In January-February 2020, Ukraine increased the export of poultry meat and offal by 4.2% compared to the same period in 2019 – up to 66.27 thousand tons, TradeMaster.UA reports citing Interfax-Ukraine.

 

The data of the State Customs Service of Ukraine show that the export of these products decreased by 7.1%, which equals $ 81.9 million in monetary terms. Also, the import of poultry and offal decreased 1.7 times – to 12.76 thousand tons, which is material expressed in 35, 1%, up to 5.56 million

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid Minister on Saturday requested the assistance of Brunei for the establishment of a halal science laboratory in Maldives.

 

The minister made the request during a meeting with his Bruneian counterpart, Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, during his ongoing official visit to the country.

 

During the meeting held at the Bruneian foreign ministry, the two diplomats discussed bilateral relations between the two nations, including instituting a ministry-to-ministry level cooperation agreement in order to reinvigorate cooperation.

 

Minister Shahid further explored possibilities for more scholarships to Maldivian students, and thanked the government of Brunei for the existing educational opportunities. He highlighted that supporting and educating people with special needs is an important priority of the Maldivian administration, as well as the development of the country’s social sector.

 

The foreign minister also had audience with the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, during which he thanked the Bruneian leader for the full scholarships on human resource development extended by Brunei to Maldivian students.

 

Highlighting the shared membership of both nations in the Commonwealth and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and common views across many international issues, Minister Shahid expressed confidence for increased cooperation in the multilateral fora and stronger bilateral ties.

 

Minister Shahid conveyed the best wishes on behalf of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the government and people of Maldives to Brunei, further highlighting Maldives’ keenness to strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

 

During his visit, the foreign minister also met with the ministers of education and health of Brunei.

“The health and safety of our WHC participants is always our highest priority, and in line with the recommended safety measures, we are taking extra precautions and will host WHC 2020 later in September instead,” said Hairol Ariffein Sahari, chief executive officer of HDC.

 

WHC2020 is expected to host several foreign governments’ officials as well as local and international corporate leaders with several of Malaysia’s key ministers in attendance.

 

More than 1000 delegates from all over the world are also expected to participate in the conference.

 

“It is with a heavy heart for HDC to reschedule the conference as our participants had looked forward to be part of WHC2020 and would have made the necessary arrangements. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduled dates,” said Hairol.

 

While the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia is under control, travel restrictions issued by some countries have given rise to a lot of uncertainties and travel disruptions.

 

“We look forward to welcoming our WHC2020 participants in September to congregate on the halal economy forging ahead towards the New World Economy,” he said.

 

WHC 2020 will be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre here.

The manager of a central Alberta meat processing plant that already flies fresh lamb to Dubai every week says he expects the market for certified halal products will continue to grow.

Sungold Specialty Meats general manager Miles Kliner says his Innisfail plant processes halal lamb and goat meat products and supplies both halal and non-halal markets locally, nationally and abroad

“We certainly see continued opportunity in other countries in the Middle East — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait,” he said.

“Again, with the international standards the way they are, we feel we’re positioned to be able to capture some of that market.”

Kliner says the market for halal products — food that fits Islamic dietary laws — has grown by eight to 10 per cent year-over-year in the past decade.

Sungold is the only federal processor of halal lamb in Western Canada, and the largest federal processor in Canada.

“We’re very pleased that we’re able to provide the type of certification necessary for consumers to have the confidence in the process.”

For meat to be considered under Muslim principles to be halal, the animal must have been blessed first by an imam and then slaughtered by hand and its blood drained.

“We electrically stun the animals in advance of the bleeding process. So we bring together the humane requirements as well as recognizing the traditional Muslim requirements for ritual slaughter,” Kliner said.

A recent provincial report put Canadian halal food sales at more than $1 billion in 2017.

The Alberta government says it wants to expand the province’s halal capacity as part of overall trade efforts.

Provincial trade and relations officer Aarij Bashir says that also includes the beef industry.

He says the province offers advice and help to current and potential exporters in areas ranging from foreign market access to regulatory barriers.

“We enjoy the support of the government in terms of helping to explore, develop and take advantage of the opportunities that exist,” Kliner said.

and their expertise in the SMIIC Technical Committee on Tourism and Related Issues  (TC 5) to prepare the standard “OIC/SMIIC 9:2019, Halal Tourism Services – General Requirements”  that aims to ensure that products and services provided for Muslim travellers are in accordance with the Islamic rules.

OIC/SMIIC 9, as the common standard of SMIIC Member States, is expected to be widely used by the actors of the tourism industry who offers Halal Tourism Services (HTS) in the world.

Standard is available for online sale: https://www.smiic.org/en/project/31

Brief Information

HTS is defined as “all products or services in the travel and tourism industry guided by Islamic rules that cater to or provide facilities suitable for Muslim travellers”.

The objectives of OIC/SMIIC 9 are listed as follows:

• to enhance the ability of an organization/individual to produce and/or manage halal,
• tourism products and services that meet Islamic rules,
• to preserve and protect the integrity of halal tourism products and services, through effective application of the standard,
• and to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.

OIC/SMIIC 9 provides guidelines and requirements for managing halal tourism facilities, products and services for travellers in, accommodation premises, tour packages, tourist guides and, other services and facilities such as catering, restaurants…etc.).

In the standard, HTS are classified according to the services provided by the organizations. And depending on the type of HTS offered, the accommodation premises are divided into 3 categories as:

• Category A: Accommodation Premises with Halal Tourism Advanced Scale Services
• Category B: Accommodation Premises with Halal Tourism Medium Scale Services
• Category C: Accommodation Premises with Halal Tourism Basic Scale Services

This makes the standard applicable for a wide range of accommodation premises which are located in OIC or non-OIC region.

Therefore, the standard basically defines the requirements regarding Halal issues, food, accommodation and other facilities such as prayer rooms, recreational areas…etc. And the rules for tour operators and guides are also parts of the standard.

On the other hand OIC/SMIIC 9 gives guidance to the organizations regarding management responsibility, the requirements of the personnel involved in HTS as well.

In brief, all requirements defined in the standard are generic and intended to be applicable to all organizations and individuals managing HTS.

Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) held its fourth and last board meeting for 2019, chaired by Sami Al Qamzi, Vice Chairman of DIEDC and Director General of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai, on behalf of His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of DIEDC.

 

Summing up DIEDC’s performance in 2019, His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri noted that the Centre has remained committed to closely overseeing ongoing initiatives and launching new ones, as well as expanding its partner base in line with its mandate to implement the Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy initiative.

 

He said: “During the past year, DIEDC has recorded exceptional achievements in realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as the global capital of Islamic economy, and supporting the priorities highlighted in the Fifty-Year Charter, issued earlier this year, such as economic diversification of the emirate.

 

Notably, the Centre has exceeded the KPIs set for certain initiatives while reaching others ahead of the timeline. By end-2017, the Centre successfully boosted the contribution of the Islamic economy to Dubai’s GDP to 10 per cent, increased the share of halal products in the emirate’s overall trade to 14 per cent, and elevated the UAE among the top three countries in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator.”

 

He added: “In 2019, DIEDC has made great strides in consolidating Dubai’s status as the global capital of Islamic economy, especially in terms of expanding international partnerships. The Centre signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) to conduct joint capacity-building programmes in various jurisdictions, especially in markets new to Islamic banking and finance, as well as to drive the sustainable development of the industry. The agreement also enables DIEDC to hold a series of meetings with East Asian entities that focus on Islamic economy development.”

 

Addressing the board, Sami Al Qamzi said: “Following the strategic plan put forward by the board, the Centre will work around the clock in 2020 to achieve favourable results. In the coming year, we will prioritise the objective of measuring the contribution of the Islamic economy to the national GDP, as accurate statistics will allow us to direct our efforts where they are needed the most.”

Ready to be taken to the next level, the burgeoning sector of Islamic finance is ready to take root in new regions through Turkey, Malaysia and Qatar, according to a leading figure in Qatari finance.

 

Speaking to Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview, the CEO of the Qatar Financial Centre Yousuf Al-Jaida said Malaysia could act as a gateway for Islamic finance into Asia, with Turkey into Europe and Qatar the Middle East and Africa.

 

He stressed that Malaysia was ready with its legal framework to facilitate the sector, as well as such products as Sukuk — a non-interest-bearing note. Qatar, and Turkey need to step up and do more for the sector, which should be pioneered by Muslim countries.

 

Underlining that Doha and Ankara needed to step up and do more, he said these three countries could form a large platform to share experience, technology and knowledge in the $2.4-trillion field.

 

“I think we can create something really superb and magnificent for the industry,” Al-Jaida said, adding that Islamic finance is now growing at an even quicker pace than traditional or conventional finance.

 

The CEO highlighted several new potential fields for Islamic finance, such as Islamic financial technologies, Islamic reinsurance and Islamic asset management.

 

“I think we have a very bright and rosy future, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done,” he noted.

 

With economic problems mounting across the globe, Al-Jaida said Islamic finance could be a role model for the world economy.

 

Istanbul Finance Center

Touching on Turkey’s Istanbul Finance Center project, expected to be completed in 2022, Al-Jaida expressed optimism in the center’s potential.

 

“We have been talking to the Malaysians and the Istanbul Financial Center and hopefully very soon we’re going to be signing a very important MoU,” he said.

 

Strategically located between European and Muslim countries, the Istanbul Finance Center hopes to become a center of the non-bank financial sector.

 

Al-Jaida urged Turkey to collaborate with Qatar and Malaysia to establish Islamic finance as a successful sector in the country.

 

Qatar’s investments in Turkey

“Turkey is a massive country. It’s a very important market. It’s very well-opened in terms of foreign direct investment,” asserted Al-Jaida.

 

He cited Qatar’s investments in Turkey, stressing that Qatar has committed $10 billion as of yet, and that 35% of this has been invested.

 

Turkey should make legal reforms to attract more foreign direct investment, he said, adding: “But there’s no doubt, the Turkish market is very attractive and very interesting.”

 

The hydrocarbon-rich Gulf state of Qatar currently invests in Turkey’s banking, real estate and health sectors.

 

“Investments will follow healthy political relations and our relations with Turkey go back hundreds of years.”

Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) participated in the fourth edition of the Turin Islamic Economic Forum (TIEF) as a strategic partner of the biennial event that seeks to highlight the impact of Islamic finance on socio-economic development. DIEDC led the UAE delegation at TIEF alongside the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) that supported the Forum as an international partner.

 

Running under the theme ‘Creating a Holistic Environment for the Islamic Economy’, the three-day gathering convened experts, academics, researchers, and executives in Turin, Italy, to discuss critical topics, including fintech, blockchain, artificial intelligence, urban policies, social impact policies, and the creative Islamic economy.

 

The Forum featured two roundtables hosted by the Global Islamic Economy Summit that drew the participation of DIEDC, Dubai Culture, the United Arab Emirates University, Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA), the Halal Trade and Marketing Centre, and Etihad Credit Insurance.

 

Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture said: “The Islamic Creative Economy is a growing global market and one that Dubai lies at the centre of. It can be broadly defined as any economic activities that include cultural or creative production, cultural events and activities, which are of Islamic origin, related to or inspired by Islamic tradition. Our entire cultural ecosystem is built upon this model and it is vital to discuss this at an international and strategic level.”

 

Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO of DIEDC, emphasised that the Islamic economy is one of the fastest-growing economic systems in the world due to its real potential and its important role in economic integration and responsible investment. He noted that the UAE’s participation in TIEF reflects the nation’s keenness to share best practices in Islamic economy and exchange experience with international markets interested in achieving an ethical and sustainable economy.

 

Al Awar said: “The Centre’s participation at TIEF 2019 reinforced Dubai’s position as a pioneer in technological innovation and responding to the latest trends dominating the economic landscape. They also raised awareness about Dubai’s creative potential and progress in developing the creative Islamic economy sector.”

 

“Italy is the third-largest economy in the European Union and is one of the most dynamic in the world. The economic growth experienced by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries has increased interest towards the fast-growing Halal market. The rapid growth of the Halal industry has been noticed by the Italian market, and we have witnessed interest from more than 1,000 companies that have invested in products which align with the Halal market guidelines. Some products include food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals as well as modest clothing,” said Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General of DAFZA

 

“It was an honour to participate as panelists at the Turin Islamic Economic Forum alongside our partners from the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre. During the panel discussion, we contributed by providing subject matter expertise and our global value proposition, the “Halal Trade and Marketing Centre,” a global business development Centre focused on Halal economy opportunities for the industry.”

 

“We have had very productive and enriching exchanges with Italian companies, who have shown great interest in the tailor-made services of the Halal Trade and Marketing Centre. The Centre will support the growth of companies and elevate them to their next stages of the Halal economic journey. We believe that these interactions will benefit both Italy and the UAE by contributing to the growth in Italian exports to Muslim-majority countries as well as strengthen Dubai’s position as the Capital of Islamic Economy.”

 

Saeed Mubarak Kharbash Al Marri, Deputy CEO of Strategy and Planning at DIEDC, led the first session, titled ‘Islamic Creative Economy and Halal Tourism’, that explored leading trends in halal tourism and examined the role of technology in developing the sector and sharing best practices with the Italian market. In addition, it presented an overview of Dubai’s cultural vision – a key element of the emirate’s economic diversification efforts.

 

The second session, titled ‘The Future of Islamic Economy: Introducing Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence’, discussed optimal ways of utilising modern technologies in the UAE and neighbouring markets. The conversation revolved around cryptocurrency adoption within Islamic financial entities and the impact of technological implementation in Islamic economy sectors on regulatory frameworks.

 

The Turin Islamic Economic Forum is organised by the City of Turin in partnership with the University of Turin, the Torino Chamber of Commerce, and the Association for the Development of Alternative Instruments and Financial Innovation (ASSAIF), and with the support of Turismo Torino e Provincia. Focusing on the opportunities offered by Islamic finance, the event encourages financial innovation as well as initiatives related to Islamic economy that promote inclusive socio-economic development.

 

The Forum provides a platform for companies based in Italy to forge industrial and supply partnerships with businesses in the Middle East, in addition to offering Italian public institutions and research centres the opportunity to interact with global players in Islamic finance and the wider Islamic economy. The City of Turin is keen to attract investments from countries in which Islamic finance plays a decisive role in public policies.

JAKARTA: With a rising awareness to promote Muslim-friendly travel, the widespread adoption of Shariah-based accommodation is not always successfully put into practice, as Octine Riyantini realized during one of her stays at a hotel that claimed to be Shariah-compliant.

 

Riyantini has stayed in two Shariah-based hotels in Indonesia and had a good experience with the first one, where she found that hotel staff always greeted guests with the Islamic greeting, had call of prayers blasted from a speaker and provided prayer amenities as well as a Qibla sign in each room.

 

“The ambiance was very much Islamic and the hotel itself was clean and well-maintained,” she told Arab News.

 

She had a different experience with the second one, despite the Shariah label that goes with the hotel’s name in an online hotel reservation website.

 

Although they provided a prayer room on each floor, Riyantini said it seemed like it was hastily prepared and a bit spooky, so she and her family chose to pray in their room. Moreover, the hotel was not properly maintained.

 

“Maybe they consider their hotel to be Shariah-compliant just because they provide a prayer room on each floor and a Qibla sign in the room, yet the overall ambiance hardly felt like it was Muslim-friendly,” she said.

 

“I learned that not all hotels that claimed to be Shariah-based are really compliant to the value. If we have to stay in such a hotel another time, we will have to consider which hotel chain it is associated with,” she said.

 

Muslim-friendly travel and tourism in Indonesia continues to rise, with Indonesia named as the number one destination, out of 130 countries, for halal tourism in the world by the Global Muslim Travel Index 2019.

 

Service providers have been quick to tap into the growing market, despite the controversy and misconceptions about halal tourism in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

 

Responding to the market demand, Airy in 2016 began offering a segment called Airy Syariah or a Shariah-based accommodation network.

 

“Our Airy Syariah properties offer Muslim-friendly accommodation so that guests can stay comfortably and worry-free. The market response has been good and demand for Shariah-based accommodation continues to rise every year. Our occupancy rate so far stands at 40 percent to 70 percent,” Airy vice president for marketing, Ika Paramita, told Arab News.

 

Paramita said Airy cooperates with more than 400 Muslim-friendly properties in some 50 cities across Indonesia and it has been growing at a triple-digit rate year-on-year.

 

“The food and drinks in our properties are halal-certified, and we provide Muslim-friendly amenities. Guests can immediately experience their stay in our Shariah-based properties, where hotel staff uniforms and attitudes conform to Islamic values. Moreover, we validate the marriage status when a couple is checking in,” Paramita said.

 

Shariah-compliant accommodation is not new in Indonesia. The Sofyan Hotel chain in Jakarta has implemented the concept in its two properties since 1992 by removing nightclubs, bars and alcoholic drinks from its facilities.

 

But the concept does not always appeal to all Muslims in Indonesia. University lecturer Ratna Djumala said she prefers to stay in a conventional hotel to show her children about meeting people of various backgrounds.

 

“I want to show my children about diversity and tolerance, especially this coming December when hotels are adorned with Christmas decorations. I want my kids to experience the ambiance, too. A family-friendly hotel doesn’t always have to be a Shariah-based one. What’s important for me is the food has to be halal,” she told Arab News.

 

Muslim-friendly travel was valued at $189 billion in 2018 and is estimated to reach $274 billion by 2024, according to the State of Global Islamic Economy Report 2019.