Bureau Veritas Empowers Zambian Traders to Improve Quality of Their Exported Goods
Bureau Veritas a leading global inspection, certification and testing company concluded training workshops on pre-export Verification of Conformity for local export traders in Ndola and Lusaka, respectively.
Aimed at equipping local exporters with expertise necessary to meet international quality and safety standards thereby increasing Zambia’s competitiveness and export revenues.
This is in support of the eighth national development plan (8NDP) which aims to continue promoting exports as a strategy for long-term economic growth. This is envisaged will be achieved by increasing traditional exports of commodities such as copper, widening the export base of non-traditional exports will increase export earnings. Especially in key sectors of the economy such as agriculture, manufacturing and mining.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Richard Zulu from the Zambian Association of Manufacturing said “these workshops, which have provided our members with valuable insights into international trade requirements. By equipping our manufacturers with the knowledge to meet global quality standards, Bureau Veritas is playing a crucial role in strengthening the competitiveness of Zambian products in the international market.”
Also sharing his sentiments on the outcome of the workshops, Joseph Malisawa, President at Ndola Chamber of Commerce, and Industry, said “The partnership with Bureau Veritas has been instrumental in elevating our export community’s understanding of conformity regulations”.
He further noted that these workshops have not only empowered the local exporters but have also contributed to building trust in Zambian products.
“We commend Bureau Veritas for their commitment to fostering economic growth through sustainable trade practices. It is essential to expand such programs to rural areas, supporting traders involved in non-traditional exports,” he said.
Lamenting that in the past, Zambia has faced issues with the dumping of sub-standard goods in the country. This he said will be significantly curbed through the work done by the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) and Bureau Veritas, in ensuring a future that only quality products come into the country, thereby also protecting consumers from counterfeit and substandard goods.
Mervin Kamoetie, Director of Government Services at Bureau Veritas affirmed the company’s commitment for supporting Zambia’s national development plan by building on the success of the consignment-based conformity assessment in Zambia.
“We are committed to being a strategic and value adding partner to Zambia, and we see these capacity building workshops as a crucial step in building a strong foundation that will unlock opportunities presented by the Africa continental free trade area agreement and markets beyond the continent.