Makkah: OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen asserted that Makkah is the ideal venue to examine and discuss the concepts of arbitration and bolster criteria relevant to Halal food.
He also expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its people and government, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to the participants of the thirteenth session of the General Assembly of the Islamic States Metrology and Standardization Institute, convened in Makkah on Monday.
Those who addressed the inaugural session of the general assembly of the institute, which is one of the OIC’s affiliated institutions, included Saudi Minister of Trade and Investment Dr. Majed Al Qasabi, Governor of the Metrology, Standardization and Quality Commission Dr. Saad Bin Othman Al Qasabi, and Secretary General of the Islamic States Metrology and Standardization Institute Dr. Ihsan Uvot.
Al-Othaimeen further noted in his statement, which was delivered on his behalf by OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, that the activities of the Islamic States’ Metrology and Standardization Institute has, to a large measure, complimented many of the OIC’s procedures and policies regarding financing, consolidating and facilitating trade.
He further stressed that the OIC is striving in favour of the removal of barriers both as to category and quantity in intra-trade, which is being enhanced within the framework of the OIC Trade Preferential Scheme through the Institutes’ exercise in the area of metrology and standards, and more particularly by way of injecting new and acceptable criteria for Halal Food products among the member states.
The secretary general also emphasized that the activation of the Islamic States’ Metrology and Standardization Institute’s technical committee bears out that the OIC is indeed capable of achieving fruitful cooperation through the establishment of unified standards, particularly in the halal food domain.
Al-Othaimeen paid tribute to the Islamic States Metrology and Standardization Institute for its efforts in coordinating the collective response of the OIC Member States regarding the evolvement of unified standards in other areas that include, among others, health, renewable energy, precious ores, jewelry, leather, tanning, petrochemicals, textiles, and industrial products.
