@Halal Jan/Feb 2020 | Page 31

31 JANUARY-FEBRUARY. 2020 | @Halal Events World Halal Expo 2020 to take place in Nigeria It will be a platform for the halal industry to stay globally competitive THE first edition of World Halal Expo 2020 will be held in International Conference Center Abuja, Nigeria on Mar 12-13. The Expo is being jointly organised by My Events International Sdn Bhd and Malaysia-Nigeria Business Council. The event will comprise four main com- ponents, namely Trade and Investment Exhibition, World Halal Dialogue, World Halal Awards and Cultural Shows. In line with sup- porting the government’s initiative to produce an effective halal network, this two-day event will be filled with activities for the business sectors to benefit by opening vast opportuni- ties, both in local and international markets, to showcase their products and services. This event will assist to facilitate the need to build competitiveness in order for them to stay globally accepted. World Halal Expo 2020 will also bring together an array of exhibitors covering the main sectors and industries in halal like food & beverage, education, healthcare & pharma- ceuticals, tourism & hospitality, agriculture, science & technology, Islamic banking, hotels and restaurants, jewelleries & gifts, fashion & textile and many more. WORLD HALAL DIALOGUE One of the activities to look forward to is the World Halal Dialogue RAHMATAN LIL ALAMIN that aims to encourage high-level talk and raise major concerns over the Sustain- able Development Goals (SDG’s) in the Halal industry worldwide. The goal of these conver- sations is to generate new perspectives and incubate meaningful connections between leaders and industry experts from different continents. It is designed to inspire leaders and inventors between countries and industry players. Field trips will also be organised for the foreign participants and exhibitors to leading supermarkets for retailing and to the Chamber of Commerce in Abuja. This will pro- vide them with the insights of other resources and opportunities and simultaneously share knowledge and exchange ideas. WORLD HALAL AWARDS The World Halal Awards will also take place during the expo. It is a high profile recogni- tion given to global halal leaders, experts and manufacturers that have contributed towards sustainability development goals (SDG’s) locally and globally. The event also aims to foster friendship and build new bridges in business. “Competition everywhere has become more intense now, so we all need to keep forg- ing ahead, not just remain at par, but to be ahead of the game. As organisers, we are only here to help provide the platform for the halal industry to stay globally competitive, at the same time make new friends,” said Organis- ing Chairman Shahul Hameed Dawood The World Halal Expo in Nigeria is expected to bring more than a 100 compa- nies worldwide and over 1,000 prospective Halal Expo is an annual event organized in cooperation with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), with the support of Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey and other related ministries and public institutions of the Republic of Turkey. Why Abuja, Nigeria? • Nigeria has the 10th largest proven reserves of petroleum in the world and is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), making Nigeria the largest economy in Africa. Petroleum products are the primary export, about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s exports • Halal certification is considered a key enabler for the successful development of the Nigerian halal industry • Of the 1.216 billion total population in Africa, the Muslim community represents 635.67 million • Total population of Nigeria is 202 million and over 50 per cent of the population is Muslim • Nigeria has one of the world’s highest economic growth rates averaging at 7.4 per cent according to the World Bank