The Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) has been trasformed into the Rwanda Standards Board to boost its capacity and efficiency. Dr Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, the RBS director general, said the standards board will be composed of four different divisions, The changes were effected on July 29. He added that, while the inspectorate department that was hitherto under RBS, it will join other government inspectorate agencies under a new quality assurance body that has been created. The national quality policy called re-structuring of RBS into four different entities, according to Cyubahiro. “The board and structure of the new entity have already been approved by the Cabinet, and there is a Prime Minsterial Order to that effect,” he said. “This will enhance the standards body’s capacity in developing standards and quality inspection.” The move will also help cut operational costs, Cyubahiro added. About the new structure Under the new structure, standards development, metrology, testing and certification units were transformed into divisions. The quality assurance inspectorate unit is joining other government inspectorate bodies. “We want to avoid conflict of interest...We cannot develop standards and at the same time implement them; that’s why the quality assurance inspectorate unit is joining other government inspectorate bodies,” said Chantal Atukunda, the standards board communications manager. “We are waiting for the process to be finalised to complete the rebranding process.” The Rwanda Bureau of Standards was formed in 2002 with mandate of providing standards based solutions for consumer protection and trade promotion for socio-economic growth in a safe and stable environment. Providing internationally recognised and customer suited standardisation services remain the main priority of the new structure.
