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Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 1
Newsletter of the South Asian Regional Standards Organization
A Specialized Body of SAARC
Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 2
54TH SESSION OF THE PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE OF SAARC HELD
Secretary General of SAARC, H.E Mr. Amjad Hussain B Sial (centre - seated) with the delegates of the Member States along with the delegates of Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres
The 54th Session of the Programming Committee of
SAARC was held from 12-13 December 2017 at the
SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu. The delegations from
all eight Member States are present, along with Heads
of Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres. The
Meeting was chaired by Mr. Mani Prasad Bhattarai,
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Government of Nepal. The Committee chair laid stress
on implementation of the decisions made by SAARC
and its subordinate bodies. As one of the Charter
bodies entrusted primarily with the responsibility to
deal with the administrative and financial matters of
the SAARC Secretariat and its Bodies, the Committee
also considered the reports emanating from the
various SAARC Bodies. The Meeting delegations were
led by Joint Secretaries/Directors General of
SAARC/Regional Organizations divisions of the
Ministries of Foreign/External Affairs of the SAARC
Member States.
H.E Mr. Amjad Hussain B Sial, Secretary General of
SAARC in his opening remarks highlighted several
measures undertaken by the Secretariat to enhance
the efficiency, efficacy and visibility of SAARC and the
Secretariat. His Excellency mentioned about launching
of the new website in June 2017, information sharing
on all important SAARC activities through press
releases, initiation of quarterly e-newsletter, activation
of SAARC twitter account, setting up of new computer
server room with solar power back-up for
uninterrupted access and establishment of state-of-
the-art video-conference facility. His Excellency also
asked the delegates to rationalize the work of SAARC
mechanisms, as directed by the leaders of South Asia
and requested to hold the calendar of activities as
planned for smooth, efficient and effective progress in
the SAARC process.
Mr. Indu Bikram Joshi, Director, South Asian Regional
Standards Organization (SARSO) attended the Meeting.
He presented the budget of SARSO for the year 2018
and the progress and activities of SARSO of the year
2017.
Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 3
SEVENTH MEETING OF STC ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS HELD IN INDIA
STC Meeting in session under the Chairperson, Professor (Dr.) R.K. Trivedi
The Seventh Meeting of Sectoral Technical Committee
(STC) on Food and Agricultural Products (FAP) was
hosted by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and held
from 04-05 October 2017 in the National Institute of
Training for Standardization (NITS), Noida, India. During
the inaugural session, Mr. R. K. Mittal, Deputy Director
General (Standardization), BIS, India in his inaugural
address welcomed the delegates of the SAARC Member
States to the Seventh Meeting of STC on Food and
Agricultural Products. He highlighted the importance of
regional harmonization of Standards and commended
the hard work put in by SARSO Secretariat towards
achieving regional harmonization. Mr. Tashi Wangchuk,
Deputy Director, SARSO expressed gratitude to the
Bureau of Indian Standards, Government of India for
hosting the Meeting and extending excellent hospitality
to the delegates from the Member States. He also
highlighted important developments in SARSO and
wished the Meeting fruitful discussions. In the absence
of Chairman of STC on FAP, Professor Ram
Rajasekharan, the STC elected Professor (Dr.) R.K.
Trivedi, Professor and Head of Department of Oil
Technology, Harcourt Butler Technology University,
Kanpur, India as Chairman for the Seventh Meeting of
STC on FAP.
The Meeting recommended to finalize the Draft SAARC
Standards on Black Tea, Skimmed Mild Powder, Food
Hygiene General Principles - Code of Practice and
Instant Noodles. The STC also discussed the list of 44
approved new work items and recommended to initiate
the SAARC Standards development process for the new
work items i.e. cumin; fenugreek; curry powder; fennel
seeds; cardamom; mango; onion; citrus fruits-orange;
potato; fish and fish products; chemical & micro-
biological Standards: Meat & Meat Products. The STC
also appointed Project leaders and constituted editing
committees for each work item.
Pakistan delegate participating via web
On behalf of all the delegates, Ms. Ipsitha S. Jayasekara,
Director Standards, SLSI, Sri Lanka delivered the vote of
thanks.
Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 4
FIFTH MEETING OF STC ON BUILDING MATERIALS HELD IN COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
Delegates of the Fifth STC Meeting on Building Materials
The Fifth Sectoral Technical Committee (STC) Meeting on Building Materials (BM) was hosted by Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) on 21-22 November 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the Chairperson of Mr. M S S Fernando, SLSI, Sri Lanka. The inaugural Session of the Meeting began with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by the delegates and invited guests from Sri Lanka followed by the National Anthem of Sri Lanka. Mr. A Ekanayake, Acting Deputy Director General, SLSI welcomed the delegates to the Fifth STC Meeting on Building Materials. Mr. Ekanayake highlighted the importance of Standardization in future trading in the trade based world and requested for equal participation of all the Member States and to address and consider all issues relevant to all Member States. Ms. Rishfa Rasheed, Director, as a representative of the Secretary General of SAARC in her opening remarks extended a warm welcome to all the delegates and expressed sincere gratitude to the Government of Sri Lanka for hosting the Fifth STC Meeting on Building Materials and Sri Lanka Standards Institution for making excellent arrangements and extending gracious hospitality to all the delegates. She wished the Fifth STC Meeting on Building Materials successful deliberations with desired recommendations and
outputs. Mr. Indu Bikram Joshi, Director, SARSO in his remarks requested Members for concrete outputs
and results as lot of time and resources are being invested by the Member States in organizing Meetings. He mentioned that, technical issues and differences can be resolved using web and much more could be achieved. He also informed that the SARSO Directives Part 1 and 2 have now been published which would facilitate the regional harmonization of Standards much more efficiently.He finally wished the Meeting fruitful deliberations. The Meeting discussed the Draft SAARC Standards related to Building Materials and proposed recommendations. The Meeting prepared the STC Meeting calendar for the year 2018 and 2019 and also reconfirmed the work programme and finalized the project plan for each item under discussion. On behalf of all the delegates, Mr. Sanjay Pant, Scientist E & Head (Civil Engg), BIS proposed the vote of thanks. He thanked the Chairperson of the STC, Mr. Sunanada Fernando for efficiently steering the Meeting and expressed sincere gratitude to the Government of Sri Lanka and the host SLSI for hosting the meeting and for the warm hospitality extended to all the delegates.
Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 5
SARSO DELEGATES PARTICIPATES IN THE 81ST IEC GENERAL MEETING IN VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
The 81st International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) General Meeting 2017 was held from 9-13 October 2017in the Russian city of Vladivostok, focused strongly on the digitalization of modern world. On the invitation of IEC Secretary General, Mr. Indu Bikram Joshi, Director SARSO and Mr. Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin, Deputy Director, SARSO as a delegate attended the 81stIEC General Meeting. The SARSO delegation attended several meetings and workshops that includes, Standardization Management Board (SMB) meeting of IEC, Conference of the Market Strategy Board, IEC Affiliate Forum, Breakout session on the future of IEC Work, Workshop Industrializing Countries, IEC Affiliate NEC Secretaries & Chairs Workshop, Workshop on Access to electricity through LVDC, IEC Council Statutory Session, Breakout session on Best practices for National Committee coordination of contribution to IEC Standards Development and
Conformity Assessment activities, Breakout session on National Committee business models- opportunities, challenges and needs. On the invitation of Vice President of Standardization of IEC during the SMB meeting of IEC, SARSO was briefed the international community about SARSO, its mandate and progress on the cooperation agreement between SARSO and IEC. Moreover, the Russian National Committee of the IEC arranged a workshop with focus on following interesting topics for the IEC community:
Additional requirements to reliability defined by geographic features
Long distances as a driver for standardization in transport sphere
Standardization as basis of energy efficiency in industry and trade
Mathematic modeling in “smart industry”
In parallel of the IEC General Meeting, SARSO delegates also met with different distinguished leaders of Gulf Standards Organization (GSO), the regional standards body of Gulf Cooperation Council; CEN/CENELEC, the regional Standards body of European Union; Officials of IEC Central Secretariat, Geneva.
Volume 3| Issue 04| Oct – Dec 2017
Page | 6
SARSO with CEN/CENELEC delegates
SARSO with IEC Secretariat delegates
SARSO and CEN/CENELEC SIGNS MoU
The CEN/CENELEC and SARSO formalized the cooperation through the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on 11 October 2017 in the realm of the IEC General Meeting. This Memorandum of Understanding offers tangible opportunities for greater technical and systemic alignment, with a view to facilitate trade in goods and services between Europe and South Asian countries. The MoU between
CEN/CENELEC and SARSO would provide a common framework for the sharing of information, transferring of technical knowledge, exchange of best practices in sectors such as textile, electrical and electronic goods, chemicals, food and building materials, as well as for supporting the work made by the international standardization organizations, namely ISO and IEC.
SARSO & CEN/CENELEC signing the MoU
Editorial Committee
Mr. Indu Bikram Joshi Mr. Tashi Wangchuk Mr. Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin
South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO) Secretariat 116/A, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh
Tel: +88 02 8878130, Fax: +88 02 8878131 E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sarso.org.bd