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SGS’s PCA Services Help to Develop Sustainable Trading in Zanzibar

PCA NewslettersDecember 15, 2022

As Zanzibar’s blue economy develops, SGS is chosen to establish sustainable practice in product conformity assessments.

The archipelago of Zanzibar consists of the two main islands, Pemba and Unguja. The latter is where the capital, Stone Town, part of the wider Zanzibar City is found. In 1964 Zanzibar and Tanganyika were united, creating the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zanzibar now functions as a semi-autonomous province.

As an island province, Zanzibar recognizes the role of the blue economy in promoting socio-economic development through better stewardship of the sea and related resources, with the potential this has for completely transforming the province’s economy. Tanzania’s Annual ICT Conference (TAIC), which is one of the largest international gatherings of information and communications technology (ICT) industry players in the country, was held in Zanzibar during October 2022, with blue ocean economy as the key point. Furthermore, tourism, as one of the fastest growing industries in Zanzibar has attracted more than 62 per cent of investment projects approved by the government. In this drive to develop its blue economy, and in order to ensure the sustainability of solutions and the quality of materials and products, the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) turned to SGS as a valued and trusted partner.

Sustainability and Innovation

Commencing in September 2016, SGS and ZBS implemented a pre-shipment verification of conformity (PVoC) program for general goods with the stated mission to:

  • Ensure the quality and safety of products, and to protect the environment for Zanzibaris, as reflected in the scope of regulated products
  • Minimize the risk of unsafe and sub-standard goods entering Zanzibar through the execution of conformity assessment activities in the country of export. This will help ensure that consumers are protected from unsafe and sub-standard goods, and that Zanzibari manufacturers are not subjected to unfair competition
  • Prohibiting the entry of shoddy and counterfeit products
  • Facilitate the clearance process by eliminating bottlenecks caused by the verification performed on arrival at entry points
  • Establishing a quality import inspection regime that is in harmony with that of member states of the East African Community

Furthermore, to ensure the sustainability of PVoC solutions, SGS has strongly focused on digitalization. Requests for Certificates of Conformity (CoC) may be made through the SGS Exporter Portal. This digital tool improves the customer experience through the submission of requests through a secure web-based app. It is fast, easy to use and available 24/7/365. Further innovations have been developed, including digital inspections which leverage advancements in technology by linking a person physically present at the place of inspection with an SGS inspection affiliate. The inspector is then able to review, in real time, the consignment’s contents, enabling assessment of their compliance with the declaration. This system allows SGS to reduce inspection and turnaround times for PVoC certificate issuance. All CoCs are now available online, requiring no further manual printing of hard copies.

Available trade choices

Trade facilitation supports governments in ensuring public health is safeguarded while allowing the undisrupted movement of goods. Exporters and importers need to select a PVoC provider who is capable of streamlining and expediting the inspection and clearance of goods, in order to optimize their access to regulated markets. SGS has been at the forefront of service provision for this program since its inception and remains the first choice for exporters via our global network of specialist and state-of-the-art facilities. To best assist our valued clients three certification routes are possible:

  • Route A – for unregistered traders and suppliers or manufacturers of sensitive goods.
  • Route B (Registration) – for registered suppliers of manufactured goods and for frequent exporters of homogeneous products.
  • Route C (Licensing) – for certified products from manufacturers and their authorized representatives.

Not sure which route is best for you? Not a problem, SGS is ready and able to provide you with expert advice, and we look forward to making your certification journey as smooth as possible.

Learn more about Zanzibar PVoC Product Conformity Assessment (PCA) Services.

This article can also be found in our PCA Newsletter (Q4/2022) – which keeps you up to date with developments in technical barriers to trade and product conformity assessment.

Read more in our PCA Newsletter

Q4/2022

Q3/2022

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For more information, please contact:

Craig Wilson
Contract Manager
Trade Facilitation Services, SGS
t: +255 767 811 147

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