Hat yai: The 15th World Halal Exhibition and Conference commenced last Sunday at the Prince of Songkla University International Convention Centre in Hat Yai, Thailand. The event is recognized as a significant international platform focusing on halal trade, scientific research, and innovation, featuring extensive participation from member and observer countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the event was collaboratively organized by the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Halal Institute at Prince of Songkla University. Under the theme Health and Innovation in the Halal Industry, the exhibition attracted researchers, policymakers, halal accreditation bodies, entrepreneurs, scientists, and academics from Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, among others. The exhibition showcased recent products, technologies, services, and scientific research aimed at enhancing the global halal ecosystem.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presence of government officials, ambassadors, leaders from the halal industry, university representatives, and international academic and diplomatic figures. During the event, a memorandum of understanding was exchanged between COMSTECH and Prince of Songkla University, initially signed electronically in April 2026, to bolster institutional cooperation in halal science, scientific research, training, and innovation.
Following the opening, the first roundtable meeting of HAPEX Global Leaders was jointly organized by COMSTECH and the Halal Institute at Prince of Songkla University. Participants discussed the current state of the halal industry in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's member and observer countries and explored ways to develop joint platforms for scientific research, innovation, and capacity building.
COMSTECH General Coordinator, Professor Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, expressed gratitude to Prince of Songkla University and the Halal Institute for hosting the international event, acknowledging the growing partnership between the university and COMSTECH. He noted that the halal industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global economy and emphasized the need for strengthening scientific research, setting recognized standards, encouraging innovation, and establishing partnerships between universities, research centers, regulatory bodies, and the industrial sector.
Chowdhury highlighted COMSTECH's ongoing efforts to promote scientific cooperation, technology transfer, and capacity building among member states, committing full support for establishing platforms that unite universities, research institutions, governments, standardization and accreditation bodies, and the private sector to contribute to the development of the halal system internationally.
Chowdhury expressed confidence that the meeting's outcomes would lead to practical partnerships in halal research, development, vocational training, testing, accreditation, and innovation, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of OIC member states in global markets.
Speakers at the conference noted that the halal economy has expanded beyond food industries to include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tourism, Islamic finance, logistics, digital technologies, and advanced industries, making innovation and international cooperation crucial for the sector's future.
The conference continues with specialized scientific sessions, policy dialogues, business meetings, and specialized exhibitions, aiming to promote cooperation between governments, universities, scientific research institutions, and the private sector, while opening new horizons for investment and innovation in the rapidly growing global halal market.