Puntland Parliament Approves Long-Awaited Consumer Safety and Standards Bill

Garowe (Sahan Post):— The Puntland State Government is moving forward with plans to establish a Consumer Safety and Standards Authority, as the draft law underpinning the agency has been submitted to the House of Representatives for approval.

For the first time, the Sixth Puntland Parliament has drafted a comprehensive bill to regulate product quality and safety—an initiative widely viewed as long overdue. On Thursday, lawmakers passed the legislation, paving the way for the creation of an independent authority responsible for inspecting and certifying goods once it is signed by the president and published in the government’s official bulletin.

According to the provisions of the bill, the new authority will oversee the quality of food, water, medicine, and all other products entering Puntland. It will also inspect domestically manufactured goods as well as items prepared for export.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over substandard and expired products entering Somali markets, particularly through major ports. Many imported goods arrive without adequate inspection, resulting in large quantities being destroyed annually, while others slip through and are consumed by the public—posing significant health risks, including cancer and other serious illnesses.

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