Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — The Minister of Trade, Serge Gnaniodem Poda, has pledged to address the shortcomings of the Burkinabe Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Quality (ABNORM). Speaking on Friday during a visit to the ABNORM laboratories in Ouagadougou, Minister Poda emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the agency’s operations.

According to Burkina Information Agency, despite budgetary constraints, supporting the standardization agency is a priority for the government. This support is intended to enable ABNORM to effectively fulfill its national duties in standardization and product certification. “We realize that we have a laboratory which is well appreciated at the sub-regional level, which has quality equipment despite the modesty of means,” stated the Minister.

The Director General of ABNORM, Abraham Somda, highlighted several operational challenges, including a lack of sufficient staff and logistical resources, which impede the agency’s ability to perform its functions effectively. “We must develop standards, ensure certification, and control the quality of products, which would require extensive staff to carry out these missions,” explained Somda. He also noted that the insufficiency of logistical resources hampers the consistent deployment of teams on the ground.

Established on July 18, 2012, ABNORM is the sole national entity charged with developing and disseminating national standards, technical specifications, and codes of good practice.