ASN PRESENTATION

Created by Decree No. 78-228 of March 14, 1978, the Senegalese Institute for Standardization (ISN) has been replaced by the Senegalese Association for Standardization (ASN) since July 19, 2002 following an institutional reform. The Senegalese Association for Standardization (ASN) is governed by Laws No. 68-08 of March 26, 1968 and No. 79-02 of January 4, 1979 and is of public utility. The State of Senegal aware that economic activity, in particular the production of goods and services intended for the internal market as well as the external market, must, in order to be part of a dynamic of competitiveness, move towards greater control of quality ; but also, with a view to developing an integrated approach to standardization by including quality management, metrology and standards compliance certification activities; it therefore seemed particularly appropriate to create a more flexible and operational entity between the State and the private sector. This is the reason why, by decree No. 2002-746 of July 19, 2002, the missions of the Senegalese Institute for Standardization, which was a classic administrative service for standardization, will be paid to the Senegalese Association for Standardization, with decision-making bodies in which the private sector will be mainly represented (60%) alongside the State (40%) but also with other missions such as the management of the National Mark of conformity with standards and the promotion of quality. ASN, which is under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Industrial Development and Small and Medium Industries, is responsible for implementing the policy of the Government of Senegal in terms of standardization and quality infrastructure, but also for representing Senegal. in standards development bodies at the sub-regional, regional and international level.

OUR MISSION

 Through our activities and our partners, we ensure that people have access to quality and environmentally friendly goods and services that meet the national and international technical specifications in force. We strive to contribute to the sustainability of goods and services in order to improve the living conditions of populations. ASN coordinates the implementation of Senegal's National Quality Policy, which was adopted by Decree No. 2017-461 of 21 March 2017 and which is aligned with the ECOWAS Regional Policy. The fundamental objective of the National Quality Policy is “to establish a National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) of international level to support the competitiveness of the Senegalese economy and sustainable development by 2035.”

OUR ACTIVITIES

 We identify needs, develop and publish national standards in all sectors.

 The development of national standards in priority areas stems from the implementation of the National Standardization Strategy (SNN). This requires the identification of needs, the mobilization of resources and actors within technical committees (Administration, companies and production companies, private services and public and parapublic bodies, consumers, etc.) and good coordination. We inform, raise awareness and train key players, particularly private sector companies, academics, civil society associations and institutional players on quality tools and on the procedures for assessing compliance with standards and their challenges. . We ensure the promotion of quality in order to support the efforts of economic agents towards customers in the domestic market and the international market, through the establishment of a communication system based on documentation as well as the updating of provision of normative databases. ASN has been organizing the national quality prize since February 1996, known as the “National Quality Oscar” and which has figured prominently in the agenda of the President of the Republic since its creation. The objective of the National Quality Award is to award companies that distinguish themselves in quality management. We represent Senegal at the level of regional and international standardization bodies with the aim of participating in the process of developing standards and promoting their implementation at the national level. We offer a product certification service with the national certification mark "NS-Qualité Senegal" to ensure product compliance with standards but also management system certification. ASN provides national companies with access to normative information and national, regional and international standards.

 VISION

Improve the competitiveness of the economy and the quality of life of Senegalese by involving all stakeholders for sustainable and inclusive development by 2035.

STRATEGIC CHOICES

With a view to fully accomplishing its mission according to its vision, ASN has adopted three major orientations to frame and guide its action over the next three years. These guidelines are as follows:

Strategic orientation 1: Development of human capital

Provide ASN staff with skills, particularly in project management applied to standardization and conformity assessment for greater efficiency.

Strategic Orientation 2: Implementation of a National Standardization Strategy

ASN proposes to set up a National Standardization Strategy (SNN) with the support of all the stakeholders in Senegal. The objective is to link the development of standards as closely as possible to the economic, social, environmental and other priorities of the country, in the most efficient way and by optimizing the use of available national resources.

Strategic orientation 3: Reinforce the ASN quality infrastructure through the development of partnerships

Identify TFPs according to their areas of interest and offer them structuring projects related to quality infrastructure and its components as set out in Senegal's NQP.

OUR PRINCIPLES, Transparency, openness, impartiality, Efficiency and relevance,

OUR SECTORS OF ACTIVITY

The Senegalese Association for Standardization contributes to strengthening the efforts of actors in improving the living environment of populations through the development and promotion of standards in several sectors.

Electrotechnics, Water and Sanitation, Environment, Building, Civil Engineering, Agrifood, Administration, Trade, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy, Financial Services, Domestic Energy, Health, Information and Communication Technology, Circular Economy, Electronic Commerce , ASN is a member of regional and international standardization bodies such as: ECOWAS with ECOWAS with the Standards Harmonization Mechanism (ECOSHAM)

the African Regional Organization for Standardization (RASO/ARSO)

the African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (AFSEC)

the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

IEC Affiliate Country Program (International Electrotechnical Commission)

the Institute for Standardization and. Metrology of Islamic Countries (INMPI/SMIIC)

the Francophone Standardization Network (RNF)

CODEX through the national Codex Alimentarius and is coordinator of the Codex General Principles Committee.