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: info@sarso.org.bd

Website: www.sarso.org.bd