Head of SFDA and Malaysian Officials Discuss Promoting the Halal Industry

His Excellency the CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, met today in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, with H.E. the Malaysian Minister of Religious Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Naim bin Mukhtar, and the Director of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), Dr. Hakima Yusuf, to discuss supporting and promoting the halal industry.

During the meeting, they addressed the unification of halal standards, enhancing coordination between the two parties in the areas of legislative and technical research, establishing a regulatory and legislative framework for halal globally, and working together to improve oversight in this field worldwide. They also discussed the mechanisms for enhancing the reliability of halal products for Muslims around the globe and emphasized the mutual recognition of local products manufactured in both countries.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Saudi Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr. Saleh Al-Budaiwi; the Deputy Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization for Conformity and Operations, Eng. Saud Al-Askar; the Executive Director of the Saudi Accreditation Center, Dr. Adel Al-Qaeed; the Deputy CEO of the SFDA for Operations Sector, Sami Al-Saqr; the CEO of the Halal Products Development Company, Fahad Al-Nahit; and the Advisor to the CEO of the Saudi Export Development Authority, Musaed Al-Obaidi.

Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia for the mutual recognition of halal certificates issued by both the SFDA’s Saudi Halal Center and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) with regard to the local products exported between both countries, as well as the cooperation in conformity assessment procedures, standards, and technical measures and regulations for the issuance of Halal certificates, in addition to exchanging expertise and know-how in the fields of training, research, and laboratory analysis of Halal products.