Trade Platform, a free online resource that enables businesses to easily identify applicable regulations, standards, and buyer requirements in target markets. Demonstrations highlighted how the platform supports companies in understanding mandatory measures, accessing guidance materials, and connecting with qualified experts.
Facilitators from RAQ shared practical experiences on the common challenges faced by exporters and emphasized the need for early preparation, proper documentation, traceability systems, and continuous improvement to meet evolving market demands.
Participants engaged in interactive discussions and received hands-on guidance on how to use digital tools to improve compliance, strengthen internal processes, and enhance export readiness.
The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between the private sector, quality professionals, and institutions to ensure that Rwandan enterprises can fully leverage opportunities under regional integration frameworks and global value chains.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by EABC, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the Association of Quality Professionals (AQP) under the EU–EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme Phase II (MARKUP II) funded by the European Union, to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs and facilitate sustainable trade.