PARIS, 19th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates took part in the 28th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), held recently in Versailles, France. Representatives of member states attended alongside international leaders and experts in metrology.
The conference adopted seven resolutions on the development of the global measurement system and the future of timekeeping, as well as the institutional and financial arrangements that support the work of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).
Engineer Saeed Mohammed Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Emirates Metrology Institute (EMI), part of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), represented the UAE at the conference, accompanied by a delegation from the institute. The participation forms part of the UAE’s efforts to play a larger role in international scientific forums, expand its technical partnerships and keep pace with developments in metrology and its contribution to industry and technology.
The resolutions address the future definition of the second, the further digital transformation of the global metrology system and the technical actions needed to ensure the continuity of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The conference also adopted resolutions on universal adherence to the Metre Convention, the BIPM’s financial allocation (dotation) for 2028 to 2031 and the Rules of Procedure of the General Conference, together with a resolution on defining an international lunar reference time scale and its traceability to UTC.
The lunar time resolution supports continued scientific work and cooperation between the BIPM, national metrology institutes, space agencies and the relevant international organisations to develop the lunar reference time scale and its applications, and the means of comparing it with UTC. This serves the needs of navigation, positioning and timing systems on the surface of the Moon and in the space around it, in support of future space missions.
On the sidelines of the conference, Al Muhairi held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders and representatives of specialised international institutions, among them Poland’s Central Office of Measures (GUM). The talks covered opportunities for cooperation and the exchange of expertise in metrology, the development of technical capabilities and wider partnerships.
He also met the presidents of three consultative committees of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM): the Consultative Committee for Mass and Related Quantities (CCM), the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) and the Consultative Committee for Electricity and Magnetism (CCEM).
Discussions focused on the possibility of EMI representatives attending the meetings of these committees as official observers. This would give the institute closer access to scientific and technical developments, more opportunities to exchange expertise and a larger contribution to the international measurement system.
The meetings also included representatives of Singapore’s A*STAR National Metrology Centre (NMC) and India’s CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL).
Both sides reviewed potential areas of cooperation on scientific and technical topics of shared interest, opportunities to exchange expertise, the development of national talent and closer research and technical partnerships.
The UAE’s participation supports the development of national capabilities in metrology and wider international cooperation that meets the needs of the industrial and technology sectors. It also strengthens the country’s position as an active partner in the global measurement system.