ZIMBABWE, BANGLADESHI FIRM PLAN NEW DRUG PLANT

An unnamed pharmaceutical company based in Bangladesh is currently in active negotiations with authorities in Zimbabwe to build a new drug manufacturing plant in the country. The value of the investment would be small in US dollar terms, but the new facility could serve disaster-struck Zimbabwe's import substitution policy well.

The plan has been supported by a meeting of drug regulators and private companies from countries including Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Zambia, as well as member states of the East African Community. The working group is also to explore improving mutual recognition procedures for drug registrations between the various countries.