Trust and quality standards are essential for fair trade. Ethiopia is currently working intensively to establish a national quality system in order to strengthen its economy and meet international standards. A central component of this project is the development of a modern metrology infrastructure. The Ethiopian Metrology Institute (EMI) in Addis Ababa plays a key role in this endeavor—and relies on technology and expertise from GTM.

Precision as the basis for progress
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, with much of its population living below the poverty line. Long-term economic development is crucial to reducing poverty. The country aims to create the conditions for reliable trade, both domestically and internationally, by establishing a national quality system. The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MOTRI) is managing this initiative, and the Ethiopian Metrology Institute (EMI) is laying the technical groundwork. The goal is for the EMI to become one of Africa's leading metrological institutions by 2030. 

An important step toward making measurements traceable to international standards and strengthening quality assurance in industry and trade has been taken by equipping the EMI's force laboratory with force standard measuring devices and force transfer standards from GTM.

A project with a long start-up phase – and a strong finish
GTM delivered the measuring equipment in 2020. However, since the institute's buildings were not yet complete, installation was postponed. It was not until 2025 that the project team was able to successfully complete installation and commissioning – and received a warm welcome in the process. "Due to the delays and initial problems, our colleagues arrived with mixed feelings — and were completely surprised by the extent of the helpfulness, hospitality, and professionalism of the EMI staff," reports Daniel Schwind, Head of Metrology at GTM.

A contribution that connects
The project demonstrates how technical precision and international cooperation go hand in hand. With the successful commissioning of the force standard measuring equipment, GTM is making an important contribution to strengthening the global metrological infrastructure – and supporting Ethiopia on its path to greater quality, trust, and economic independence.

Or, as one colleague aptly put it:

“The EMI's force laboratory is always worth a visit.”