Afghanistan seeks stronger standards cooperation with Turkey and regional partners

Afghanistan’s Standard and Quality Authority (ASQA) has held talks with counterparts from Turkey, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan to expand technical cooperation and strengthen the country’s standards and quality infrastructure.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), according to ASQA.

The Afghan delegation, led by ASQA Technical Deputy Mohammad Asif Qanit and Chief of Staff Wahid Ahmad Badri, met with representatives of the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) to discuss employee training, quality certification, technical standards, laboratory services and bilateral cooperation.

The two sides also discussed a United Nations Development Programme initiative supported by Turkey, which focuses on building technical capacity and creating employment opportunities for Afghans.

Turkish officials expressed their willingness to maintain engagement with their Afghan counterparts and invited the delegation to visit the institution in Turkey, including its laboratories and operational facilities, ASQA said.

In talks with Uzbekistan’s Agency for Technical Regulation and Standardization, the Afghan delegation explored potential areas for technical cooperation.

Separate discussions with the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation through diplomatic channels.

Representatives of Kazakhstan’s Institute of Standardization and Metrology (KazStandard) also met with the Afghan delegation and expressed readiness to provide technical assistance.

ASQA said the meetings form part of its efforts to broaden engagement with regional and international standards organizations, improve technical expertise and advance Afghanistan’s standards and quality sector.

The authority added that stronger international partnerships could help develop laboratory services, improve quality certification and support the implementation of technical standards across Afghanistan.