By Olimatou Coker
The Secretary General of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Sergio Mujica, visited The Gambia from 29–30 June to advance national standardisation and strengthen the country’s quality infrastructure.
Hosted by the Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), the two‑day mission underscores ISO’s commitment to helping developing countries build robust standardisation systems that support inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. TGSB has been an ISO member since 2012.
ISO is an independent, non‑governmental organization of national standards bodies from more than 170 countries that develops internationally recognised standards to support trade, innovation, safety, sustainability and economic development.
During the visit, Mujica held high‑level meetings with government ministers, business leaders, and TGSB management and staff. Discussions focused on consolidating The Gambia’s national quality infrastructure, improving compliance with international standards, fostering innovation, and creating an enabling environment for Gambian businesses to compete regionally and globally.
The programme opened on 29 June with a meeting between the ISO Secretary General and TGSB leadership at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre (SDKJ‑ICC).
Welcoming Mujica, TGSB Director General Papa Secka described the visit as a significant honour and noted ISO’s targeted support since The Gambia joined the organisation. He highlighted ISO’s role in capacity building, technical training, and in developing The Gambia’s first National Standardization Strategy. Since its establishment in 2010, the Bureau has expanded to more than 70 staff and has developed, harmonised, or adopted about 500 national standards, many aligned with ISO benchmarks.
Mr Mujica said ISO’s strength lies in collective expertise across its 177 member countries. He emphasised that a standard is more than a document — its value lies in the technical knowledge it conveys. “Standards help organisations work more efficiently, improve quality, reduce costs and serve as a passport for international trade,” he said. He urged The Gambia to move beyond adoption toward active contribution by increasing Gambian expert participation in ISO technical committees.
TGSB Board Chairman Dr Ernest Abube reviewed recent milestones, including the enactment of the new Legal Metrology Act, integration of the Weights and Measures Department into the Bureau, The Gambia’s membership in the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), and ongoing development of organic and halal standards. He thanked ISO for continued support and reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to strengthening quality infrastructure to boost trade, industry, agriculture and tourism.
On 30 June, Mr Mujica met Trade Minister Mod K Ceesay at the Ministry of Trade. The minister thanked ISO for selecting The Gambia for the visit, noting the country’s willingness to play an active role in standards development despite its small size.
“We take this responsibility seriously and will continue to empower our standards bureau to advance global trade,” he said.
Later the same day, Mr Mujica held a round‑table with business executives and chambers of commerce at the SDKJ‑ICC. Stakeholders discussed how international standards can enhance product quality, protect consumers, increase industrial competitiveness and promote sustainable economic development, and explored strategies to scale institutional capacity and standard adoption across key sectors.
The visit cements a growing partnership between ISO and The Gambia and reaffirms both parties’ commitment to standards that facilitate trade, drive innovation and raise the quality of Gambian goods and services.
