The visit, hosted by The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), included a roundtable discussion with the Bureau's leadership and staff on June 29, followed by a high-level courtesy call on the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Mod K. Ceesay, on June 30.
The engagements focused on expanding cooperation between ISO, the Government of The Gambia and national stakeholders to promote quality, innovation, sustainable development and increased competitiveness in regional and international markets.
Welcoming the ISO chief, Director General of The Gambia Standards Bureau, Papa Secka, described the visit as a historic milestone for the institution.
"It is a great honor and privilege that the Secretary-General of ISO chose to visit The Gambia Standards Bureau out of the organization's 177 members worldwide," Secka said.
He highlighted the Bureau's growth since its establishment under the Gambia Standards Bureau Act in 2010, noting that it now has more than 70 staff following the integration of the former Weights and Measures Department.
Secka also traced The Gambia's standards journey, explaining that the country became an ISO member in 2009, before the Bureau was legally established, through a standards focal unit within the Ministry of Trade under the West Africa Quality Project.
According to Secka, ISO has played a pivotal role in building the Bureau's technical capacity by sponsoring training programs, supporting the development of The Gambia's first National Standardization Strategy and providing access to ISO standards. He added that the Bureau has developed, harmonized and adopted about 500 standards, many of them based on ISO standards.
Chairman of the TGSB Board of Directors, Dr. Ernest Aubee, said The Gambia has made significant progress in strengthening its national quality infrastructure over the past 18 months.
Among the achievements he highlighted were the enactment of a new Legal Metrology Act in 2025, the integration of the Weights and Measures Department into the Bureau, the country's membership in the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), and ongoing work to develop organic standards with support from the European Union.
Addressing participants, Mujica described international standards as essential tools for economic development, global trade and consumer protection.
"Standards are an invitation for excellence," he said. "They help organization's work more efficiently, improve quality, reduce costs and serve as a passport for international trade."
He encouraged The Gambia to move beyond adopting standards to becoming an active contributor by increasing the participation of Gambian experts in ISO technical committees.
Speaking during the courtesy meeting, Trade Minister Mod K. Ceesay thanked ISO for selecting The Gambia for the visit despite its relatively small size.
He said the choice demonstrated that every member country has an important role to play in global trade.
"As a country, we will continue to play our rightful role in the development of international standards," the minister said.
Ceesay reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening the national quality infrastructure and expanding collaboration with ISO through capacity building and greater participation in international standards development.
