ABOUT

1. Fostering collaboration among accreditation bodies in SADC and facilitating collaboration between Member States having accreditation bodies and those without.
2. Assisting and supporting the establishment of national or multi-economy accreditation bodies in SADC.
3. Creation and maintenance of a system for the recognition of accreditation bodies in SADC within the framework of and consistent with global MRA/MLA international requirements.
4. Coordination and facilitation of liaison with other regional and international organisations concerned with accreditation such as International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), Inter American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC), Asian Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC), European Accreditation (EA), African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) and Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC).
5. Representation of SADC in international accreditation and other quality infrastructure for a.
6. Promotion and expansion of the recognition and acceptance of the MRA in SADC internationally in both the voluntary and regulatory areas.
7. Development of and managing training and technical assistance programs for transferring expertise and technical information, sharing of information and activities identified to assist new or developing accreditation programs, among present and potential members.
8. Harmonisation of accreditation practices within SADC in compliance with international requirements.
9. Establishment of an information system such as a database on accreditation bodies, Proficiency Testing (PT) schemes and qualified technical assessors, etc.
10. Finding ways to reduce costs incurred by SADC accreditation bodies associated with obtaining and maintaining full membership to ILAC/IAF, in particular pre-peer and peer evaluation processes.

The General Assembly (GA) is the policy making organ of the SADCA comprising of all Members of the Cooperation.

The Executive Committee (EXCO) is the body responsible for implementation of SADCA policy as defined by the GA.

The Technical Committee (TC) and its’ sub-Committees is the body that implements SADCA’s technical mandate in the following accreditation areas: laboratories (testing and calibration), inspection and certification.

The Administrative Committees are responsible for the Cooperation’s various administrative activities, namely marketing, communication and finances.

The day-to day running of SADCA is undertaken by the Secretariat, which is headed by a Regional Coordinator. The Secretariat and Regional Coordinator function is provided by a SADC Member State institution hosts the Secretariat and provides the Regional Coordinator function.

The SADCA Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Council is the body that is responsible to make decisions on the acceptance of applications to the SADCA MRA, the granting, maintenance, suspension and withdrawal of Memberships from the MRA. The MRA Council also reviews peer evaluation report findings.

The SADCA MRA Committee is the body that is responsible to plan and manage the implementation and maintenance of SADCA’s MRAs. The MRA Committee is also responsible to establish the criteria to qualify peer evaluators and lead evaluators, as well as plan and monitor the peer evaluation process.

The day-to day running of the SADCA MRA will be undertaken by the Secretariat.  The Secretariat will be provided by a Member State institution that is a SADCA MRA signatory and that hosts the Secretariat