On the 29th March 2010 Botswana Bureau of Standards  and Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Gaborone. It is through partnerships such as memorandums of understandings that further enhance the role of Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) and the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) in the enhancement of the Standard of life of our communities through the assurance of the quality of products traded between Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Director General of SAZ-Ms Eve Gadzikwa and Mannaging Dircetor of BOBS-Mrs Masego Marobela

There need for infrastructure to facilitate improvement of the quality of goods and services, protection of consumers and access to international markets is what drives the cooperation between the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) and the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) – said the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Dorcas Makgato-Malesu .
The minister mentioned that SADC programmes on Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) provide a platform through which the national standards bodies of Botswana and Zimbabwe could contribute to the development of the economies of both countries and the region at large.
 She noted that the most significant feature of SQAM was the facilitation of free movement of goods and services, normally associated with the removal of technical barriers and the competitiveness of Suppliers of goods and services. This has contributed to the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade.
The Director General of the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, Ms Eve Gadzikwa said recognising Zimbabwe and Botswana as mutual trading partners in various products which included cement, timber, foodstuffs, the MoU forms the framework on which this strategic partnership is built and which essentially facilitates trade between the two countries.

Minister of Trade and Industry-Ms Dorcas Makgato-Malesu and Mannaging Dircetor of BOBS-Mrs Masego Marobela

Through this MoU, the two parties will be cooperating in areas of standardisation, conformity assessment and training. This will go a long way in an ensuring that provisions of regional and international agreements in these areas are upheld.
Ms Gadzikwa noted that this was not a new relationship between SAZ and BOBS but a renewal and consolidation of a long standing partnership of organisations with common vested interests.
Managing Director, Ms Masego Marobela thanked  SAZ for availing BOBS auditors and inspectors the opportunity to practice, to hone auditing and inspection skills and accumulate the necessary auditing skills. “There were very few national standard bodies in the region we could have gained this experience from, but you heeded our call.” She also thanked the coordinators of the SQAM for the support in facilitating both institutions’ participation and contribution to the programme, which has a significant role in contributing to the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade.
Delegation during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement