South Sudan WFP partnership for lab renovation
The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) has signed an agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) to support the renovation of the bureau’s laboratory, according to a statement issued by the agency (Eye Radio).
The SSNBS said the partnership is expected to improve laboratory services and contribute to trade facilitation, food safety and broader quality assurance across the country (Eye Radio).
Testing capacity, standards compliance and public health
The agreement also covers renovating and equipping laboratory facilities. The bureau said the upgraded set-up will help it safeguard public health and strengthen compliance with national standards (Eye Radio).
Gloria Nyoka, executive director of the SSNBS, praised WFP’s continued support. She said the bureau remains focused on building sustainable partnerships that advance public health protection and quality infrastructure development in South Sudan (Eye Radio).
SSNBS mandate: quality control, certification and market surveillance
The SSNBS is a government agency responsible for developing and enforcing national standards on quality, safety and trade. Its stated role is to protect consumers while supporting fair commerce (Eye Radio).
The bureau’s work includes product testing, certification, market surveillance, metrology and capacity building. It says these functions help align goods with national and international standards linked to economic development (Eye Radio).
Border enforcement and recent food safety action
The bureau says it continues to intercept poor-quality and faulty products at border points. Such checks, it argues, form part of a wider effort to keep unsafe goods out of domestic markets (Eye Radio).
This week, the SSNBS said it destroyed about 2,000 cartons of spoiled chicken confiscated at the Nimule border point while en route to Juba, citing food safety concerns (Eye Radio).