The equipment financed by the European Union should guarantee greater certification of the quality of Angolan products, aiming for their international commercialization, especially in Europe, said the EU ambassador to Angola, Rosário Bento, who made the announcement during a visit to the laboratory.
The diplomat was speaking at the end of the visit, in Luanda, where she formalized the delivery of laboratory equipment, already installed in the microbiology laboratory, and highlighted that the equipment does not just represent a material contribution.
The support aims to strengthen national food quality control capabilities to ensure compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary technical and safety standards but "further enriches the content of our cooperation with the Government of Angola and at the same time is also a tangible sign of progress and development of the same cooperation", she said.
EU support for the project, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the entity that oversees the Central Agro-food Laboratory, also includes technical assistance and training of trainers to handle the equipment.
"We are going to provide training to the country to be able to provide training at a national level and we are here to be able to contribute to this desired international certification", said Rosário Bento.
The Secretary of State for Forests, André Moda, highlighted the importance of SNCQA for citizens' food security, asking for dedication and commitment from laboratory technicians.
Regarding the international certification of the laboratory, located in the municipality of Cazenga, in Luanda, the official said that the process is ongoing, without, however, advancing a time horizon.
André Moda also mentioned that the country has 26 quality control laboratories, which are "poorly equipped" and regretted that a third batch of equipment for the Central Agro-food Laboratory, within the scope of EU funding, is still "blocked" by the services Angolan taxes.
