Key achievements of the QuaLeb Programme of MoET notably at the level of food safety

The activities of the twinning programme within the QuaLeb Programme implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MoET) with EU funding were concluded yesterday during a closing event held at the Serail under the auspices of Minister Alain Hakim and with the participation of the EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst.
The director of the QuaLeb Programme within the Ministry, Ali Berro, noted in his speech during the event that the programme has been able to achieve most of its objectives and the activities implemented exceeded 92% of what was planned.  He confirmed that the quality unit within the MoET will continue to provide technical assistance throughout 2015. This initiative provides support to five departments within the public sector to enable them to introduce and implement a quality control system within their work.  The director of the implementing partner organization, the British Standards Institution (BSI), David Bell, presented the achievements of the programme namely the development of a National Measurement Standard through the enactment of nine decrees, setting up three monitoring and control councils, creating nine laboratories, training 130 directors and workers on ISO 17025 as well as launching a new website for the Trade Information Center which provides info to Lebanese producers on export rules.  Bell also added that the Quality Unit worked also on spreading awareness regarding quality and excellence which helped in turn in raising the standards of safety of products and services and in improving the competitiveness of exported products and creating new jobs for quality experts.
Minister Hakim added that the strategic aim of the project is to contribute to improving the legal and institutional framework of quality in Lebanon, in order to make national products safer for consumers and improve their competitiveness in international markets.  He added that the project has set up firm foundations for completing the quality infrastructure notably at the level of food safety.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar, Al-Safir 30 September 2014