DUBAI, 8th March, 2020 (WAM) — The International Halal Accreditation Forum, IHAF, has discussed the halal trade facilitation, growth and cooperation strategy, innovations and market trends at the 7th Board of Directors, BOD, meeting in Dubai.
During the meeting, the board re-elected Emirates National Accreditation System, ENAS, represented by Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi for Chairmanship post and elected Saud Al Askar as the new IHAF Vice-chair for the term 2019 to 2022.
Speaking on the occasion, Al Shehhi said, “I am truly honoured that UAE was re-elected as the Board of Directors Chair. The commitment of the Forum is to unify accreditation practices of global halal standards to ease halal trade and to enhance mutual recognition of halal certificate between all member countries.”
Dr. Rehab Al Ameri, IHAF Secretary-General, congratulating the new IHAF Chair and Vice-Chair, said, “The objective of IHAF is to boost the growth of halal trade not only in the Islamic nations but globally. We believe that under the directives of the board and participation from the member bodies, IHAF initiatives and ambitions will be acknowledged worldwide.”
During the meeting, the BOD reviewed new membership applications, and approved the Affiliate Member of the Department of Accreditation, the Cambodian Accreditation National Council, DA-CANC, and upgraded the National Centre for Accreditation in Kazakhstan with full membership status.
The IHAF Secretary-General said, “I would like to welcome our new member country Cambodia and happy to add NCA from Kazakhstan to full membership category. These new memberships prove IHAF’s successful contribution to the halal trade. We also look forward to communicating with other Islamic and non-Islamic countries as well as look forward to closely working with our peer organisations to accelerate the halal trade globally.”
Dr. Al Ameri also discussed the cooperative strategies with International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, International Accreditation Forum, the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries, the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organisation, as well as recommendations put forth by the Multi-lateral Recognition Arrangement Committee, Technical Affairs Committee, and Marketing and Media Committee.
She also highlighted the latest statistics from the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2019/20, noting that Muslim spend reached US$2.2 trillion in 2018, with a forecast spend value of $3.2 trillion by 2024 – a cumulative annual growth rate, CAGR, of 6.2 percent.
The 7th Board of Directors meeting covered discussions on the growth report of IHAF. It also tackled IHAF Strategy for 2020 to 2024, as well achievement reports from its internal committees.
IHAF has also set the next assembly for the BOD and committees in conjunction with ILAC-IAF 2020 meetings in Montreal, Canada.
