Symposium Reviews Role of Standards,
Accreditation in Empowering Industrial Sector Muscat, 9 Nov (ONA) — The Ministry
of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion today organized a symposium
titled “Standards and Accreditation for Sustainable Industry”. The symposium reviewed the role
of standards and accreditation in empowering the industrial sector and upgrading
industrial competitiveness in accordance with the requirements of regional and
international markets. The symposium included visual
presentations and working papers on Oman Accreditation Centre, the system of standards and measurements and the role of laboratory accreditation in raising the quality of
food products and enhancing consumer confidence. Represented by the Directorate
General of Standards and Metrology, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and
Investment Promotion is taking measures to enhance the system of quality in the
Sultanate of Oman and establishing an economic environment based on
competitiveness and global standards.

As a result of these measures, the Directorate General
of Standards and Metrology raised the number of conformity assessment units by 6 percent in 2025 as against 2024. This contributes to protecting consumers,
supporting national products and enabling the industrial sector to access
international markets. More than 109 testing laboratories
were registered and 126 conformity assessment bodies were licensed, while regional
departments were equipped with modern measuring devices to ensure efficient
oversight across all governorates. In addition, more than 3,520 queries
from public and private sector partners were addressed with the aim of ensuring
a seamless service experience. The Ministry issued more than 200
new Omani standards and studied more than 900 GCC standards, while the number of Omani experts in GCC
and international technical committees grew to 165. The Ministry also formed the first
national technical committee for developing standards. The committee comprises six
teams covering the main economic sectors. Meanwhile, more than 13,500
electronic conformity certificates were issued through Oman Business platform,
while more than 22,000 customs clearance permits were issued for products,
among other services. The symposium was attended by Qais
bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion,
representatives of government departments, private sector establishments and
small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in addition to experts in the fields of
quality management, accreditation and specifications.— Ends/Bishara