Online Reporter
Takunda Gambiza
Zimpapers Reporter
Zimbabwe has taken a major step towards strengthening its standard systems with the launch of a validation workshop for the revised National Quality Policy in Harare yesterday.
The two-day workshop, convened by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with support from the African Union and Germany’s PTB, aims to review and align the country’s quality policy for the 2026–2030 period. The exercise follows the expiry of the 2021–2025 policy and seeks to address gaps identified through nationwide consultations.
Officials emphasised that the revision comes at a time when global trade is increasingly shaped by stringent standards, making quality a strategic imperative rather than an optional extra.
Permanent Secretary for Industry and Commerce, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, represented by Chief Director Dr Douglas Runyowa, noted that while the previous policy — approved by Cabinet in July 2021 — had provided valuable guidance for the country’s quality infrastructure, an update was now necessary.
“Global trade has become increasingly standards-driven and hence quality is no longer optional. It has become a strategic necessity,” Dr Wushe said.
He explained that the new policy framework is designed to strengthen standards development, enhance market surveillance, and improve coordination among enforcement agencies. A key objective is to rid the market of substandard goods that undermine both consumer safety and legitimate business.
“The policy provides for a structured framework to detect, deter and eliminate non-compliant goods from our marketplace in a bid to protect our consumers and safeguard legitimate business,” he said.
Dr Wushe added that extensive consultations had been carried out across all ten provinces to gather input and incorporate lessons learned from the previous policy cycle. “We hope this process will help us develop a robust implementation matrix marked by clear targets, responsibilities and monitoring mechanisms,” he said.
African Union Commission Senior Technical Advisor Dr Oswald Chinyamakobvu welcomed the initiative, stressing that quality infrastructure is fundamental to socio-economic development across the continent.
“Quality infrastructure comprising standardisation, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation is a central and important element of socio-economic development,” he said.
Dr Chinyamakobvu noted that aligning Zimbabwe’s policy with the continental African Quality Policy would help reduce technical trade barriers and enhance the country’s global competitiveness.
“As other African countries are doing this, Zimbabwe will in fact achieve quality infrastructure harmonisation and reduce the incidence of non-tariff barriers,” he said.
However, he cautioned that adoption of the policy alone would not be enough. “What will really bring us satisfaction is to see Zimbabwe improve its trade performance regionally and globally on account of having a robust quality infrastructure,” he said, underscoring the importance of effective implementation.
The workshop is expected to produce a refined National Quality Policy that will guide Zimbabwe’s quality systems through 2030, in alignment with the National Development Strategy 2.
