The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has published a set of three guiding documents titled ‘Quality Policy – Guiding Principles’, ‘Quality Policy – A Practical Tool’, and ‘Quality Policy – Technical Guide’, which build on its extensive experience in developing national and regional quality policies. IAF, along with the other members of the International Network of Quality Infrastructure (INetQI), contributed to this project.

• These documents are designed to aid developing economies and transition economies in creating inclusive and sustainable quality policies for effective quality infrastructure (QI) systems, which can open access to international markets and enable producers to meet local regulatory requirements. The use of a formally recognized quality policy to guide a QI system can also aid in fulfilling other government policy objectives, like industrial development, competitiveness in global markets and participation in international value chains, efficient use of resources, food safety, health, the environment, and climate change.

The documents can be downloaded from the UNIDO website or ordered directly from UNIDO, subject to availability. Copies will also be available at the Qualify Infrastructure Forum being held on 04 April 2019 in Brussels, Belgium, which is being organized by UNIDO in cooperation with the African Union. The event will focus on best practices of QI for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), and how sustainability standards can assist the private sector in achieving the SDGs.