UAE: Jebel Ali Free Zone as Halal industry hub

Jafza-Overview1DUBAI, 10th June, 2015 (WAM) — The 5-day Japanese roadshow of Jebel Ali Free Zone, Jafza, has successfully positioned the Free Zone as the Halal industry hub in the region.

Jafza Roadshow covered Japan’s three leading business and manufacturing centres, Sapporo, Osaka and Tokyo. During the roadshow, Jafza conducted four business seminars that together attracted more than 300 leading businesses from food, pharmaceutical, electronics, transport and logistics sectors.

Ibrahim Mohamed Aljanahi, Deputy CEO of Jafza and Chief Commercial Officer of Economic Zones World, parent company of the Free Zone, commenting on the remarkable success of the Jafza Roadshow, said, “The overwhelming response that Jafza’s Halal-focused roadshow received reflects Japan’s sharply growing interest in serving rapidly growing markets for Halal products. Japan seeks to reach and serve over 2 billion consumers of Halal food and other products in the world, including the wider Middle East region which forms the sector’s largest market. This is the market Jafza as a trade and logistics hub serves. Jafza provides everything that Japanese businesses require to become a significant force in the Halal industry particularly in food, pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.”

The Jafza team, led by Ibrahim Aljanahi and comprising Adil Al Zarooni and Khadija Al Bastaki, was joined by senior officials from the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, DIEDC, Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, ESMA, and Dubai Exports.

The first two business seminars, organised by Japan External Trade Organization, a government-entity that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world, with support from TOKKU Food Association and Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank respectively, were focused on Dubai’s Halal Mission and Jafza’s position as the Halal hub for the region. Jafza, in its presentations, talked about two state-of-the-art Halal zones being developed – one in Jafza and the other in TechnoPark, its sister company, to serve regional, international, as well as local markets.

Adil Al Zarooni, SVP Sales, Jafza, talking about the Halal zones, said, “Jafza seeks to collaborate and attract organisations, associations, accreditation bodies, R&D, as well as advisory firms, to support the entire Halal value chain right from R&D, product development to sourcing, production, logistics, sales and marketing.”

As a part of its Halal mission, the Free Zone will promote Halal standards globally, which are developed and evolved by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology and Dubai Accreditation Department, to attract enterprises within the Halal industry.

DIEDC in their presentations at the seminars highlighted Dubai’s vision to become the global hub for Islamic economy, its Halal industry strategy and the Halal industry landscape globally.

ESMA highlighted the Halal certification process for products entering the UAE, and the regulations in place to ensure that the value chain of Halal products is fully complying with Sharia requirements. ESMA also highlighted the fact that Dubai Halal Certification is fully in compliance with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OIC’s, Halal standards and are recognised and accepted in all 57 OIC member countries. ESMA began issuing Halal certification in 2014.

The last two business seminars were organised by Mobio, Monodzukuri Business Information, with support from Osaka Prefectural Government, and JETRO with support from Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank, respectively. Both of the seminars highlighted Jafza’s key offerings as the trade and logistics hub for the wider Middle East region. Jafza presentations at both the events also included information on its Halal initiatives.

The Jafza business seminar in Tokyo was attended by more than 150 leading Japanese businesses from diverse sectors spanning food and beverages, pharmaceutical, medical equipment, electronics to automotive sectors, and several senior government officials, including Moez Al Fahim, Charge d’Affaires at the UAE Embassy in Japan, who welcomed all guests and attendees at the forum.