Message from the UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of ESMA

The Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) is greatly honoured to host the 31st ISO General Assembly. This is a momentous occasion for the United Arab Emirates as it marks the first time that the Assembly will be held in the Middle East and North Africa region.

ESMA, a full member of the ISO, is the sole body for standardization and metrology in the UAE. Since our inception in 2001, we have been at the forefront of initiatives to ensure that services, consumer products and materials conform to approved standards, thus advancing sustained economic growth and ultimately supporting the UAE’s quest for excellence. We continue to manage various monitoring and dissemination programs to enhance the role of standardization and metrology in national progress.

The UAE is in the midst of an economic boom, fuelled by diversification efforts that focus on growth industries such as tourism, real estate, and construction. These industries rely heavily on strict conformance with standards to ensure that products and services are of the highest quality and reliability. The country is setting even stricter standards and regulations to position itself as a world-class business and lifestyle destination; in fact, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a directive last year mandating builders and developers in Dubai to observe green building standards to protect public health and the environment and set new environmentally-oriented standards for the country’s construction and property development sectors.

The UAE experience fully complements the ISO’s Global Vision towards 2015, embodied in the ISO Strategic Plan 2005-2010, Standards for a Sustainable World. Our nation fully supports the shared mission of ISO’s 157 member countries of enhancing trade, promoting socially and environmentally responsible development, and sharing technical knowledge and best practices. ISO will continue to be the benchmark for international manufacturers and service provider to attain maximum efficiency and
productivity.

During their stay, we encourage delegates to learn and discuss more about the important role of ISO in global progress, and urge them to explore the unique social and cultural heritage of the UAE. On behalf of ESMA and the UAE, I wish all of you a productive Assembly.






Message from the ISO President

As President of ISO, I am honoured and pleased to extend a warm welcome to the representatives of our 157 members to the 31st ISO General Assembly in Dubai – the first ISO General Assembly ever held in this part of the world.

This year’s General Assembly and related events are hosted by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA), our member for the United Arab Emirates, represented in ISO since 1980.

In the space of three decades, the UAE has become the world’s 35th economy and face the various challenges that our global community must address today. ISO works to contribute positive responses to these challenges, by producing and promoting International Standards which contribute to the facilitation of trade in products and services, the dissemination of good business and environmental practices and paving the way for new technologies and innovation in support of a
sustainable development of the planet.

From an oil-based economy until the 1970s, the United Arab Emirates has significantly diversified with the non-oil sectors now dominant in the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007, accounting for some 65 %. The substantial increase of the GDP last year is partly due to the performance of non-oil sectors, mainly industry, trade, tourism and construction.

Well aware of the environmental issues raised by the numerous construction projects underway, in particular in Dubai, where some 20 % of the world’s cranes in operation are currently located, the UAE is endeavouring to upgrade its environmental protection codes in line with the global agenda for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In relation with the close link between building-related standardization and sustainability, ISO, in cooperation with our host member, has decided to devote a one-day open session to “ Buildings for a sustainable future ”. Dubai’s status as one
of the world’s leading construction hubs makes it the ideal place to address the contribution of standardization to construction issues, including the combination of the country’s experience with ISO’s work and the various partnerships in this field.

We thank our colleagues at ESMA for their warm welcome and hospitality, and for the opportunity they are offering us to be proactive in the fulfillment of ISO’s mission. I wish you a most constructive and enjoyable stay in amazing Dubai !