This piece was originally published in the December 2018 issue of electroindustry.

Madeleine Bugel, Manager, State and International Government Relations, NEMA

NEMA President and CEO Kevin J. Cosgriff traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) on a Technical Cooperation Program (TCP). Mr. Cosgriff met with Dr. Saad Othman Al-kasabi, the governor of SASO, to discuss the TCP and the opportunities it creates for collaboration. They discussed SASO’s role in ensuring the safety of Saudi Arabians when it comes to consumer products, transportation, and infrastructure.

The TCP outlines how NEMA and SASO can work together. NEMA has granted SASO access to NEMA Standards and publications so that SASO may study and use them for reference. SASO has been given an expansive set of responsibilities by the government of Saudi Arabia, including safety, transportation, and electrical Standards. The TCP will foster the relationship between the two organizations and allow NEMA to assist SASO with its Standards developing process.

Since SASO has MOUs with only a few other organizations, this TCP will enhance the relationship of NEMA and SASO, ensuring that consumers in the kingdom have access to genuine, quality, and necessary products appropriate to its electrical infrastructure.

NEMA has a Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Market Access Consortium (KSAMAC) to maintain fair market access in the kingdom by working directly with companies in the country, SASO, the United States Trade Representative’s Office, and the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

To get involved with the KSAMAC, contact Madeleine Bugel at madeleine.bugel@nema.org.