In a move to strengthen product and service quality in line with international standards, MENA’s leading accreditation bodies – the Global Accreditation Bureau (GAB), Qatar, and the Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC), Egypt – have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in third-party accreditation and conformity assessment.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GAB, and Eng. Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Abdelhalim, Executive Director of EGAC.  As the sole accreditation authorities in their respective countries, the two entities aim to facilitate trade between their nations while ensuring adherence to global standards in accreditation activities.

Highlighting the critical impact of the MOU for the regional economy, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GAB, said, “Our collaboration with the Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC) is aimed at ensuring that both Egypt and Qatar not only meet but exceed international standards for products and services across a diverse range of sectors. By aligning accreditation practices, the ultimate goal is to enhance the competitiveness of our regional economies, foster seamless trade, and build a more sustainable future for businesses and consumers alike.”

Eng. Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Abdelhalim, Executive Director of EGAC, said, “GAB has emerged as a highly credible and forward-looking accreditation authority, playing a pivotal role in advancing quality infrastructure and conformity assessment across the MENA region. Through our partnership with GAB, EGAC looks forward to working closely with GAB to harmonize accreditation practices, enhance technical competence, and support industries in Egypt and Qatar in meeting the evolving international requirements. Together, we aim to facilitate trade, reinforce trust in accredited services, and contribute to sustainable economic growth across our countries and beyond. I emphasize that this cooperation between the two accreditation bodies will have added value to bilateral trade between the two countries and mutual acceptance of conformity assessment results and will result in distinguished development to quality infrastructure in the two countries. It will also enhance the role of international recognition in the industrial society.” 

Key modes of cooperation outlined in the MOU include joint training programs, internal audits wherever requested, and the exchange of auditors, lead assessors, and technical experts across diverse fields of conformity assessment, ranging from laboratories and inspection bodies to the certification of products, professionals, and management systems. A central pillar of this partnership involves providing guidance to improve the mutual understanding of international benchmarks, specifically the implementation of ISO/IEC 17011 and the accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) across a wide array of standards. 

This technical depth includes ISO/IEC 17029, ISO 14065, and ISO 14064 series of standards for environmental claims, as well as ISO/IEC 17065 for product certification, ISO/IEC 17043 for proficiency testing, ISO 17034 for reference material producers, ISO 15189 for medical laboratories, and specialized Halal Certification schemes.

The partnership also places a significant emphasis on sustainability and climate action by supporting capacity-building initiatives focused on greenhouse gas (GHG) verification and validation. This is particularly relevant under the framework of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is set to play a critical role in international environmental standards. Within this scope, EGAC and GAB will cooperate to provide training, guidance, and accreditation for validation and verification bodies (VVBs) both nationally and internationally according to ISO/IEC 17029, ISO 14065 and ISO 14064 series of standards. These efforts aim to strengthen the certification of GHGs and facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms for best practices.

To ensure the technical integrity of their operations, the collaboration will involve exchanging information on proficiency testing and inter-laboratory comparisons to resolve any conflicts during accreditation procedures. The two bodies plan to conduct joint assessments, implement cooperative projects for the exchange of professional experience, and coordinate their positions in international meetings to amplify their regional impact. All these activities will be performed in accordance with accepted ILAC and IAF principles related to cross-border accreditation.

The collaboration between GAB and EGAC is poised to have a profound and positive impact on the region. By harmonizing accreditation practices and fostering mutual recognition, this partnership will facilitate smoother trade flows between Egypt and Qatar. Businesses in both countries will benefit from streamlined procedures, reduced barriers to entry, and increased market access.
At the same time, by enhancing product and service quality and promoting consumer confidence, this collaboration will strengthen the competitiveness of both economies within the global market.