GSO organizes the Gulf Standards Forum 2023
The activities of the Gulf Standards Forum 2023 began yesterday and runs for two days: 14-15 November 2023.
The event is organized by the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), at it’s headquarter in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Attendance encompassed wide participation of more than 100 participants from various stakeholders, interested parties, and standardization ambassadors.
In his speech at the opening of the forum, His Excellency Mr. Saud bin Nasser Al-Khusaibi, President of GSO, indicated that the importance of this forum stems from the pioneering role of GSO in supporting the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) to achieve its goals stipulated in its constitution, and the economic agreement between the States, adding that the issues of standardization, sustainable development and Gulf industries are of prime importance at the Gulf, regional and international levels, and GSO has given these issues great importance and a high priority in its current strategic plan 2025 and its operational programmes.
His Excellency pointed out that GSO has approved and issued until the end of this month 27,000 unified Gulf standards and technical regulations for various products and services, out of which 1,243 mandatory technical regulations.
His Excellency the President of GSO extended his sincere thanks to the speakers, guests of GSO, and also specifically mentioned the representatives of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the representatives of the member states of GSO, the companies, other parties participating in the forum; and to all participants and the forum’s team work for their sincere and dedicated efforts in preparation, arrangement and execution of the forum; hoping that this forum, through the presented working papers and its outcomes, will contribute to increasing awareness and knowledge, in a way that brings about the desired benefits to everyone.
The forum addressed a number of important topics that aim at consolidating integration and exchange of experiences and best practices among member states in the field of standardization and its various activities, which in turn contributes to strengthening the quality infrastructure, and highlighting the role of GSO in the field of preparing, issuing and approving Gulf standards and technical regulations in a way that enhances the Gulf industry and contributes to protecting health and safety, facilitating trade, and eliminating technical barriers to trade.
The forum in its six sessions, reviewed a group of important working papers. The first session included a working paper on Gulf standards from a strategic perspective, as well as standards as an enabler of economic activities: the experience of the standards development system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and also the importance of standardization for the oil and gas industry.
In the second and third sessions, the working papers also highlighted the impact of standardization in achieving sustainable development, innovation and capacity development to enable low-carbon sustainable growth, the Codex Alimentarius (CODEX) standards and their impact on the food industries, as well as considerations for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, and the building materials industry – USG Middle East factory experience, and the application of quality control in the polymer industry, in addition to the shift towards clean energy.
On the second day of the forum, the speakers continued presenting working papers. The fourth and fifth sessions included a paper on automation of the publication and presentation of Gulf standards using XML technologies, as well as the smart transformation of standards, renewable energy as a promising industry, as well as quality of life and sustainable development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to the role of standards in all types of industries and their impact on facilitating trade exchange, innovation and technology in the Omani food industries, and sustainability practices.
The sixth and final session of the forum reviewed a working paper on the participation of stakeholders in developing Gulf standards, as well as the role of Gulf accreditation in supporting the economy and facilitating trade, and the importance of the participation of industry and experts for the sustainability of food and beverage businesses in the GCC States, in addition to twinning with international technical committees.
