Turkey is preparing to host major gatherings on global market products and services conforming to Islamic guidelines (known as halal) this week.
Istanbul will host the 6th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Halal Expo, which is expected to attract scholars, company representatives, experts, businesspeople and politicians from around the globe. During the event, Turkey will showcase its new halal certification body, the Halal Accreditation Agency (HAK), which recently started to operate on a global scale for the first time.
Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said that food and cosmetics industries are in the forefront of the halal products market in Turkey. According to Pekcan, around 400 companies in the world give halal certificates, but that no overarching structure exists to accredit these companies and organizations.
Recalling that HAK under the Trade Ministry has recently started to regulate the halal certification market and create a common discourse, Pekcan said that the institution will not issue halal certificates itself, but will authorize institutions that grant these documents and supervise them.
Pekcan pointed out that HAK aims to fill a gap on a global scale and become a global center by accrediting institutions that give halal certificates, saying, "Bringing foreign currency to the country in return for accreditation, it will give and remove document obstacles to exports, HAK will be the center and leader in accreditation services in the $4 trillion halal market." According to Pekcan, more than 250 international companies operating in various sectors, including food, finance, tourism, cosmetics, medicine, chemistry, packaging, machines and Islamic life and fashion are expected to attend the fair, which will be held at the Eurasia Show and Art Center in Istanbul.
More than 40,000 visitors, including 5,000 foreigners, are expected to attend the summit and the fair. A total of 250 companies - 150 domestic and 100 foreign - from 27 countries will display their products at the fair. The event will include nearly 300 business-to-business (B2B) meetings and the World Halal Summit First Islamic Countries Cooks Cup.
