The Senegalese Association of (ASN) and the national Agency of Standards Metrology and Quality Control (ANM Benin) started early on tuesday 23rd of August 2022, a two-days sensitization session about the standards ISO 30500, ISO 24521 and ISO 31800.
The workshop opening on this occasion is particularly on behoof of the sanitation stakeholders of Benin.
In his opening words at the sensitization session of Cotonou, El Hadji Abdourahmane Ndione, General Manager of the Senegalese Association of Standards (ASN) pinpointed that « this workshop aims to sensitize the Beninese sanitation stakeholders about the international standards ISO 30500, ISO 24521 and ISO 31800 in order not only to ease their adaptation but also their application ».
It is worth mentioning that the present session is in a logic coherence with the previous workshops organized in the other West-African French speaking countries about these standards on the occasion of the Project « Ratification and application of free sanitation in Senegal and in African South Sahara countries» under the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation financial support.
This project is obviously an answer to the dark sanitation situation in those countries and required new methods for sustainable sanitation systems according to the General Manager of the Senegalese Association of Standards (ASN).
« Fresh estimations show that 4,5 billion of people in the world have no access to basis sanitation. More than 80% of the used waters emerging from human activities in the world are thrown away in the environment without any previous processing. And more than 95% of the concerned countries are Third World countries as ours. In African South Sahara, only 28% of the populations have access to basis sanitation installments and today once more, 32% of the populations are still practicing Free Out Defecation» added the (ASN) General Manager.
«This workshop is welcome regarding the huge basis sanitation need in the households of the whole country» attested the Beninese Minister in charge of Trade and Industry in her opening speech read on the occasion by the General Manager of the national Agency of Standards Metrology and Quality Control (ANM) Gabin Joseph DEGBEY.
He reported that the ISO 30500, ISO 24521 and ISO 31800 are the first sanitation standards at the international level and cover together the whole services channel.
« If ISO 24521 is a management standard of the processing services of the basis home used waters, ISO 30500 and ISO 31800 gather the general requirements of security and performance applicable to new sanitation technologies » did he quote.
According to the Minister, reported by the ANM general manager, the opening of the present national sanitation sensitization will surely help to collect the weaknesses and strengths and identify the challenges in order to ease their adaptation and application.
It is a sensitization which will also help broadening the scope of those Standards beyond Standards Institutions, imply all the sanitation stakeholders and make them be aware of the significance of their application , according to the (ASN) General Manager.
«The ratification of those standards could generate significant changes in the sanitation field if these standards are well observed.
It helps facing the actual challenge and prepare the future » he asserted.
In the two-days sensitization agenda, some communications on the sanitation statement and water supply in Benin are planned ; the institutional, legal and political framework of sanitation in Benin, the detailed presentation of each of the three concerned standards; sharing experiences which of the ones of Senegal relative to the place of the stakeholders in the application of the standards, public policies and regulations.
It is also forseen some work groups of the stakeholders of the field and the settlement of Actions Plan. This workshop announces in fact, the start-up of a group movement for these standards’ application . The ANM general manager, quoting the Minister in charge of Trade and Industry wish the process engaged, continued.
By Abdel Madjid ADELAKOUN
ANM Communication Manager.
Translation : Joël TOSSENOU
 and the National Agency of Standards Metrology and Quality Control (ANM Benin) draw the attention of the stakeholders on the sanitation international standards .){kind=link}