Workshop at SASO Reviews National Time Requirements
SASO has organized a workshop under the title "National Time – Objectives and Requirements" at its headquarters in Riyadh, with the participation of a large number of experts and specialists in the field.
His excellency the Governor of SASO said in a speech he gave at the beginning of the workshop, "SASO has made unremitting efforts to build an accurate, precise national system for time. These efforts have contributed to adding Makkah's clock to UTC and receiving international recognition for Saudi Time, making the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia one of the UTC components."
He continued saying, "This success comes as a result of the Leadership's support to the project of establishing the National Laboratory for Time and Frequency, SASO's possession of high – precision measurement devices, which came as a result of SASO's technical partnership programs with major international specialized organizations and institutes, such as the National Metrology Institute in Turkey, in addition to the participation in UTC along with metrological institutes and centers from all around the world."
The Governor noted that this international recognition will allow the Kingdom to benefit from the unification of time in all vital economic and security activities which require precision, such as banking systems, financial markets, airports, central airline bookings, train operating systems, television channels, etc.
The workshop was resumed by reviewing SASO's efforts in approving the Kingdom's timing within UTC. Also, the Communication and Information Technology Commission participated by shedding light on the importance of having a unified national time. Furthermore, the workshop included a review of the Turkish experience in the field of unified national timing.
The National Measurement and Calibration Center is considered a fundamental pillar in the fields of industry and commerce, scientific research, medical services and military equipment. Its proper infrastructure contributes to removing technical obstacles and facilitating bilateral trade between the countries, in addition to protecting the health and safety of the community, as no developing industry or fair trade can be reached without accurate, unified measurements and standards, supported by a national calibration and reference system. The National Measurement and Calibration Center is the governmental body entrusted with retaining all national measurement standards and linking those standards with main international units through BIPM, in order to ensure the accuracy of measurement devices used in all sectors, grant calibration certificates and work on the application of the measurement and calibration system.