The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have reached a major milestone in their joint efforts to promote environmentally sustainable trade in Africa. During the 72nd ARSO Council Meeting, held from 23 to 24 June 2025 in Zanzibar as part of the 31st ARSO General Assembly, ten new African Sustainability Standards were officially approved—representing a significant output of the ongoing Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between ECA and ARSO.

The ten newly approved standards provide comprehensive guidance on ecolabelling and sustainability practices across key sectors—including construction, textiles, fashion, mining, tourism, and agriculture. These standards were developed by ARSO’s Technical Committee (TC61) on sustainability standards and are aligned with international principles of standardization, ensuring credibility, transparency, and broad applicability.