THE Ministry of Industry and Commerce is holding stakeholder consultation workshops across the country on the Zimbabwe National Quality Policy to gather input to be used in updating the existing policy, which will guide the quality standards.
The workshops, which have been held in provinces and other locations like Mutare, Masvingo, Beitbridge, Marondera, Chinhoyi and Bindura, have been organised to discuss the draft successor policy to the current one, which expires at the end of 2025.
Stakeholders will also convene in Bulawayo, Gweru and Lupane, before the consultations, which began on November 17, end on November 28, 2025.
Industry and Commerce permanent secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe said the NQP was approved by Cabinet in July 2021 and was scheduled to cover the period 2021 to 2025 as a precursor instrument to guide the development and operation of the Quality Infrastructure (QI).
“The core objectives set out in the National Quality policy include to establish a framework of enhanced coordination and collaboration among the National Quality Infrastructure and Technical Regulation Institutions.
“It also ensures that goods and services produced in Zimbabwe and supplied in local, regional and international markets comply with the stated and intended quality requirements,” he said.
He said the policy was key to ensuring that quality consciousness is raised amongst both the suppliers and consumers to inculcate a culture of quality, while also developing the human resources necessary to support the various standardisation, quality and technical regulation programmes.
Dr Wushe said it was important to promote and maintain a quality culture in public life and throughout society.
“The NQP is expiring in 2025, necessitating a comprehensive stakeholder consultation to address the gaps identified in the current policy, incorporate lessons learned from the implementation experience (2021-2025),” he added.
“We need to align the policy with the Africa Quality Policy and other relevant international standards and best practices, while also incorporating considerations related to technological advancements and their impact on quality.
The permanent secretary said the goal was to develop a robust implementation matrix with clear targets, responsibilities and monitoring mechanisms.
He said as stakeholders convene at different locations in the provinces, they stand at a pivotal moment in shaping the future of the National Quality Infrastructure, which aims to establish and implement a framework of standardisation, conformity assessment, metrology and accreditation to enhance competitiveness.
Further, it would facilitate global trade and ensure quality, safety and environmental soundness of goods and services within the economy.
“This is especially important as we face the scourge of counterfeit and sub-standard products on our market. To effectively respond to this menace, we need to strengthen our quality infrastructure frameworks and capabilities.”
Dr Wushe said stakeholders’ commitment and willingness to shape the future of quality programmes through insights, expertise and the diverse perspectives were key to identifying potential areas of improvement and develop a more comprehensive Zimbabwe National Quality Policy 2026-2030.
He said every input was very important in the development of the new NQP.
The NQP is part of a larger Government strategy that includes re-industrialisation, increased production, and creation of a favourable business environment to support local industries, as outlined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) (2021-2025).
Its review will be critical for NDS2, while it also comes at a time when Zimbabwe is in the process of ramping up value addition and beneficiation of its products so that the country can benefit from the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the potential to boost intra-African trade by 45 percent to 53 percent. This increase, valued at up to US$275,7 billion, is projected to be achieved through reducing import duties and non-tariff barriers, particularly benefiting sectors like manufacturing and agribusiness.
The agreement is also expected to lift millions out of poverty and significantly increase Africa’s overall income.-herald
