Secretary General of the Cooperation Council: The total number of approved Gulf standards and technical regulations has reached more than 27,600 Gulf standards and technical regulations
His Excellency Mr. Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) stated that the total number of the approved Gulf standards and technical regulations has reached more than 27,600 Gulf standards and technical regulations. This increase in number will certainly contribute to facilitating trade exchange, controlling product safety, and enhancing the attractiveness of the Gulf investment environment. This is indication and evidence of the volume and outcome of the joint work between the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) and the national standardization bodies, which make us proud of the good results we have achieved, on the one hand, and indeed an incentive to continue supporting GSO and enabling it to achieve the economic goals sought by the Gulf Cooperation Council system, on the other hand.
This announcement was made during the eighth meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs, which was held last Thursday, 31 October 2024, in the Qatari capital, Doha. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani, Minister of Trade and Industry of the State of Qatar – Chairman of the current session, and in the presence of Their Excellencies, the members of the committee Ministers of trade and industry concerned with standardization affairs in the GCC countries, and His Excellency Engineer Nawaf bin Ibrahim Al Mana, President of GSO.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency the Secretary-General extended the highest expressions of thanks, appreciation and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar President of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, and to the government and people of Qatar, for hosting the meeting, and for what the State of Qatar has provided and is offering by way of facilities and support for the success of the work of the GCC, and for the support and concern that the joint Gulf action receives from His Highness the Emir and his counterparts, Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC.
His Excellency also pointed out that the establishment of GSO is one of the most important strategic decisions taken to enhance integration and interconnection among the GCC countries, and to achieve the lofty goals stipulated in the economic agreement signed on 31 December 2001. He pointed out that the unified outputs issued by GSO, such as standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures encompassing many industrial, production, and service fields and sectors, which in effect contributing directly to unifying the technical requirements for the intra-GCC trade movement, facilitating the smooth movement of goods between our countries and supporting growth and marketing of Gulf products in regional and global markets, in addition to protecting the Gulf consumer from harmful and adulterated products, and preserving the environment and health.
His Excellency the Secretary-General pointed out that the meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs will review a number of recommendations raised to the Committee by GSO Technical Council, which will enhance the capabilities of GSO and enable it to develop its activities and improve its procedures to serve the Gulf standardization system and support building the technical capabilities of national standardization bodies.
