Jakarta (BPJPH) --- Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, KH Ma'ruf Amin encouraged the implementation of global halal standards that apply to all countries throughout the world.

This message was conveyed by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin when opening the H20-Halal World 2023 forum at JI-Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta. According to Vice President, global halal standards are important to have in order to ease the public to access halal products.

"I invite all of us to increase our commitment in order to provide this convenience. One of the things we must strive for together is to achieve acceptance of global halal standards. This is important," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, on Friday (17/11/2023) evening when he was opening H20 forum.

The presence of Vice President was accompanied by on the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Saiful Rahmat Dasuki, and the Head of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Body Muhammad Aqil Irham. The opening was also attended by the representatives of friendly Ambassadors, hundreds of representatives of the stakeholders, and 118 representatives of halal institutions from 41 countries.

Vice President said that the H20-Halal World 2023 forum is a strategic place to realize global halal standards. The Vice President further stated that implementing global halal standards could also be a step to strengthen trade relations between countries.

"The implementation of global halal standards should not be seen as a technical obstacle in trade between countries. But it should actually facilitate the flow of trade for halal products throughout the world," he stressed.

On the other hand, according to Vice President, if there are not the same standards it will limit the trade cooperation that can be built.

"Because if halal is not standard (only valid in their own country), people will not want to accept it because it does not meet their country's standards," said Vice President.

Therefore, he saw that mutual recognition and mutual acceptance of halal standards is very important to be mutually agreed upon to support the smooth traffic of halal product trade between countries.

Vice President also said that there are various efforts that can be made to strengthen the halal industry. One of them is by making halal products as a major global community.

For this reason, according to Vice President, it is necessary to strengthen trade cooperation between countries. Especially with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Countries so that it will increase the export of halal products from each country.

He also encouraged the involvement of key actors in the halal ecosystem to accelerate halal certification and mutual recognition and acceptance of halal products between countries.

The H20-Halal World 2023 activity took place in Jakarta from 17-21 November 2023. This event was attended by 500 participants who were representatives of 118 halal institutions from 41 countries.

The H20-Halal World series will be filled with five forms of activities: International Halal Conference, Halal Expo, Indonesian Halal Ecosystem Performance, Halal Tour, and Halal Coaching Clinic. []