Over 300 traders set for Zanzibar expo

ZANZIBAR: MORE than 300 traders, entrepreneurs and producers from Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania are expected to take part in the third edition of the Fahari ya Zanzibar Exhibition, aimed at promoting locally made products, expanding markets and strengthening business linkages.

The exhibition will run from tomorrow (September 4) to Monday (September 14,) with the official opening set for Saturday at Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Zanzibar. Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi, is expected to officiate.

The event will bring together producers, traders and buyers, offering a platform to showcase products, explore new markets and build commercial networks.

Zanzibar Economic Empowerment Agency (ZEEA) Executive Director, Mr Juma Burhan Mohd, said the exhibition will help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and add value to their products.

Organised in collaboration with the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TANTRADE), the event will also enable participants to meet potential buyers, access new markets and establish business partnerships.

A special area has been set aside for local entrepreneurs to display their products, recognising the role of domestic producers and small businesses in Zanzibar’s economy.

Held under the theme “Our Products, Our Pride,” the exhibition will feature special days focusing on health, youth, innovation, tourism, arts, education, taxation, business formalisation and financial literacy, alongside cultural and entertainment activities.

Mr Juma said organisers have put in place measures to ease access to business services and address challenges facing entrepreneurs. A dedicated desk will provide information on markets and trade opportunities for Made in Tanzania and Made in Zanzibar products.

TANTRADE representative, Mr Tahir Mussa Ibrahim, said the authority is participating as part of its mandate to promote trade and markets. He noted that institutions from mainland Tanzania, including the Tea Board of Tanzania and the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), will showcase products and services.

He said their participation will help link producers to markets and strengthen trade ties between Zanzibar and the mainland, adding that arrangements have been made to ease movement of goods, including handling customs procedures to ensure timely delivery.

The private sector has also backed the event, with Stanbic Bank Tanzania sponsoring it with 200m/-. The bank’s Head of Business, Ms Fatma Mohd Ahmed, said Stanbic will provide financial services and financial literacy education to participants.

She said the bank continues to support key sectors such as agriculture, tourism and trade, noting that its importation solutions enable payments in Chinese yuan and link Tanzanian businesses with suppliers through partnerships with China.

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Ms Fatma added that Stanbic also supports social initiatives in Zanzibar, including a childcare centre to enable entrepreneurs, especially women, to engage in business.

Organisers expect more than 500 visitors and buyers, and have urged participants to use the platform to promote their products, access markets and build partnerships.