The republic Botswana is a relatively small country located inland in southern Africa. It is a well-established democracy with a population of about 2.3 mill and having a strong economy.
The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) is the body responsible for type approval of telecom equipment in the country. In general, according to the Communications Regulatory Act 2012 (CRA), all telecommunications terminal equipment and all radio equipment (including broadcast equipment and postal equipment) must be registered for type approval. The conformity requirements are basically identical to those in the EU and use of Declaration of Conformity according to EU directive 2014/53/EU. The type approval process does not require local laboratory
testing or contact with local representatives.
Now, following a continent-wide trend in Africa, BOCRA has fully migrated its type approval process to an online platform. This move represents both a significant performance tool for the agency and a new set of considerations for the market.
The new digital system is called ‘BOCRA Online Portal’ and is now the mandatory channel for all type approval applications.
The system enables the agency to quantify requests and manage its workflow more efficiently, and documents submitted electronically allow for faster analysis and issuance of certificates, while also providing a secure solution against loss.
Applicants are advised that during the present introduction phase, delays may occur as all stakeholders adapt to this new application process.
To ensure the success of digitally submitted applications for type approval projects and avoid rejection by system, one must carefully ensure that the documentation submitted is complete and correct, and also that payment is made timely to avoid any disruption to the project workflow.
The ‘BOCRA Online Portal’ may be accessed at this site.
For further information, please contact Geremy.Bradshaw@nemko.com
(This article is based on notification from the consulting company TASMAROC; edited by T.Sollie)