Zambia MOU Perspectives Presented

Margaret Lungu, ASTM Standards Expert Program alumna (2006), of the Zambia Bureau of Standards, presented the Zambian perspective on the benefits of the ASTM memorandum of understanding program at the meeting of the Southern African Development Community - Cooperation in Standardization on March 23. The SADC-STAN met in conjunction with the annual meetings of the SADC - Standardization, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SADC-SQAM) in Gaborone, Botswana.

SADC is a treaty organization with the objective of fostering socio-economic growth among its member states. SADC-STAN promotes the coordination of standardization activities and services in the region with the purpose of achieving harmonization of standards and technical regulations. Lungu's presentation was part of ASTM's presentation to the leaders of the 15 national standards bodies comprising the SADC. ASTM has signed MOUs with nine of the 15 SADC members.

Teresa Cendrowska, vice president of global cooperation at ASTM International, took the opportunity to underscore information about the ASTM MOU program, related training programs available to MOU signatories and the value of standards in regulation and trade, as well as to recommend committee participation and utilization of ASTM's electronic tools. ASTM invited three MOU partners - Mozambique's Instituto Nacional de Normalização e Qualidade, South African Bureau of Standards and Zambia Bureau of Standards - to present information on the benefits they have accrued as ASTM MOU signatories. The presentation was well received, generated several questions and identified opportunities for additional collaboration with existing MOU partners and the potential for new MOU partners.