Pretoria- Wednesday 6th December 2023
Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) Board Chairperson Ian Mupeta says the benchmarking study visit to South Africa’s National Quality Infrastructure Institutions will enhance collaboration between the two countries in the area of standards.
The (ZCSA) board is in South Africa on a benchmarking study visit to Quality Infrastructure Institutions of South Africa to understand, appreciate, and draw lessons on the level of development of the National Quality Infrastructure and Governance institutions.
Speaking when his delegation paid a courtesy call on Zambia High Commissioner to South Africa Ms. Mazuba Monze yesterday, Mr Mupeta says the study visit will create a platform for the delegation to meet relevant institutions, share knowledge, and learn from each other on best practices aimed at improving standards and identify areas of collaboration between the two countries.
He says the visit will give insights to the Zambian delegation on how best national quality can contribute to national development as well as interfacing with South African institutions.
He says the idea is to pick vital lessons on how similar institutions operate elsewhere and identify best practices which can be implemented in Zambia.
He says the Zambian Government established the National Quality Policy (NQP) to align the National Quality Infrastructure Institutions with international best practices and that the policy provides for the restructuring of the National Quality Infrastructure Institutions by reorganizing and establishing new ones.
He said the reforms included restructuring of the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to hive off the regulatory functions of enforcing standards, establishment of the Zambia Compulsory Agency (ZSCA) to be responsible for the enforcement of mandatory standards and the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) formerly the Zambian Weights and Measures Agency (ZWMA) to be responsible for national measurements.
He has since thanked the Zambia High Commission in South Africa for facilitating the visit and for the support rendered to the delegation.
And Zambia High Commissioner to South Africa Ms. Mazuba Monze says such engagements between Zambia and other countries in the region are important as they enhance knowledge and understanding between countries.
Ms Monze says the benchmarking visit will benefit the nation as it has provided a platform for establishing areas of collaboration and the partnerships.
The Zambian delegation will conclude its study tour of National Quality Infrastructure Institutions in South Africa on December 8, 2023.
The benchmarking visit will include various programs such as consultative meetings, and will also have tours such as visiting the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), and the National Metrology Institute of South Africa(NMISA), among others.
This is contained in a statement issued by Zambia’s high mission first Secretary for Press and Public Relations in South Africa Tamara Nyirenda.
