SADC Accreditation Service (SADCAS) hosted it’s 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 26th March 2025 in the Peniel Retreat Centre, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The meeting was attended by the General Assembly members comprising the SADCAS Board and Management, National Accreditation Focal Points (NAFPs) and stakeholders.
Highlights from the AGM included celebrating 16 years of SADCAS operation and milestones for the 2023/24 period;
- As of 31 March 2024, The cumulative number of accredited facilities and certificates grew by 19% and 13% respectively over 2022/23.
- 304 training courses have been held as at 26 February 2025
- PTB Germany continued to support SADCAS, as they recently funded the National Accreditation Focal Points(NAFPs) Workshop held on 23 November 2024, whose aim was to improve overall effectiveness of NAFPs.
By 31st March 2024, SADCAS had registered:
- Team leaders
- 156 technical assessors
- 25 technical experts
- Continue to build awareness on the benefits of accreditation & the MRAs & market SADCAS service offerings so as to enhance the impact of our services on the economies.
- Ensure continued credibility of SADCAS services.
- Fully implement digital transformation and streamline core business processes to improve efficiency of services.
- Develop new accreditation schemes in the SADC, Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and AfCFTA priority sectors.
- Maintain international recognition for the for TLAS, CLAS including Legal Metrology Accreditation Scheme (LMAS), MLAS, IBAS, VLAS, CBAS – MS Sub-scopes EMS, OHSMS and FSMS and CBAS -Prod)
Signatory Status in ILAC MRA and IAF MLA:
- Extend international recognition for PTAS (Proficiency Testing)
- Develop, attract and retain the intellectual capital, skills, knowledge and expertise of staff, assessors and trainers so as to deliver credible accreditation services.
- Continue to strengthen the effectiveness of NAFPs.
- Ensure financial sustainability of SADCAS beyond 2027.
- Develop and advocate for a consequence management system for the non-payment of Government contributions towards SADCAS sustainability.
