Halal Expo 2017 successfully draws to a close with high-profile visits

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The 9th Halal Expo Dubai concluded on a successful note with a majority of the 100 exhibiting companies reporting brisk business with local and international traders, who were among the 4,000 visitors at the two-day business-to-business event, WAM News Agency reports.

"The expo provides a great opportunity to showcase and promote halal products across the world and I am glad this is happening in Dubai, which our government wants to promote as a global centre for the halal economy," Amina Ahmed Mohammed, CEO of Emirates International Accreditation Centre, EIAC, said following the inauguration.

"We are increasingly receiving applications from halal accreditation bodies across the world and have already received applications from 65 of the 120 bodies and more than 1,000 plants manufacturing halal products. We have already certified 35 of the halal accreditation bodies and will complete the rest within the next few years, which will allow halal products to enter the UAE markets without any further hassles," she added.

Halal Expo Dubai is the largest and most comprehensive business-to-business, B2B, halal exposition in the Middle East for the US$2.3 trillion global halal industry. The two-day exhibition was attended by 4,000 people, mostly, buyers and sellers of Halal products and services, from 40 countries. More than one hundred companies from 15 countries, including Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Spain, Pakistan, Switzerland, India, the United Kingdom, Brunei, Thailand, China and the UAE participated in the show.

Malaysia has officially recognized the UAE's ‘Halal Products Control System' national certificates and the national halal mark issued by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, ESMA, which will boost the UAE's annual halal imports worth US$20 billion (AED73 billion).

The recognition by Malaysian authorities will facilitate the trade of UAE halal products and ensure its acceptance in Malaysian markets, as well as 60 global markets that accept this certification.

"This UAE-led initiative, the first of its kind in the Arab and Middle East, will open up export horizons to producers in the country, as well as export and re-export support to dozens of new markets, which is positively reflected in the support and encouragement of international industries, especially in the markets of East and South East Asia and the Australian continent, and also contributes to food security in the country," Abdullah Abdul Qader Al Maeeni, Director-General of ESMA, said.

While praising the expo for the high turnout of exhibitors and visitors, and the number of deals signed, Dr. Abdirahman M. Abdi, Minister for Fisheries and Maritime Resources, Government of Somalia, commented, "The fisheries sector of Somalia is estimated to be worth between US$800 million to US$1 billion. This sector has a huge potential and we are participating in the expo to explore new opportunities through Dubai."

Raees Ahmed, Director of Orange Fairs and Events, organiser of the Halal Expo Dubai, expressed his satisfaction with the overall participation and the quality of visitors and exhibitors.