The Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) recently suspended pre-shipment inspection for all goods destined for Rwanda.

The standards watchdog launched the Imports Products Conformity Assessment to Standards (IPCA) scheme where imports were inspected and certified for conformity to standards in the countries of origin. The move aimed at ensuring that all goods destined for Rwanda met standards to guard against dumping and unfair competition from fake products, among others.

In May, 2014, RSB contracted Switzerland-based firm, Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), to conduct the inspections across the world. However, the firm faced capacity challenges and the standards agency resolved to hire more inspection firms to improve service delivery and efficiency in 2015.

But the process hit a snag when the three qualifying firms claimed that some of the terms of service were exposing them to risks. RSB also alleges that the firms wanted to pocket the lion’s share of the fees collected, which the government rejected.

This deadlock forced the standards watchdog to suspend the pre-shipment inspection scheme and conduct the inspections itself at points of entry. What is ironic is that the development comes to the fore at a time when RSB and the Police are saying that volumes of fake products have gone up lately. RSB says it is building its capacity to conduct ‘destination inspections’ at border posts. However, in interest of safeguarding the local market against proliferation of counterfeits, RSB should have extended SGS’s contract and prepare well for the job.

It has on many occasions said it faces capacity challenges, like lack of skilled staff, equipment and funds, how will they man all the entry points across the country?

Unscrupulous traders are becoming more sophisticated and may take advantage of the gap created and flood the market with counterfeits. So, RSB should have first prepared fully and worked with stakeholders to find a sustainable approach to stem inflows of sub-standard and fake goods. This way, the economy, customers, traders and manufacturers, are protected.