Submitted by the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI)
Delegates from throughout the Americas and other parts of the world are expected in Barbados from April 23rd to 26th, 2023, when the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT) hosts its General Assembly here.
The Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) will play host to the COPANT assembly, which is expected to comprise delegates of National Standards Bodies (NSBs) of the Americas.
COPANT is a non-profit civil association which operates in the current standards environment as a key hemispheric institution seeking to harmonise standards and facilitate the proper functioning of a free trade area of the Americas. It has thirty-two (32) active members and nine (9) adherent members.
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barbados, through the BNSI, lobbied and was successfully granted the opportunity to host the COPANT General Assembly in 2022. However, given the persistent spread of COVID-19, which caused several countries and organisations to restrict travel and face-to-face engagements, as well as considering the health and safety of potential delegates, the COPANT Board of Directors agreed for Barbados to host the General Assembly in 2023.
The event coincides with the BNSI’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, where the promotion of quality as a competitive strategy will be highlighted.
The joint event presents significant opportunities for the country, specifically, promoting the sustainable economic development of Barbados and the wider region; strengthening ties between Barbados and the Americas; and exposure to new global development projects/grant funding.
Key presentations from the international community will be delivered by notable experts from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and British Standard Institute (BSI), as well as from Brazil, Costa Rica, the United States of America and the Caribbean region.
Critical issues surrounding innovation, digital transformation, sustainable development, climate change and global solutions to mitigate against associated events, will be among the topics discussed.
