Syria - Promoting Quality - Damascus
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⇒ Episode 8 - MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Project implemented by Syrian Enterprise & Business Centre Programme as part of the "Quality and Standards Programme", (http://www.qualitysyria.com;
http://www.sebcsyria.com/web2008/art.php?art_id=1465
Damascus, Syria,
November 2010
Co-financed by the European Commission
Eugad wiki page: http://www.eugad.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Syria_-_Promoting_Quality_-_Damascus
(programme funding is temporarily suspended by the EU)
The Syrian Enterprise & Business Centre (SEBC), the technical arm of the Ministry of Economy, in cooperation with the IBF International Consultancy of Belgium, launched the “Quality Management Programme” aimed at providing technical assistance and equipment to Syrian institutions for increasing the competitiveness of Syrian products in the international markets.
This 12 million Euro programme has now been temporarily suspended by the European Union. It was supporting the Syrian government in establishing a political and institutional environment for Syrian economic operators to adapt to a liberalising trade environment. Through the quality programme, the Syrian quality monitoring institutions were assisted in implementing the government’s new Quality Policy, formulating new legislations, introducing international quality controls on Syrian and imported products, getting international recognition from and associate with organisations like the ISO, and protecting the Syrian consumers. The programme also facilitates standardisation among products (testing results, technical items, services) of different producers. The objective is not only to make sure that products become comparable, interchangeable or fitting (ex: a bolt and nut produced in different factories), but also to facilitate trade.
According to a recently published article, only 500 out of 40,000 companies got their products certified in 2010. One of the sectors that still finds itself excluded from the quality certification processes is the Syrian bus assembly and manufacturing sector. A booming sector in the 70s and earlier certified by the Syrian government, this economic activity today faces serious challenges for survival. Has this happened because countries are now obliged to follow international standards for quality certifications?
Some of the journalists trained by Stefano on media reporting for development cooperation, as part of the SKILLS initiative in Damascus, filmed and reported some of the achievements and challenges of this programme.
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Additional Notes
The programme addresses the issue of quality at the policy, institutional and enterprise level. Through this programme, appropriate legislations are drafted and teams trained to monitor the application of laws. This process is supported through (i) awareness building among Syrian public institutions and policy makers in the Ministry of Economy and Trade, and other responsible technical ministries (Industry, Health, Environment, Tourism, Transport, Agriculture, Housing and Construction, Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Irrigation, Electricity, Local affairs and Customs); and (ii) Consumer Protection Association (CPA) as contact points for consumer rights, forums, complaints and requests.
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The TVP team trained a group of journalists, participating in a Syrian
skills development programme financed by the European Commission, in media
reporting on development cooperation. One of the EC co-financed programmes
that the journalists filmed and reported on was the "Quality and Standards
Programme".
The Quality and
Standards Programme (QSP) supports the establishment of a political and
institutional environment for Syrian economic operators to adapt to a
liberalising trade environment. It addresses the issue of quality at the
policy, institutional and enterprise level. Through this programme,
appropriate legislations are drafted and teams trained to monitor the
application of laws. This process is supported through (i) awareness building
among Syrian public institutions and policy makers in the Ministry of Economy
and Trade, and other responsible technical ministries (Industry, Health,
Environment, Tourism, Transport, Agriculture, Housing and Construction,
Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Irrigation, Electricity, Local affairs and
Customs); and (ii) Consumer Protection Association (CPA) as contact points for
consumer rights, forums, complaints and requests.
The quality programme also supports the standardisation among products
(testing results, technical items, services) of different producers. The
objective is not only to make sure that products become comparable,
interchangeable or fitting (ex: a bolt and nut produced in different
factories), but also to facilitate trade between countries.
According to a recently published article, only 500 out of 40,000 companies got their products certified in 2010. One of the sectors that still finds itself excluded from the quality certification processes is the Syrian bus assembly and manufacturing sector. A booming sector in the 70s and earlier certified by the Syrian government, this economic activity today faces serious challenges for survival. Has this happened because countries are now obliged to follow international standards for quality certifications?
A group of trainee
journalists, participating in the course conducted by the TVP team,
investigated and reported on this issue.
Economic Operators, public or private (manufacturers of products, service
providers, and traders operating on the Syrian market) in various sectors is a
key issue in the modernisation and strengthening of the Syrian economy. Of
particular importance is the improvement of export opportunities, leading to
increased trade and an expanded labour market in Syria. The Economic Operators
would be responsible for making sure that they fulfil all requirements that
are applicable to their products and services in the markets to which they
export their products. The main target groups of this initiative
are: Trade/Professional Associations, Chambers of Industry and Trade and their
federations (or equivalent) and manufacturers, Ministries responsible for
technical regulations and the promotion of trade, Consumers Protection
Association (CPA), Syrian Scientific Society for Quality (SSSQ), etc.
The initiatives of this program include:
1. Establising a standardisation body, responsible for ensuring and certifying national standards, in line with international standards (e.g. ISO, IEC, or CEN), to be suported on a voluntary basis by representatives from industries, public sector, universities, and other interested parties.The objectives of this initiative are to:
2. Introduction of the Syrian National Quality Award as a means to encourage quality development in Syrian enterprises. The activities incl
Related stories:
- Syria - Fostering Social and Economic Empowerment among Women (3)
- Syria - Promoting Quality - Damascus MDG8
- Syria - SKILLS - Training Young Syrian Journalists MDG8
- Syria - BESP - Business Environment Simplification Program (8)
| Quality Project - Edited by SKILLS Students | HUQAP2-5mxI |300}} |