Qatar participates in annual meeting of International Organization for Standardization

The State of Qatar participated in the annual meeting of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which was held from September 9 to 13 in Cartagena, Colombia.HE Chairman of Qatar General Organization for Standardization and Metrology (QGOSM) Eng. Mohammed bin Saud Mohammed Al Musallam led the State of Qatar's delegation to the meeting.The first day included the 58th session of the Committee on Developing Countries, one of the policy committees of the ISO). Representatives from developing countries attended to discuss the implementation projects of the 2021-2025 Action Plan. This plan aims to enhance strategies and digital capabilities in developing countries and to activate their role in managing the organization's activities.Participants reviewed reports from working groups established to study important topics, notably the "SMART" project, which aims to make international standards texts machine-readable and understandable.The session concluded with a discussion workshop on what should be included in the next version of the Developing Countries Action Plan for the period 2026-2030.The State of Qatar also participated in the 46th session of ISO General Assembly, where they reviewed and approved ongoing activities and future planning for the organization. This is part of the ISO Strategic Plan 2030, which aims to provide international standards needed by the market, innovate in meeting user needs, and drive environmental sustainability through international standards.The agenda of the session included appointing financial auditors, approving the organization's financial statements, approving member classification criteria for candidacy to the Board of Directors, as well as electing the organization's President and Board members.The annual meeting also featured numerous discussion sessions and workshops under the theme "Breaking Boundaries." This involved challenging traditional norms, leveraging diverse perspectives, and advancing the organization's and member states' international standards towards innovation, quality, and sustainability, aiming for a "Boundless Future."The sessions and discussion panels covered various topics related to standardization and the challenges it faces, including standardization in the digital world, creating a global community for standardization to shape the future, breaking barriers for a better world, and the solutions provided by the circular economy for a more resilient and equitable world.