The Afghanistan Standards and Quality Authority (ASQA) has signed a five-year contract worth $46.3 million with a private international company to strengthen laboratory infrastructure and improve quality control systems across the country.
The agreement aims to enhance quality assessment mechanisms and expand laboratory capacity at the central level as well as at nine major border points.
Scope of the Project
Under the deal, the contracted company will construct and equip standardized laboratory facilities in key sectors, including electrical equipment, construction materials, and textiles, leather, and paper industries.
Officials say the project also includes the procurement and installation of modern laboratory equipment, along with upgrading and calibrating existing technical systems.
Capacity Building and Technical Support
As part of the agreement, foreign experts will be introduced to strengthen institutional capacity, while training programs will be organized for ASQA staff both inside Afghanistan and abroad.
Authorities also confirmed that efforts will be made to align Afghanistan’s quality control system with international standards through certification processes such as ISO accreditation.
Strengthening Border Quality Control
Officials described the project as a significant step toward preventing the entry of substandard goods, improving trade quality monitoring at border crossings, and strengthening Afghanistan’s overall regulatory framework.
They added that the initiative is expected to play a key role in modernizing laboratory services and supporting a more structured quality assurance system across the country.
