The three-day International Halal Congress to discuss the effectiveness of the concept of halal in all areas of the life started in Ankara on Friday.
Ali Erbas, the head of Türkiye's Religious Affairs Directorate, attended the opening of the event organized by Lokman Hekim University under the theme, Traceability in Halal Products and Services and Current Developments in the Halal Ecosystem.
Zafer Soylu, president of Türkiye's Halal Accreditation Authority, said the most important among the accreditation decisions they made was to endorse the halal certification studies carried out by Lokman Hekim University.
"The application made by the university was finalized. We have decided to accredit the university. As far as I know, it is the only university in the world to carry out halal certification activities," he said.
Mahmut Sami Sahin, president of the Turkish Standards Institute, said: "Today, it is expected that the Muslim population, which is approaching two billion in the world, can purchase goods and services according to the standards determined according to their own sensitivities and consume them in a safe and hygienic way."
He said the need for general consumption is increasing by the day, especially in food, cosmetics, finance and many other sectors.
"According to the IMF data, food and beverage expenditure in the world in 2022 reached $10.4 trillion; halal food and beverage trade accounts for $1.9 trillion. We see that this finance does not stay within Islamic countries. In economic terms, this value should be brought to a point that will contribute to the growth of their economies by ensuring that it remains within Islamic countries," he added.
