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THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT OF ZANZIBAR

Zanzibar Bureau of Standards

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Standards | Quality | Life

PRESS RELEASE ZBS AND TMEA

Zanzibar, 15 February, 2022.
The Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) have signed a
financing support agreement aimed to increase efficiency and effectiveness of ZBS in the
development and implementation of standards in Zanzibar. The financing support agreement
was signed by Ms. Monica Hangi, TMEA Tanzania Country Director and Mr. Yusuph Majid
Nassor, the Director General of ZBS.
Speaking on the agreement, TMEA Tanzania Country Director Ms. Monica Hangi said,
“Trademark East Africa continues its commitment to supporting trade, through improving
quality and standards of products produced and traded in Tanzania (both mainland and
Zanzibar). This support to ZBS is aimed to complement the support provided in the mainland
through TBS, to ensure ZBS provides high services, and conforms to international best
practises in standardization, quality assurance, and metrology. The support will improve
promotion of product standards and compliance to private sector, improve lab capacities and
quality management, and automate processes for improved efficiency”
Several challenges face the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards in the development and
implementation of standards, leading to reduced compliance to standards by private sector and
increased delays in trading. Further, ZBS core operations and supporting functions remain
manual and paper based. Customers are forced to move around from branch to branch, causing
delays, costs, and congestion. Despite several efforts made by ZBS to address these and other
challenges facing the Bureau, significant issues remain, including limited awareness of
standards by private sector, and hence adoption of standards; limited-service delivery
mechanism; and delays in conducting and issuing testing results for products.
To address these challenges, ZBS through TMEA support intends to commence interventions
aimed to automate ZBS processes and improve its services delivery to its stakeholders. Part of
the support will involve developing a standardization and quality assurance training
programme (automated) for private sector (MSMEs) and developing an integrated
Standardization and Quality Management Information System (ISQMIS) that will automate
key ZBS processes.
In addition, TMEA will also support an accreditation and standardization programme that will
aim to support ZBS with domestication of regionally harmonized standards and have its
processes, systems, and labs accredited.
Trademark East Africa (TMEA) has planned to invest more than 1 billion Tanzania Shillings
for these interventions. This support will ensure ZBS improves its capacity to deliver quality
services to its stakeholders, and ultimately, contribute to time and costs reduction for trading.
Ms. Monica further iterated that “The project will increase ZBS’s capacity and also provide a
strong avenue for private sector and MSMEs in Zanzibar to access, understand, and use
standards in their activities, which will also boost their exports by supporting access to
regional and international markets”
TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) is an aid-for-trade organisation that was established with the
aim of growing prosperity in East Africa through increased trade. TradeMark East Africa
(TMEA) operates on a not-for-profit basis and is funded by the development agencies of the
following countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Union, Finland, Ireland,
Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom and United States of America. TradeMark East Africa
(TMEA) TMEA works closely with regional intergovernmental organisations, including the
African Union (AU), East Africa Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD), Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern
Africa Development Community (SADC), national governments, the private sector and civil
society organisations.
Speaking at the event, ZBS Director General said “Zanzibar Bureau of Standards was
established, among other functions to ensure products produced locally for export or domestic
consumption and imported products for consumption in the country are of desired standards,
meet the intended quality and remain safe while consumed by both citizens and our
environment. Hence, our main activities focus on living with standards, assuring with quality
products and nourishing with a safe life”
He further iterated that, “Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) is committed to help and support
all stakeholders, including manufacturers, SMEs, exporters, importers and consumers in their
operations and market access. We practise our responsibilities as partners in standards and
qualities with an ethical approach ‘without fear or favor’ but professionalism will steer our
wheel”
He further added, “with the support of the government of Zanzibar (SMZ) and development
partners, we aim to make ZBS one of the leading Institutions across the region as well as in
Africa. Over the next five (5) years, ZBS will embark on a journey to modernize the Institution
by providing services to the public which have international standards.The modernization
program; will involve injection of almost 5 million Dollar that will come through Government
support, development partners and Internal sources.
Issued by:
DIRECTOR GENERAL
TAASISI YA VIWANGO ZANZIBAR
S.L.P 1136
ZANZIBAR
WWW.ZBS.GO.TZ
BARUA PEPE;INFO@ZBS.GO.TZ

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