UNIDO and Switzerland launch Global Quality and Standards Programme project in South Africa

The Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa (the dti), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have signed a €1.38 million project to support South Africa’s efforts to improve the international competitiveness of South African indigenous essential and vegetable oils.

The project was launched at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens by the acting Deputy Director General of the dti, Dr Tebogo Makube, the Swiss Ambassador H.E. Helene Budliger Artieda, and UNIDO Representative, Khaled El Mekwad. The event brought together high-level public and private sector representatives from the South African technical quality infrastructure system, enterprises from the essential oils sector and the international development agencies.

The objective of the three and half year project is to strengthen the quality and standards compliance capacity to facilitate market access for SMEs in the essential and vegetable oils value chain destined for food, health and cosmetic markets.

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For more information:  Mr. Juan Pablo Davila (J.Davila [at] unido.org)