By Gokhan Ergocun
ISTANBUL (AA) - The Halal Expo, one of the world’s foremost events for halal products, officially opened in Istanbul, the commercial capital of Turkey, on Wednesday.
The 10th edition of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Halal Expo gathers prominent companies, senior officials, decision-makers, experts, academics, scientists, and students from 80 countries.
This four-day exhibition, the largest of its kind in the halal sector, provides an opportunity for industry leaders to collaborate and promote the halal market.
In addition, the World Halal Summit, held alongside the expo for the eighth time, will host seminars focused on halal-related topics to raise awareness.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a video message for the opening ceremony, emphasized Türkiye’s strong support for the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and urged all OIC member countries to join the institute, aiming to resolve the existing divisions, disputes, and uncertainties surrounding halal certification.
The president highlighted that halal-certified products and services are recognized for being clean, healthy, and mindful of religious sensitivities, contributing to the market’s growth, which has surpassed a $5 trillion capacity.
He further pointed out that this year’s World Halal Summit, which welcomed over 1,100 companies and around 50,000 visitors from more than 110 countries, is regarded as the largest halal event globally.
He added: “I believe that the debates to be held during the summit themed '10 Years of Halal Success' will open new horizons for companies, institutions, and consumers in the sector.
"The business forums to be organized on the summit grounds will lead to the establishment of new partnerships and new investments among the participating companies."
Türkiye is firmly advancing its position as a global production hub.
“Certification and standardization are very important for both ensuring consumer access to halal-certified products and services and facilitating the circulation of halal products and services in international trade," he said.
He emphasized that Türkiye places significant value on the work of SMIIC, which began operations in 2010.