Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 7/23/2019

Overview

The Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS – www.bobs.co.bw ) is a parastatal organization that develops and implements national Botswana standards.  Separate government ministries, parastatals, and private companies can develop standards specifically for their own institutions, however, only BOBS is recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has the authority to create national standards.  The procedures used in the development of standards comply with the World Trade Organization’s code of good practice for the development of standards.

Botswana’s standards regime consists of compulsory and voluntary standards.  Compulsory standards affect human health, safety, environment or export, which BOBS monitors to ensure compliance.  BOBS enforces compulsory standards on seven products: petroleum gas, poultry feed, pre-packaged goods for consumers, cereals/sorghum grains for consumption, cattle feeds, garments, and drinking water.  Voluntary standards are not binding or legally required, but compliance may increase product competitiveness.

Altogether, there are more than 600 Botswana standards that have been published for different sectors in Botswana.  A standards catalogue is now available to the public at the BOBS Information Department.  Any foreign entity or company that is accredited in its home country is allowed to certify products in Botswana.
                                                                                                                                                                               

Standards

BOBS is the sole organization that develops national standards, and it has an annual plan of standards.  The National Food Control Board is the only other organization in Botswana that develops an annual plan.  BOBS sends its plan annually to the ISO.
                                                                                                                                                                                               

Testing, Inspection and Certification

Conformity Assessment
BOBS provides conformity assessments in testing, certification, and inspections.  The government-created National Testing System (NTS) is made up of all government, private, and parastatal laboratories.  Through a Memorandum of Agreement with BOBS, these laboratories do testing for the Government whenever it is needed.  Whenever BOBS receives a request for testing or calibration, the request is passed on to a relevant laboratory. 
However, according to the Director of Standards, BOBS has well-equipped laboratories and continues to equip others to carry out testing, though they still send some requests outside the country.

Product Certification
Any public or private body whose product satisfies all the requirements of a Botswana product standard can apply to BOBS for the product to be certified.  Samples of the product are then tested to verify its conformance to the requirements of the product standard, and if the results are acceptable, the product can then obtain the BOBS certification mark.

There are benefits to product certification.  The construction industry is one of the major users of standards in Botswana.  The GOB has insisted that materials and products for construction must be BOBS-certified.  No waivers are available for compulsory standards.

Botswana has no mutual recognition agreements (MRA’s) on standards with U.S. organizations.

Accreditation
The Government has no national accreditation body.  Laboratory reports are sent to the accreditation boards in South Africa, Mauritius, or the United Kingdom.  SADC countries established a regional accreditation organization called the Southern African Development Committee for Accreditation Services (SADCAS).
 

Publication of Technical Regulations

Use the following boilerplate language to Notify U.S.:

“Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade.  Notify U.S. (www.nist.gov/notifyus) is a free, web-based e-mail registration service that captures and makes available for review and comment key information on draft regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  Users receive customized e-mail alerts when new notifications are added by selected country(ies) and industry sector(s) of interest, and can also request full texts of regulations.  This service and its associated web site are managed and operated by the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.” 
 

Contact Information

Botswana Bureau of Standards:

Physical Address
Plot No. 55745
Block 8, Gaborone
Main Airport Road
                        
Postal Address
Private Bag B048
Gaborone, Botswana

Tel: (+267) 3903200
Fax: (+267) 3903120
Email: infoc@hq.bobstandards.bw

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.