ecretary General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry
akkah Forum for Halal has become a prominent annual event for global industry leaders and experts
“Yousef Khalawi”: The forum’s launch from Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of halal, does not prevent similar future events in other countries.
The lack of awareness about halal culture among consumers and producers is the biggest challenge facing the global sector.
6000 visitors from 120 countries and more than 180 exhibitors at the forum’s first edition.
The halal industry is seeing good growth rates and is expected to witness a boom by 2030.
The second edition of the Makkah Forum for Halal will be held from February 25 to 27, 2025, under the patronage of His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Commerce, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi. The forum aims to enhance sustainable development through halal practices worldwide.
Yousef Hasan Khalawi, Secretary General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the Makkah Forum for Halal is part of an ongoing effort to develop the global halal industry. The forum provides a comprehensive platform that brings together sector leaders and experts from around the world to exchange knowledge and experiences about the latest developments in the halal industry and its pivotal role in driving sustainable development.
He added that the forum marks the beginning of a new era for halal events globally, offering a comprehensive showcase of the best halal products and services from around the world. This will be achieved through a series of diverse sessions, interactive workshops, distinguished exhibitions, live halal cooking demonstrations, as well as opportunities for partnerships and collaboration across various sectors.
Khalawi explained that the remarkable success of the first edition of the forum, with over 6,000 visitors from 120 countries, more than 180 exhibiting companies, 410 business delegations, 60 international trade and media representatives, and over 400 meetings, encourages the second edition of the forum to highlight the best practices and effective marketing strategies in the halal sector. This will raise awareness among participants about the importance of halal compliance, contribute to enhancing the marketing of halal brands, and increase their share in global markets. It will also open new avenues for partnerships and collaboration between stakeholders, ensuring the sustainability of growth and prosperity in the halal industry.
Regarding the target participants and exhibitors in the current edition, he confirmed that the forum targets decision-makers, industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders in the halal sector, as well as exhibitors and companies working in halal products and services from around the world. This will enhance knowledge exchange and contribute to the global development of the halal industry, particularly as it has become a key platform and a unique opportunity for participants to engage with leaders and experts in the field. This helps them develop effective marketing strategies and expand their share in regional and international markets.
He continued, “This edition is expected to feature a variety of exciting activities, including rich discussion sessions, interactive workshops, exclusive exhibitions, networking opportunities, and live halal cooking presentations by professional chefs, adding a special touch to the event.”
Khalawi noted that the Makkah Forum for Halal is organized by the “Manafea” initiative and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Halal Services Company, which represents the Chamber’s arm responsible for enhancing the quality of halal products and services and improving their standards, as well as developing the global halal industry.
He added that the forum started in the heart of halal in Saudi Arabia for both its first and second editions, but its organizers have the vision to expand the forum’s scope. Future events may be held in other countries in addition to Saudi Arabia, reflecting our ongoing efforts to elevate the halal industry and promote it globally.
The Secretary General emphasized that the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims to achieve an ambitious vision to enhance the global halal industry and make the forum a prominent annual event that gathers industry leaders and experts from all over the world. This contributes to creating an inspiring environment for exchanging knowledge and experiences regarding the latest developments in the sector and ways to globally advance it. Moreover, the forum seeks to enhance innovation and sustain the quality of halal products and services, focusing on developing standards and practices that ensure compliance with the highest levels of quality.
The Chamber also aims to expand international participation by attracting more exhibitors from around the world, thus enhancing collaboration and partnership opportunities among relevant parties. “We are working to continue our efforts to develop workshops that target the enhancement of skills within the sector, contributing to building a new generation of outstanding leaders in the halal industry.”
Khalawi added, “The Islamic Chamber seeks to strengthen the position of the halal industry globally. We aim to develop the halal industry through adherence to unified standards that ensure all products and services comply with Islamic law, which enhances trust between consumers and producers.”
He mentioned that the recent surge in demand for halal products and services signals a massive boom in the industry’s growth by 2030. This growth is expected to extend to other halal sectors such as fashion, cosmetics, and Islamic financial services, reflecting the diversity and expansion of the global halal market.
Khalawi also pointed out some challenges currently facing the halal market that negatively impact its growth and development. The most significant of these challenges is the lack of adequate awareness of halal culture, both among consumers and producers. Furthermore, the market lacks unified standards for halal certification globally, with variations in standards from country to country, which causes confusion among consumers and businesses and opens the door to food fraud by misrepresenting non-halal products as halal, undermining consumer trust.
He added that the costs of compliance with halal standards impose a burden on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), limiting their ability to compete in the market. Additionally, there are challenges related to the supply chain, as ensuring compliance with halal standards requires significant resources that may not always be available.
In conclusion, the Makkah Halal Forum represents a pioneering step towards promoting the halal industry globally, and reflects the commitment of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development to open new horizons for economic growth. In this regard, we emphasize the importance of concerted efforts to raise awareness of halal culture and standardize the standards that govern it, which will enhance trust between consumers and producers, and contribute to building a more sustainable and prosperous world, in order to ensure that our future generations are full of opportunities and successes.
