Ethiopian National Accreditation Office (ENAO) announced that it aimed to create a uniform system of accreditation across Ethiopia. The office encourages service seekers to benefit from its specific services such as laboratory testing, calibration, certification and inspection.

The Office is working aggressively in the promotion of uniform accreditation system taking into account the advantage of boosting competitiveness among organizations and facilitating ways for Ethiopia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Nonetheless, according to Araya Fesseha, Director-General of the Office, ENAO performed lower than its plan for the first 6 months of the fiscal year. It accredited only 7 institutions while its aim was 39 institutions. Araya explained the office conducted assessments and onsite inspections on 9 facilities. 10 other have filed for accreditation, he added.

Accreditation is not mandatory as it stands. It is done upon willingness of concerned institutions.

Other than accreditation, certification is also one of the services to be given by the office. However, it has not yet started implementing that.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, since the establishment of the Office, it has given accreditation to 49 institutions engaged in medical services provision, testing laboratories and providers of inspection services

Source: Ethiopian News Agency