The Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS), by Supplementary Act A/SA.1/02/13 of 28 February 2013, adopted the ECOWAS Quality Policy (ECOQUAL) and its implementation framework. implemented. The adoption of this Policy was supplemented by that of the Statutory Ministers of Regulation C/REG.19/12/13 of 17 December 2013, adopting the ECOWAS Regional Quality Infrastructure Scheme.

This is what led Senegal to adopt its national quality policy by decree 461-2017 of March 21, 2017, aligned with the ECOWAS Quality Policy and accompanied by an action plan. The implementation of the action plan of the Policy will make it possible to establish the National Infrastructure of Quality (NQI) operational and recognized on the regional and international levels.

This INQ will be built around a strengthened Standardization Body, Conformity Assessment Bodies (analysis and test laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies) competent and recognized at regional and international levels, a Metrology infrastructure providing fair and traceable metrology services in addition to a reliable and recognized accreditation system.

In general, the National Quality Infrastructure (INQ) is based on the technical areas of quality below:

standardization

metrology

technical regulations

conformity assessment by Conformity Assessment Bodies: analyzes and tests by laboratories, inspection, product certification and system certification

the accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CAB)

The national quality policy aims to meet two major challenges:

Developing business competitiveness

Protect the national economy and consumers

Implementation strategy:

Give a legal basis to the system

Organize the National Quality Infrastructure