A 7th Meeting of the High Level Working Group on Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology was virtually hosted by Islamic Republic of Iran on December 8, 2020 to discuss the ways and means of promoting and expanding mutual and multi-lateral cooperation in the field of Standardization, Conformity, Accreditation, and Metrology amongst the Member States. The relevant representatives of the ECO Member States, ECO Secretariat and Regional Institute for Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology attended the meeting.
In his statement, the ECO Deputy Secretary General Dr. Sayed Yahya Akhlaqi conveyed that the promotion of regional trade was one of the key objectives as envisaged in the ECO Vision 2025. He emphasized that the ECO region must develop and implement an effective policy for Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology, based on the internationally recognized principles to facilitate regional trade and industrial growth as well as protection of health and public safety.
Addressing the event, Dr. Akhlaqi apprised that since 2005 six HLWG’s Meetings had been organized with a view to operationalizing the ECO-RISCAM. In addition, the ECO Secretariat conducted five workshops on the subject in 2004, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. He underlined that the 3rd Phase of Trade Capacity Building project was jointly implemented by ECO and UNIDO for developing quality infrastructure in the region and the member countries. The outcome of this project would ultimately contribute to the aims and objectives contained in the Statute of RISCAM.
