USAID’s Standards Alliance partners with Ivoirian cities for sustainable development
Abidjan, COTE D’IVOIRE – On August 17, 2021, U.S. Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire Richard Bell joined the Minister of Interior and Security, General Vagondo Diomandé and a representative of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Doctor Aboua Gustave, to launch the final module of the Standards Alliance ISO 37101 training series: a two-day workshop for the municipalities of Port-Bouët and Yopougon.
The Standards Alliance is a Public-Private Partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The workshop focused on promoting sustainable development through the adoption of energy- and environmentally-efficient standards and practices. Joining Ambassador Bell, Minister Diomandé and Dr. Gustave were USAID Acting Country Representative Stephen Menard, Port-Bouët Mayor Sylvestre Emmou and a representative of the Mayor of Yopougon, Mr. Coulibaly Issifou.
Ambassador Bell encouraged both communities, stating, “This is an important responsibility they are taking on, and the progress thus far inspires confidence. We look forward to seeing their success as they implement their sustainable city development plans. This is an opportunity to show how communities can bring transformative change through implementing plans that they developed using the international standards they learned.”
The Standards Alliance supports the capacity of developing countries in the areas of legal and regulatory framework, standards development, conformity assessment, and private-sector engagement. The American National Standards Institute is a private, non-profit organization representing more than 270,000 companies and organizations that administers and coordinates the U.S. system of voluntary standards and conformity assessment. During this year-long pilot training series, the Standards Alliance provided training with the goal of empowering both municipalities in sustainable city planning. Currently, the municipalities are finalizing their five-year city development plans using the ISO 37101 methodology.
Grateful for the United States’ support, the Minister of Interior and Security highlighted the impact of the program: “I would like to express my sincere thanks, on behalf of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, to the Government and to the brotherly people of the United States of America, who, through the Embassy of the United States of America in Côte d’Ivoire and USAID, through their technical and financial support, allowed the organization of this important workshop. Indeed, the implementation of the certification project to the ISO 37101 standard – sustainable development of cities in Côte d’Ivoire – is testimony to the good health of Ivoirian-American cooperation which, in addition to the field of community development also addresses governance, democracy, anti-racketeering, health, and security issues through USAID and many other agencies.”
This technical assistance aligns with U.S. climate change priorities while fostering U.S. and Ivoirian collaboration in trade facilitation. This partnership encourages sustainable development at the community level and helps create a more predictable, business-enabling environment.
About USAID/ Côte d’Ivoire:
USAID/ Côte d’Ivoire works in close partnership with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to build Ivoirian economic capacity. USAID’s programs focus on democracy and governance, security-sector reform, and economic recovery, with an emphasis on reconciliation and human rights. For more information please visit https://www.usaid.gov/cote-divoire