Zimbabwe passes Nat Biotech Authority Act

Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, has signed into law the National Biotechnology Authority Act, which establishes a new regulatory authority of the industry.

As a consequence of the new legislation, the southern African country's Biosafety Board is to be incorporated into the National Biotechnology Authority. The resulting agency has the power to impose levies on producers, processors and consumers of biotechnology products. It will also establish biosafety committees at each of Zimbabwe's biotechnology research centers.

Abisai Mafa, the Biosafety Board's registrar, told the Zimbabwe Standard newspaper that "the gap between rich and poor countries is a result of applying technology in whatever form. Developing countries have the resources but cannot develop them and biotechnology will help Zimbabwe overcome this challenge."