HE Chairperson of Qatar General Organization for Standardization and Metrology (QGOSM), Engineer Mohammed bin Saud Al-Musallam said that Qatar celebrates its National Day this year under the slogan "Our Unity is Source of Our Strength", which reflects the extent of the Qatari people's solidarity around their wise leadership, and that this day will remain a landmark and a bright beacon in the path of Qatar.
In exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al-Musallam said that the celebration of the National Day, on Dec 18 of each year, commemorates the date when the late His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Bin Thani, the founder of modern Qatar assumed the rule of the country in 1878.
His Excellency extended his warmest congratulations and blessings to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and to His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and all the honourable Qatari people and residents of this land, on the occasion of the National Day of the State, which falls on Dec 18 of each year.
His Excellency pointed out that the celebration of this dear occasion coincided with the hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, after the country completed all its preparations by constructing many vital and strategic facilities, according to the best international specifications, which took into account sustainability and environmental preservation. And it was able to build many major vital facilities, not only in the field of sports, but in all areas of infrastructure, which will remain an asset and legacy for future generations.
HE Chairperson of Qatar General Organization said that the authority has accomplished many achievements in all areas of its work during the last period. It participated in preparing (1073) standard specifications, including (171) specifications prepared by the country, as part of the draft preparation of Gulf standards and technical regulations in the engineering, chemical, oil and gas, construction and building materials, food and agricultural sectors and other sectors. It also studied (432) draft standards and technical regulations and approved (194) standards and technical regulations at the national level in several sectors.
The authority’s central laboratories have examined 17,796 samples of building materials and electrical appliances, examined and calibrated 9,947 devices, scales and fuel pumps, examined and stamped (5.8) tons of gold and silver artefacts and bars, and carried out a number of inspection campaigns that included (672) workshops and shops for gold and precious metals, in application of Articles 2 and 3 of Law No. (4) of 1978 regarding the control, examination and stamping of precious metals, as well as the issuance of (676) customs declarations for the release of precious metals imported into the country, HE Al-Musallam added.
In the field of quality and conformity, 12,181 consignments of restricted materials received at the ports were released, and (73) consignments were rejected for non-conformity (0.1 % of the total rejected consignments). Conformity certificates were also issued, qualification/granting bodies registered for quality certificates, laboratory accreditation certificates were audited, technical consultations were provided to building and construction materials factories/measurement and calibration laboratories and other conformity assessment activities, His Excellency said.
In the field of international cooperation and the authority’s revenues, HE Mohammed bin Saud Al-Musallam confirmed that a memorandum of understanding in the field of standardisation was signed with the National Iranian Standards Authority and the executive program of the memorandum of understanding for specifications and standardisation with the Turkish Standards Institute was also signed. Despite being a service authority, it has achieved revenues that amounted to QR 9,642,305.