• Home
• /
• Local business

Jafza promotes halal credentials

300 Japanese companies briefed on halal zones being developed in Dubai

Dubai  - A five-day roadshow conducted by the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) positioned the free zone as the halal industry hub in the region.

The roadshow covered Japan’s three 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 Al Janahi, deputy CEO of Jafza and chief commercial officer of Economic Zones World, the parent company of the free zone, said: “The overwhelming response that Jafza’s halal-focused roadshow received reflects Japan’s growing interest in serving rapidly growing markets for halal products. Japan seeks to reach and serve over two 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.”

A Jafza team, led by Al Janahi, was joined by senior officials from Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC), Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) and Dubai Exports.

The first two seminars, organised by Japan External Trade Organisation, were focused on Dubai’s halal mission and Jafza’s position as the halal hub in the region.

Jafza representatives talked about two halal zones being developed — one in Jafza and the other in TechnoPark to serve regional, international as well as local markets.

Adil Al Zarooni, SVP sales, Jafza, said: “These halal zones will be all-inclusive hubs, supported with world-class infrastructure, suited to attract leading enterprises in the entire gamut of the halal industry. Halal zones will integrate a one-stop-shop system to service every need of customers in the halal supply chain.

“Jafza seeks to attract organisations, associations, accreditation bodies, R&D as well as advisory firms to support the halal value chain right from R&D, product development to sourcing, production, logistics, sales and marketing.”

As part of its halal mission, the free zone will promote halal standards globally. These have been developed by Esma to attract enterprises within the halal industry.

Esma highlighted the halal certification process for products entering the UAE and UAE regulations to ensure that the value chain of halal products comply with Shariah requirements. Esma said Dubai halal certification is in compliance with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) halal standards.

— business@khaleejtimes.com