During the meetings, Al Muhairi reviewed the main work, achievements and initiatives of the Metrology Council aimed at strengthening cooperation and integration among the national metrology institutes of member states. He also set out the progress made in implementing the Metrology Council Strategy 2026–2028, and the goals and directions it contains for developing the metrology system and raising its technical and scientific capabilities.

The presentation covered the council’s strategic pillars: strengthening metrological traceability; supporting research, development and innovation; building technical capabilities and competencies; developing quality management systems in laboratories; and expanding interlaboratory comparison and proficiency testing programmes. This work makes measurement results more reliable and supports their mutual recognition among member states.

The participation forms part of efforts to strengthen technical cooperation and the exchange of expertise among Islamic countries, and to coordinate work on developing metrology infrastructure. This supports the quality of products and services, makes trade between member states easier and strengthens their economic competitiveness.MOSCOW, 4th November, 2026 (WAM) --Engineer Saeed Mohammed Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Metrology Council of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and Executive Director of the Emirates Metrology Institute (EMI), part of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), took part with an accompanying delegation in the 32nd meeting of the SMIIC Board of Directors and the 21st meeting of the institute’s General Assembly. The meetings were held in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, with representatives of member states in attendance.

The achievement was announced at a Certificate Handover Ceremony attended by Abdulla Al Yazeedi, Acting Secretary-General of ADQCC, members of the Council's executive management, BSI representatives and the team involved in developing and applying the innovation management system in line with international standards.

Al Yazeedi said receiving ISO 56001 certification and the Kitemark for Innovation reflects the Council's commitment to building an integrated institutional innovation system that turns ideas into solutions, initiatives and projects that add value and deliver measurable results, contributing to improved performance efficiency and sustainable impact.

He added that the Council is working to embed innovation as an integral part of its institutional work culture and develop services and initiatives that keep pace with change, anticipate challenges and support the Abu Dhabi Government's targets for excellence, leadership and quality of life. He also highlighted the Council's commitment to investing in national talent, empowering its teams and adopting global best practice in innovation management.

Hamad Al Neyadi, Head of the Youth Team at the Council, said the achievement strengthens the adoption of global best practice in innovation management and supports the contribution of young people to spreading a culture of development and creativity, while helping to build a work environment that encourages new ideas and turns them into initiatives serving the Council's objectives and future aspirations.

The achievement forms part of the Council's efforts to develop its institutional practices in line with recognised international frameworks and standards and strengthen its readiness to participate in the next cycle of the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance, particularly under the innovation pillar.

It also supports the development of solutions and practices that respond to future priorities and enhances the Council's ability to anticipate opportunities and turn creative ideas into projects with a sustainable impact, contributing to improving quality of life and enhancing the emirate's competitiveness.ABU DHABI, 2nd November, 2026 The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) has received ISO 56001 certification for its innovation management system and the Kitemark for Innovation from the British Standards Institution (BSI), becoming the first government entity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to receive the Kitemark.

The guidelines establish a unified framework for fumigating stored food products, outlining the roles, responsibilities and technical requirements of relevant entities and facilities to improve operational efficiency and compliance with safety standards.

They also include requirements for safety, training, evacuation plans and gas monitoring, helping to reduce the risks associated with the use of fumigants that may be highly toxic and hazardous, and enhancing occupational health and environmental safety.

The guidelines aim to protect stored food products from pests and damage, while strengthening coordination among relevant entities through standardised technical requirements and procedures.

Fumigation is one of the methods used to control insects and pests that may affect food products during storage and compromise their quality, through the use of specialised fumigants.

Badr Khamis Al Shumaili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standards Services Sector at ADQCC, said the guideline provides a clear reference that supports the application of legislative requirements and safe practices and strengthens integration among the relevant government entities, thereby safeguarding food safety and public health and protecting the strategic food reserve.

Dr. Faisal Al Ahbabi, Executive Director of the Communicable Diseases Sector at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, said the guideline will help define the preventive and technical requirements for the use of fumigants, strengthen compliance with these requirements, and reduce the associated health, occupational and environmental risks. This will help safeguard the health of workers and the wider community while enhancing food safety and security.

The guideline was adopted during a meeting of the Standards Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards, chaired by Badr Al Shumaili to support safety, public health and food security in Abu Dhabi.ABU DHABI, 28th October, 2026 The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), represented by the Standards Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards, has adopted a guideline to standardise safe fumigation practices for stored food products, such as wheat, grains and flour, from pests and damage, to protect workers, enhance food safety and reduce health and environmental risks.

The participation includes conducting independent laboratory tests on honey samples entered in the festival's accompanying competitions, with the aim of assessing their quality and verifying their compliance with approved standards.

In 2025, the laboratory received approximately 299 honey samples and conducted 912 laboratory tests as part of its activities at official events. This year's participation also allows festival visitors to submit samples of their products for testing, with results to be issued within seven days. The service is available at Pavilion No. 3.

The festival's honey competitions include several categories, covering locally produced Sidr and Samar honey, as well as liquid honey, crystallised honey and honeycomb. Scientific testing of the competing samples contributes to assessing their quality based on laboratory results, complementing traditional production practices and supporting the quality of local products.

Eng. Abdullah Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, said that honey production is an integral part of the UAE's agricultural heritage and represents a sector with significant growth potential.

He noted that the collaboration with M42 Group contributes to developing the scientific infrastructure needed to support local producers and verify that their products comply with internationally recognised quality standards.

He added that independent laboratory testing ensures objective assessments of competition entries, while strengthening transparency, fairness and confidence among beekeepers, producers and consumers. This, in turn, contributes to developing the local honey industry and enhancing its competitiveness.

For his part, Ahmed Maadad Al Muhairi, General Manager of Environmental Sciences at M42 Group, said that the collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council harnesses environmental sciences and laboratory expertise to verify honey quality and provide analytical results that support producers and strengthen consumer confidence in their products.

He explained that this is achieved by combining scientific expertise with advanced technologies.

The participation builds on the launch of the Honey Quality Laboratory in 2024, established through a partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group to support the quality, safety and authenticity of honey products.

The laboratory benefits from the capabilities of M42's Environmental Sciences platform and employs advanced analytical technologies to assess key quality indicators, including sugar composition and types, moisture levels and acidity. It also detects potential contaminants and fraudulent practices.

These capabilities enable producers to verify the quality of their products and ensure compliance with approved standards, while supporting the wider presence of locally produced honey in domestic and international markets.

The partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group forms part of broader efforts to advance scientific testing and quality assurance across the food, agriculture and environmental sciences sectors. It also aims to harness laboratory capabilities to strengthen consumer confidence, support public health and contribute to the UAE's economic development.Abu Dhabi, October 23 2026 The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, in collaboration with M42 Group, is showcasing the capabilities of its Central Testing Laboratory in analysing the quality of honey as part of their participation in the fifth edition of the 2026 Al Dhafra Dates Festival and Auction, being held in Madinat Zayed in the Al Dhafra Region until October 25.

The conference adopted seven resolutions on the development of the global measurement system and the future of timekeeping, as well as the institutional and financial arrangements that support the work of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).

Engineer Saeed Mohammed Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Emirates Metrology Institute (EMI), part of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), represented the UAE at the conference, accompanied by a delegation from the institute. The participation forms part of the UAE’s efforts to play a larger role in international scientific forums, expand its technical partnerships and keep pace with developments in metrology and its contribution to industry and technology.

The resolutions address the future definition of the second, the further digital transformation of the global metrology system and the technical actions needed to ensure the continuity of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The conference also adopted resolutions on universal adherence to the Metre Convention, the BIPM’s financial allocation (dotation) for 2028 to 2031 and the Rules of Procedure of the General Conference, together with a resolution on defining an international lunar reference time scale and its traceability to UTC.

The lunar time resolution supports continued scientific work and cooperation between the BIPM, national metrology institutes, space agencies and the relevant international organisations to develop the lunar reference time scale and its applications, and the means of comparing it with UTC. This serves the needs of navigation, positioning and timing systems on the surface of the Moon and in the space around it, in support of future space missions.

On the sidelines of the conference, Al Muhairi held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders and representatives of specialised international institutions, among them Poland’s Central Office of Measures (GUM). The talks covered opportunities for cooperation and the exchange of expertise in metrology, the development of technical capabilities and wider partnerships.

He also met the presidents of three consultative committees of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM): the Consultative Committee for Mass and Related Quantities (CCM), the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) and the Consultative Committee for Electricity and Magnetism (CCEM).

Discussions focused on the possibility of EMI representatives attending the meetings of these committees as official observers. This would give the institute closer access to scientific and technical developments, more opportunities to exchange expertise and a larger contribution to the international measurement system.

The meetings also included representatives of Singapore’s A*STAR National Metrology Centre (NMC) and India’s CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL).

Both sides reviewed potential areas of cooperation on scientific and technical topics of shared interest, opportunities to exchange expertise, the development of national talent and closer research and technical partnerships.

The UAE’s participation supports the development of national capabilities in metrology and wider international cooperation that meets the needs of the industrial and technology sectors. It also strengthens the country’s position as an active partner in the global measurement system.
PARIS, 19th October, 2026 The United Arab Emirates took part in the 28th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), held recently in Versailles, France. Representatives of member states attended alongside international leaders and experts in metrology.

The Abu Dhabi Guideline for Tasting and Sensory Evaluation of Novel Foods provides a clear pathway for assessing new food technologies before full UAE market approval; these include cell-cultivated foods, alternative proteins, precision fermentation products and other innovative food ingredients.

The guideline was developed in close collaboration with international novel food technology companies, together with academic institutions, experts and regulators. This reflects Abu Dhabi’s approach of engaging directly with industry, listening to its needs and developing practical solutions to the challenges that food innovators face.

ADIO contributed to the guideline through the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, inviting companies specialising in novel foods to join the working group that prepared it. The step forms part of ADIO’s efforts to attract innovative food companies to Abu Dhabi, connect them with regulators and provide an environment that makes it easier for them to establish and grow their businesses in the emirate.

Under the framework, companies can conduct tasting and sensory evaluation studies within a controlled research environment. This addresses an important gap between early-stage product development and commercial market entry, allowing companies to advance their research, refine their products and gather data that informs investment decisions and future commercialisation plans.

Abu Dhabi’s population and cultural diversity give companies a strategic advantage when conducting these studies in the emirate, with access to participants from many nationalities, cultural backgrounds and demographic groups. Companies can use this to gauge consumer acceptance, understand differing preferences and generate research data for developing food products aimed at regional and global markets.

His Excellency Engineer Abdulla Al Yazeedi, Acting Secretary General of ADQCC, said: “The future of food will be determined not by innovation alone, but by our ability to turn scientific discoveries into solutions that are safe, reliable and commercially viable.

“Through this initiative, we are creating an environment where new food technologies can be developed and evaluated with confidence. By bringing together scientific excellence, advanced testing capabilities and regulatory expertise, we are strengthening the quality infrastructure that enables innovation, attracts international investment and supports the development of future industries. In this way, quality infrastructure becomes a strategic enabler of economic diversification, industrial competitiveness and long-term food security.”

The guideline sets out clear requirements for product safety assessment, laboratory testing, regulatory oversight and the protection of participants in tasting trials. ADQCC’s Central Testing Laboratory will play a central role in providing laboratory verification and technical evaluation services, while ADAFSA will review trial applications and issue the regulatory approvals needed to conduct them in a controlled environment.

His Excellency Dr Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director-General of ADAFSA, said: “The future of food security depends on our ability to adopt new technologies while upholding the highest standards of safety and protecting public health.

“This initiative provides a clear and responsible pathway for developing novel foods, supporting a more diverse, resilient and sustainable food system. It also affirms Abu Dhabi’s commitment to advancing innovation while keeping consumer safety at the heart of food technology development.”

Beyond its scientific and regulatory value, the initiative strengthens Abu Dhabi’s appeal to international investors. It gives greater clarity on the regulatory requirements for early-stage research, makes it easier for innovators to work with regulators and opens new opportunities for global food technology companies to set up research and development operations in the emirate.

His Excellency Badr Salim Sultan Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, said: “Through the AgriFood Growth & Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, and in collaboration with regulatory authorities, we are developing an integrated ecosystem in Abu Dhabi that supports the growth of innovative food companies, enabling them to advance their research towards commercial application. The new guideline represents an important addition to this ecosystem, providing a clear and structured pathway for testing and developing products in line with international best practices.”

The initiative is expected to stimulate research partnerships, increase demand for specialised laboratory testing services, attract advanced food technology companies and support investment in emerging industries, while strengthening the emirate’s position in the global food technology value chain.

By bringing together industry-led innovation, scientific excellence, a diverse population and a supportive investment environment, Abu Dhabi is laying the foundations for a future food economy that turns new technologies into new industries and economic opportunities, contributing to sustainable food security and the emirate’s global competitiveness.The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), has developed a new guideline that sets out an integrated framework for conducting tasting and sensory evaluation of novel foods safely. The guideline opens new opportunities for scientific research, innovation and investment in the emirate’s advanced food technology sector.