Public-private and institutional partnerships as a driver for strengthening the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA)

Abstract

Nations that trade internationally expect proven compliance of imported agricultural products and manufactured goods, against increasingly sophisticated technical requirements. These requirements can easily become perceived or real Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT’s) by their trading partners. After a suitably detailed introduction to the topic, the role of and approaches to conformity assessment in addressing TBT’s is investigated. Using examples taken from the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA), gaps in the provision of conformity assessment services, as well as the possible future roles of both the private and public sector are then explored. The article concludes by noting the important role of an appropriate and sustainable conformity assessment infrastructure as part of the industrial policy framework needed to deliver the intended benefi ts of ASGISA not only for South Africa but also for the SADC region.