IAF and ILAC members, partners and stakeholders convened in Bangkok, Thailand, this October for the second General Assembly (GA) of the new organisation Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, which was held during the IAF/ILAC Joint Annual Meetings.  

Delegates from around the world attended the GA, which marked several historic milestones, including formal steps to wind down IAF and ILAC.  

Membership numbers increased significantly, with applications that had been submitted by 21 October being approved. The breakdown of new members is as follows: 

• 103 Full Members  
• 8 Associate Members; and 
• 38 Stakeholder Members 

All six of the existing Regional Cooperation Bodies (RCBs) also joined the organisation, ensuring a seamless transition to the new Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA). This brings the total number of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated members to 159.   

Procedural and guidance documents were approved at the meeting, enabling the new organisation to function as a complete entity from 1 January 2026. Processes for establishing the new MRA and transfer of the ILAC MRA Mark and licencing of the IAF MLA Mark to Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated were also formalised. The ILAC and IAF Secretariats are now busy finalising the remaining documents that will be needed from 1 January. 

Members elected Brahim Houla from the GCC Accreditation Center, Saudi Arabia as the Chair-elect and Emanuele Riva from Accredia, Italy as the Vice Chair-elect. Both will commence their three-year terms on 1 January 2026, when the new organisation is launched., when the new organisation is launched. 

The existing transitional Executive Committee will continue in the role until 31 December, after which the new Executive will take over. Committee Chair elections will take place in November and December 2025, while new membership applications will continue to be approved through the end of the year, ensuring all newly joined organisations can participate in the upcoming Committee Vice Chair elections in early 2026. 

General administrative matters were also reported during the meeting, such as insurance, budget, membership fees, communications and future meetings. 

Members noted that the next general meetings of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, including the third General Assembly, would be held in Prague, Czech Republic from 20 – 26 April 2026. 

The meeting concluded with heartfelt thanks to the One Organisation Project Steering Committee members, the IAF/ILAC Joint Executive Committee members and all the volunteers whose hard work over the preceding six years has turned the dream of becoming one global voice for trust, quality, and sustainable progress into reality. 

Further information is available from: secretariat@global-accreditation.nz