UNIDO and Global ACI sign MoU to strengthen cooperation on accreditation

Vienna, 18 May– The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to consolidate and enhance their strategic cooperation in accreditation.

The agreement builds on UNIDO’s longstanding collaboration with the international accreditation community through the former International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). Global ACI, which has assumed the roles of IAF and ILAC, serves as the single international authority on accreditation and promotes international trust through its Multilateral Recognition Arrangement, supporting the acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results across markets. 

The MoU was signed by Mr. Ciyong Zou, UNIDO Deputy to the DG and Managing Director of TCS and Mr. Brahim Houla, Chief of Global ACI. Through this MoU, UNIDO and Global ACI will work together to promote the wider use, acceptance and reliance on accredited services, with a view to facilitating trade, enhancing regulatory confidence and reducing technical barriers to trade. The cooperation will also support the strengthening and sustainability of national and regional accreditation bodies, particularly in developing countries, least developed countries and countries with economies in transition. 

The partnership will focus on capacity-building, training, institutional development, research, knowledge dissemination and joint initiatives in areas of mutual interest. It will also support accreditation-related activities in emerging, strategic and regulated sectors.

By strengthening this cooperation, UNIDO and Global ACI reaffirm their shared commitment to advancing quality infrastructure systems that foster trust, competitiveness, sustainable industrial development and more effective participation in global trade.

For more information, please contact: Alejandro Rivera Rojas r.rivera-rojas [at] unido.org (r[dot]rivera-rojas[at]unido[dot]org)