Enabling a future where measurements remain not only precise, but meaningful

Distinguished colleagues, dear friends,

The 60th meeting of the CIML takes place in what is a remarkable year for the metrology community, as the international diplomatic and professional communities commemorate both the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention and the 70th anniversary of the Convention establishing the International Organization of Legal Metrology – a milestone that reminds us of the lasting vision of those who, in 1955, sought to ensure that trust, transparency, and fairness in measurements would underpin global trade, technology, and daily life. In this regard, we extend our warm congratulations to all professionals in this most practical field whose dedication continues to make our economies more reliable and our lives safer.

The legacy of these two key conventions continues to evolve through the cooperation between the BIPM and the OIML, as their partnership bridges science, regulation, and sustainable development.

UNESCO’s recognition of the relevance of World Metrology Day reflects a profound belief that metrology is not only a scientific discipline, but a universal language of cooperation – connecting economies, protecting consumers, and promoting trust between nations.

Kazakhstan’s engagement with international legal metrology has deepened over the past decades, as our country has modernized its national quality control infrastructure and aligned it with international standards. The Kazakhstan Institute of Standardisation and Metrology (KazStandard) is now an active participant in both the OIML and the BIPM systems, contributing to mutual recognition arrangements and capacity-building. Through this work, metrology in Kazakhstan has become a driver of industrial innovation, digital transformation, and economic growth.

Legal metrology plays a vital role in protecting consumers, ensuring fair trade, and supporting public confidence in everything from healthcare and environmental monitoring to smart energy and digital technologies. Metrology has a particular role to play when there is a societal need to protect both the buyer and seller in a commercial exchange of commodity or service provided. Consumers can be confident that purchases of measured items, for example, a litre of petrol or a milligram of medicine, will be fair, safe and have the expected quality. They can be confident that metrology laws intended to protect them or impose a sanction will be enforced fairly.

As our societies undergo profound technological change – from artificial intelligence to green transition – we believe that the mission of OIML grows ever more relevant. Reliable measurements ensure that innovation remains safe, inclusive, and accountable.

In this spirit, Kazakhstan supports OIML’s ongoing modernization agenda, including its digital transformation initiatives, new approaches to certification, and its close cooperation with regional and international organizations. We also value OIML’s contribution to global capacity-building – a dimension essential for ensuring that all Member States, regardless of size or level of economic and institutional development, can benefit from a harmonized metrology framework.

The story of metrology is, in essence, a story of trust. It is about the confidence we place in every transaction, every medical test, scientific result, and industrial process. It is the quiet foundation upon which our interconnected world depends. As we celebrate seventy years of the OIML and a century and a half of the Metre Convention, we must renew our shared commitment to cooperation, innovation, and human progress, and we must ensure that metrology continues to serve all peoples and all generations – enabling a future where measurements remain not only precise, but meaningful.