CAPE TOWN, South Africa, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2019) In recognition of the status of the UAE and its national leadership capabilities, the UAE won the membership of the International Standardisation Organisation, ISO, Council (Group 3), for the term 2020 to 2022, as it garnered 64 of the 108 votes at the ISO meeting.
The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, ESMA, obtained the votes of most of the ISO member states during the ISO General Assembly meetings held last week in Cape Town.
This marks the second victory for the UAE as an ISO council member, having held this position in 2013-2014. It underlines the UAE’s prominent regional and global role in the quality standards and infrastructure sector and builds on the country’s solid global reputation and prosperity in various fields.
ESMA winning the ISO membership coincides with winning the bid to host the ISO General Assembly meetings in Abu Dhabi in 2020.
It is also a member on 48 major and sub-committees with 51 members and experts in various scientific and industrial sectors.
Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of ESMA, noted that the UAE bagged most votes and was a worthy winner. "Winning the membership of one of the most important international institutions implies significant responsibilities for ESMA to support and guide ISO’s policy to support and advance standardisation and metrology activities in the Gulf, Arab and regional levels," he said.
He pointed out that the UAE's membership on the ISO council will further consolidate the UAE’s position globally with other international standardisation organisations. "This will help to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 goals, to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by the time of its golden jubilee.'' Abdullah Al Maeeni, Director-General of ESMA, and head of the UAE delegation to the ISO General Assembly meeting, said, "Winning the membership of the ISO council underlines ESMA’s instrumental role at the local, regional and international levels to boost the quality of products and improve the level of services provided to consumers.'' ''It also reflects its unwavering commitment to support the national economy, enhance trade between the UAE and the world, and its efforts to remove technical barriers to trade, in line with the WTO Agreement requirements."
In conclusion, Al Maeeni said that relevant meetings were hosted by the UAE in 2008 and will be hosted for the second time in 2020 in Abu Dhabi, based on the Council of Ministers Resolution No. (30/8) for 2019, Session 8, with the approval and support of the Abu Dhabi Government.
