SESRIC participated in the 1^st International Halal Accreditation Congress, organised by the Republic of Türkiye Halal Accreditation Agency (HAK) in Ankara on 6-8 April 2026 under the theme “The Milestone of Trust in the Global Halal Quality Infrastructure: Halal Accreditation.” The Congress brought together public representatives, academics, sector stakeholders, experts, and diplomats from various countries to discuss the future of halal conformity assessment and accreditation from technical, institutional, and policy perspectives.

The Congress aimed to establish a scientific and sectoral platform on halal conformity assessment by bringing together public institutions, private-sector actors, and academia to address both the theoretical and practical dimensions of halal accreditation through a multidisciplinary lens. The programme featured an Opening Ceremony on 6 April 2026, followed by sectoral and academic sessions on 6-7 April, and concluded with a social programme on 8 April 2026.

The Opening Ceremony featured remarks by Mr. Zafer SOYLU, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HAK; Dr. Yousif ALHARBI, Deputy CEO of the Saudi Halal Center; Mr. İhsan ÖVÜT, Secretary General of SMIIC; Mr. Naghi JABBAROV, Director General of Economic Affairs of the OIC; Mr. Abdullah EREN, President of TİKA; Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman HAÇKALI, Chairman of the High Council of Religious Affairs; and H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer BOLAT, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye.

Addressing the Congress, H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer BOLAT, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, noted that the concept of halal represents an important benchmark in economic life and emphasised the growing strategic importance of halal products and services. He stated that the global halal sector, which reached USD 2.3 trillion in 2024 and USD 2.5 trillion in 2025, is expected to grow to USD 3.5 trillion by 2028. He further underlined that demographic trends, economic transformation, and technological developments are likely to increase global demand for halal goods and services in the years ahead.

Minister BOLAT also pointed to the institutional progress made in halal accreditation, recalling that the Islamic Forum for Halal Accreditation Bodies, established in 2023 under the OIC framework, currently includes accreditation bodies from 26 Islamic countries, including 3 observer members. He further indicated that more than 2,500 halal-certified production facilities are currently under accreditation assurance, reflecting the growing maturity of the halal accreditation ecosystem.

During the ceremony, Mr. Naghi JABBAROV read out the message of H.E. Hissein Brahim TAHA, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In the message, the OIC Secretary General underlined that the halal sector continues to experience significant growth and offers broad opportunities for OIC countries and the wider global marketplace. He emphasised that these opportunities can only be fully realised through strong collaboration among member states, harmonised accreditation practices, and a transparent and reliable framework capable of ensuring the integrity of halal certification across borders. The message also described the Congress as an important milestone for strengthening cooperation, international mutual understanding, and practical solutions in halal accreditation, while encouraging continued cooperation among OIC institutions, particularly SMIIC and IFHAB.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Zafer SOYLU underlined that the Congress was convened not only as a scientific event but also as an important consultation platform for shaping the future of the halal quality infrastructure. He stressed that the growth of halal products and services in global markets has made it increasingly necessary to strengthen mutual understanding, deepen knowledge-sharing, and advance international cooperation. He also drew attention to the structural problems caused by fragmented certification practices across countries and emphasised that a credible accreditation architecture is essential both for facilitating trade and for reinforcing consumer trust. In this context, he reaffirmed support for the OIC/SMIIC standardisation approach and expressed the expectation that the Islamic Forum for Halal Accreditation Bodies (IFHAB) would become fully operational as a key step towards reducing duplication and strengthening mutual confidence.

For his part, Mr. İhsan ÖVÜT, Secretary General of SMIIC, stressed that credible accreditation is indispensable for ensuring transparency, reliability, and wider acceptance in halal conformity assessment. He explained that OIC/SMIIC standards are built through collective expert work and consensus-based processes involving member states and relevant stakeholders, which gives them legitimacy, inclusiveness, and practical value. He further noted that these standards help reduce duplication, remove technical barriers to trade, and increase intra-OIC trade by establishing a shared language of trust. Mr. ÖVÜT also highlighted the strategic importance of OHAQ (OIC Halal Quality Infrastructure) and the future operationalisation of IFHAB, describing both as key building blocks for a coherent and internationally respected halal ecosystem.

Mr. Abdullah EREN, President of TİKA, focused on the importance of sharing Türkiye’s institutional experience and technical know-how with partner countries. Referring to TİKA’s cooperation with HAK, he underlined the value of training programmes and experience-sharing in the fields of standardisation, accreditation, and quality infrastructure, particularly for brotherly and friendly countries. He also stressed that a stronger and more credible halal ecosystem requires not only robust systems at home but also the transfer of expertise and institutional capacity across countries.

Speaking at the Opening Session, Dr. Yousif ALHARBI described accreditation as no longer merely a technical support function, but rather as a strategic pillar for building trust within the global quality infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of stronger alignment, knowledge exchange, and institutional cooperation in the halal sector, and noted that halal today should be understood not simply as a final product label but as a comprehensive system of trust extending from standards and conformity assessment to accreditation and traceability. He also referred to the growing cooperation between the Saudi Halal Centre and HAK, noting that such partnerships can make a practical contribution to the global development of the halal sector.

In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman HAÇKALI highlighted that the concept of halal is one of the foundational concepts of Islam and should be understood within the religion’s holistic ethical and legal framework, which encompasses production, trade, health, and consumption. He observed that halal standards and certification processes are not only relevant to religious sensitivities but also serve the protection of public health, the environment, and social trust through the promotion of what is tayyib; clean, wholesome, and reliable. He also outlined the role of the Presidency of Religious Affairs and the High Council of Religious Affairs in this field, including their cooperation with relevant national institutions and their contribution to addressing contemporary questions related to halal goods and services.

Held at the General Directorate of Forestry Conference Hall in Ankara, the Congress included a broad programme of opening, sectoral, and academic sessions covering themes such as the institutionalisation of modern halal quality infrastructure, consumer trust, harmonisation, analytical processes in halal conformity assessment, digitalisation and traceability, and the development of halal certification across different regions.

SESRIC’s participation in the Congress was in line with its ongoing efforts to support cooperation, institutional learning, and capacity development in halal-related fields among OIC countries. This engagement also complements SESRIC’s wider work under its Halal Capacity Building Programme (HALAL-CaB) and its recent analytical work on the halal economy in OIC Member Countries.

For more information, please visit: https://www.hakcongress.org/

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