KUALA
LUMPUR — The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has selected the
Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) to look further
developing the global halal industry which is estimated to be worth
US$580 billion (US$1.00=RM3.177).
ICCI president Sheikh Saleh
Kamel said it would look into the most basic yet important aspect of
the lucrative halal sector, which was global standards and
certification.
“The opportunities within the global halal
industry are huge and yet there is no official authority that looks
into the integrity of the halal market on a global scale. Now there
will be one,” he said in a statement here today.
At the
recently-held OIC Summit, the council recognised ICCI as the principal
representatives of the private sector in OIC member states as regard to
halal quality control and urged all Islamic governments to facilitate
the procedures for activating its mechanism.
Sheikh Saleh said
this initiative was expected to help develop and modernise the halal
sector which affected 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, foster trade and
facilitate access to genuine halal products in both Muslim and
non-Muslim countries.
“There is a need to ensure the entire
supply chain of halal products is protected for the benefit of the
ummah and also those in the industry,” he said.
“ICCI’s
mission for halal is not only to provide credible and professional
halal certification but also to help develop existing halal
certification bodies to be at par with global industry requirements,”
he added.
