KEBS Boss Esther Ngari Moderates WTO Thematic Session on Market Surveillance

The Managing Director of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Esther Ngari, EBS, represented Kenya at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), where she moderated a high-level Thematic Session on Conformity Assessment Procedures: Market Surveillance Risk Assessment Methodologies.

The session brought together global regulators to explore how risk-based market surveillance systems can effectively safeguard consumers while preventing unnecessary trade barriers — a balancing act that has become increasingly complex in the era of e-commerce, direct-to-consumer shipping, and rapidly evolving digital technologies.

Discussions featured regulatory insights from the United States, Colombia, the European Union, South Africa, and Kenya, showcasing innovative approaches to strengthening consumer protection while facilitating fair and efficient trade.

By moderating this critical conversation, Ms. Ngari reinforced Kenya’s growing influence in shaping global standards discourse and demonstrated KEBS’ commitment to advancing smart, risk-informed regulatory frameworks that protect consumers and promote seamless international trade.

The Kenyan delegation also paid a courtesy call to the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations Office in Geneva, where they met H.E. Amb. Dr. Fancy Too, MBS, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva.

The engagement provided an opportunity to reaffirm Kenya’s strategic priorities within the multilateral trading system and strengthen collaboration between regulatory and diplomatic institutions in advancing the country’s global trade agenda.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) remains steadfast in its commitment to developing and implementing standards that facilitate trade, safeguard consumers, and enhance Kenya’s global competitiveness.