Arab International ISO Conference (ISO 2000)

Location & Date:

The Arab International ISO Conference was held in Cairo, at Swissôtel – Zurich Hall, over two days on June 6–7, 2000. The conference served as a key platform for discussing major developments in international standards that were about to be issued that year.

Conference Theme & Objectives

Conference Theme:
“The Future Vision of ISO and Its Impact on Arab Exports”

Main Objectives:

• Introduce the latest developments in ISO 9000:2000, ISO 14000, and ISO 19011 standards
• Highlight the impact of these standards on the competitiveness of Arab industries and service sectors
• Prepare Arab institutions for upcoming global quality and environmental requirements

Conference Leadership & Organization

Conference Chairs:

• Dr. Mokhtar Khattab – Minister of Public Business Sector
• Dr. Nadia Makram Ebeid – Minister of State for Environmental Affairs

Organized by:

• Al Safaa for International Exhibitions & Conferences

Sponsors Included:

• Leadership Preparation Center
• M.D.C.I
• EgyptAir

Main Discussion Tracks

Day One: Quality Management (ISO 9000:2000)

Sessions focused on the fundamental changes introduced in the ISO 9000:2000 standard, which replaced previous versions (ISO 9001:1994, 9002, 9003).

Key topics included:

• Eight Quality Management Principles:
  Customer focus, leadership, people involvement, continuous improvement, and fact-based decision making

• Process Management Model:
  Managing related activities and resources as an integrated process to achieve efficient results

• Continuous Improvement:
  Establishing customer satisfaction measurement, data analysis, and ongoing improvement of internal processes

Day Two: Environmental Management & Auditing (ISO 14000 & ISO 19011)

Sessions addressed environmental management systems, clean technology, and the application of environmental information tools.

Key topics included:

• Developments in the ISO 14000 environmental standards series
• Environmental labeling and conformity marks
• Integration of quality and environmental auditing requirements

The conference concluded with a dedicated session on ISO 19011, which focuses on unified guidelines for auditing quality and environmental management systems, enabling the integration of internal and external audit requirements.

Recommendations & Outcomes

The conference aimed to produce a set of practical recommendations and expertise to support:

• Development of key strategic sectors across Arab countries
• Providing institutions with a structured framework to keep pace with international quality and environmental standards
• Enhancing the global competitiveness of Arab organizations and exports