A conference on promoting international cooperation for developing Vietnam's Halal industry was held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on June 28 in Hanoi in both in-person and online forms. 

The conference aimed to assess the current situation and prospect of the Halal industry in Vietnam, discuss ways to promote cooperation and take advantage of international resources to expand the presence of Vietnamese enterprises in production and supply chains of Halal products and services worldwide, and work out orientations for comprehensive and sustainable development of Vietnam's Halal industry until 2030.

In his speech at the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu said Vietnam boasts great potential and advantages for developing the Hall industry, and affirmed that the Vietnamese government has paid special attention to supporting local businesses to join the global Halal market.

Deputy Minister of MARD Le Quoc Doanh said many Vietnamese agricultural products have met food hygiene and safety standards and Halal certification requirements, and are favored by Muslims.

According to representatives from some localities and businesses, Vietnamese businesses have met difficulties in producing and exporting Halal products due to a lack of information about the market and Halal standards, and high cost for production lines.

Vietnam has yet to have its own trade promotion mechanism for Halal products, and it is also facing stiff competition from many countries with similar export structures, they stressed.

Internationals attendees and experts, and representatives from businesses pointed out problems that Vietnam is meeting in the process of developing the Halal market; and shared experience and strategies for developing the sector.

They recommended that Vietnam should make the most of international cooperation and resources, especially with Muslim and ASEAN countries, to support the development of Halal products and services, thus participating more deeply in the global Halal market.

Vietnam should have policies to attract foreign investment in building Halal production facilities meeting international standards; and help connect Vietnamese businesses with prestigious Halal certification organisations and partners around the world, they said./.