The Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) held a meeting with the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to discuss matters of collaboration to be formalized by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this year.

The Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) held a meeting with the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to discuss matters of collaboration to be formalized by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this year.

The two institutions have interacted and collaborated on several projects and activities, such as the CEEC’s technical committee meetings to assess the technical and financial viability and appropriateness of the finances required by the applicants, the Aquaculture Seed Fund Project in 2020, and the implementation of the skills development and entrepreneurship project supporting Women and Youths sponsored by the African Development Bank in 2021.

Collaboration between the ZMA and the CEEC will have several benefits, such as improved accuracy and reliability of measurements. By collaborating with CEEC (which is tasked with promoting the economic empowerment of Zambian citizens), the Agency can better understand the measurement needs of different industries and develop appropriate standards and calibration procedures. This can lead to more accurate measurements, which can improve product quality and safety, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.

Further, the collaboration between the ZMA and CEEC has the potential to enhance economic empowerment as both entities can help businesses comply with measurement standards and regulations, which can increase their competitiveness in local and international markets. This can lead to increased economic growth and job creation, which can benefit both the citizens and the country's economy as a whole.

Lastly, with improved policy and regulatory frameworks, the collaboration between ZMA and CEEC will identify gaps in policy and regulatory frameworks related to measurement and economic empowerment. This can eventually lead to the development of new or revised policies and regulations that are better suited to the needs of different industries and stakeholders. By ensuring that policies and regulations are evidence-based and effective, ZMA and CEEC can help promote sustainable economic development in Zambia.

The interaction between the two will cover, but not limited to providing technical training supported by the Lobito Trade Facilitation Project through the African Development Bank (AfDB), the appraisal of projects for clients whose proposals are in line with trade measurements, technical capacity building for potential clients in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and mining, as well as technical capacity building for potential clients in the implementation of standard labelling and pre-packaging.

The Agency will also have the opportunity to provide consulting services to CEEC’s clients on the impormining,mining,tation of type-approved measuring instruments.