CMSO-East Africa CEO Richard Muteti concludes strategic engagement visit to Zanzibar

Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania — Richard Muteti, HSC, OGW, Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Organization (CMSO-East Africa) and Chair of the COMESA Business Council SMEs Working Group, has concluded a successful working visit to Zanzibar aimed at strengthening regional collaboration within the informal sector and MSME ecosystem across East Africa.

The visit focused on enhancing cross-border cooperation, deepening market linkages, and promoting knowledge exchange between MSME stakeholders, with particular interest in Zanzibar’s dynamic spice value chains and informal enterprise development model.

During the engagements, Muteti held discussions with key institutions supporting enterprise growth, including the Zanzibar Federation of Informal Sector Organizations (ZAFISO), the Zanzibar Chamber of Commerce, and the Zanzibar Economic Empowerment Agency (ZEEA).

The discussions centered on strengthening MSME competitiveness, improving regional trade facilitation, and expanding opportunities for informal sector players through structured partnerships and capacity-building initiatives.

Muteti noted that MSMEs remain the backbone of regional economies and emphasized the importance of coordinated policy and institutional support in unlocking their full potential across COMESA member states.

He expressed appreciation to the Zanzibar host institutions for their warm reception and productive engagements, describing the visit as a significant step toward deepening East African MSME integration and cooperation.