ANSI and ITA Convene Member Roundtable on Standards Engagement in the Middle East

On August 27, 2025, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) convened a strategic roundtable discussion focused on standards engagement across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The session was organized in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) to brief John McCadams, the incoming Saudi Arabia Standards Attaché, prior to being posted in Riyadh in early September.

The event was designed to enhance collaboration on industry standards, regulatory challenges, and market opportunities in the MENA region by examining the priorities and challenges faced by U.S. standards developers and industry in the Gulf region. Discussions also highlighted how the ITA Standards Attaché program can help in addressing these issues.

U.S. Stakeholder Participation

Participants in the discussion included representatives from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), Apple, ASTM International, BICSI, Inteleos, International Code Council (ICC), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), NSF, SAE International, and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE).

Key themes included:

• Market potential: Significant growth opportunities in HVAC (estimated at $7 billion), telecommunications, construction, healthcare certification, and drinking water standards
• Regional Challenges: Barriers to standards adoption and implementation, such as varying regulatory environments, capacity building and conformity assessment needs, procurement inconsistencies, and the need for Arabic translations of standards in certain sectors
• Shared priorities: Supporting sustainability and digital transformation, enhancing technical training, and strengthening collaboration with U.S. government partners to expand U.S. standards leadership in the region

Several ANSI-accredited standards developing organizations (ASDs) also shared insights on their engagement with the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) and Saudi Standards Metrology & Quality Organization (SASO). They emphasized the growing recognition of U.S. standards in the region and noted that the presence of regional offices has helped facilitate this progress.

ITA’s Role and Support

John McCadams and Anthony Quinn, representatives from ITA, outlined the current administration’s priorities in the Gulf region. They emphasized the Department of Commerce’s commitment to supporting U.S. companies in exporting products, fostering growth, and acting as a liaison with national standards bodies.

ITA encouraged industry stakeholders to keep the administration informed about challenges faced in the region. They emphasized the importance of the Standards Attaché role in resolving commercial issues and improving understanding of standards to promote smoother export processes. In addition to the roundtable dialogue, several representatives participated in follow-up one-on-one meetings with the Standards Attaché at ANSI headquarters for more in-depth discussions of organization-specific priorities, questions, and opportunities for collaboration. 

ANSI thanks its members for their active engagement in this dialogue and looks forward to continued collaboration to strengthen U.S. standards leadership and cooperation in the region.

ANSI members with questions or relevant interest to share are encouraged to contact [email protected].