In line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai vision to transform Dubai into the Capital of Islamic Economy, ESMA and Dubai Industrial City are hosting the fourth and fifth meetings of SMIIC to discuss halal food and cosmetics issues.
The UAE who chaired the Technical Committee of Halal Food (GSM EEC) has coordinated with the Technical committee members and experts in the Islamic countries, to set and develop standard specifications for halal products according to one and accredited application, to ensure that halal products are safe and guaranteed.
Abdullah Al Maeeni, Acting Director General of Emirates Authority for ESMA, said: “All halal providers must apply to the provision of their products to be aligned with the requirements of religious legitimacy. The objective of standardisation is to develop and implement technical standard which is an established norm or requirement about technical systems. We are trying to make the requirements applicable and easy to understand and standardise the level of all countries in the world. Furthermore, the requirements must be based on the origins and foundations of Islamic sharia.”
Al Maeeni pointed out that the meetings this year are held under the sponsorship of Dubai Industrial City, to address the requirements of accreditation and standardisation. He stressed that in order to ensure products are compatible with halal standards; there must be specialised body in all countries to supervise and monitor the production process, from processing to inspection and testing.
Abdulla Khalifa Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Industrial City, said: “We are committed to contributing to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum vision in making Dubai the Capital of Islamic Economy. We established The Halal Cluster, the first of its kind in the region, to be dedicated to the halal sector. Spread across an area of 6,771,781 million square feet, Halal Cluster is aimed to be a base for companies that seek to invest in halal food, cosmetics and personal care products.”
Belhoul added: “Hosting SMIIC meeting in Dubai is considered an important step to stress on the importance the development of legislation to meet the needs and requirements of the market and be able to compete with global markets. Additionally, these meetings will enhance the operations in our Halal Cluster in Dubai Industrial City in the future, and accordingly strengthen Dubai’s position in this sector across the world.”
The Technical Committees of halal food and cosmetics who are meeting these days also seek to establish and develop standard specifications and specific requirements for the issuance of Halal certificates. The legislative system which is being discussed during the meetings is based on three key elements that include; halal products, halal certification bodies and accreditation bodies. This system aims to ensure that the process of obtaining halal products is comprehensive.
The UAE has become the focal point of the global halal industry, with ESMA mandated by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to formulate new halal regulations and codes for food, and cosmetics and perfumes to be implemented in all Islamic countries. The Country has already made many achievements to date, including hosting the SMIIC meetings, to be a regional and global leader in this important industry.
