Dubai : Malaysia has recognized the control system for halal food of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as the latter’s national certificates and national halal mark.

Halal food is identified as without pork or animal fat or blood, while halal beverages can never contain alcohol. In order to get a halal certificate, the food must be guaranteed by qualified Islamic scholars, who can label the product as edible for Muslim consumers.

The Malaysian Department of Islamic Development, JAKIM, sent ESMA the official recognition certificate, after the UAE hosted a Malaysian delegation that reviewed the UAE Halal Control System Global Practices.

The recognition by the Southeast Asian state paves the way to facilitate the export of UAE halal products under the national brand and ensure their acceptance in Malaysian market, as well as 60 other markets that accept Malaysian halal certification.

“This UAE-led initiative, first of its kind in the Arab and Middle East world, will open up horizons to exporters in the country… especially for markets of East and Southeast Asia and the Australian continent,” said Abdullah Abdul Qader Al-Maeeni, Director-General of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA).

According to official reports, bilateral trade between the UAE and Malaysia amounted to 6.1 billion U.S. dollars, last year.

UAE’s exports to Malaysia amounted to 3.59 billion dollars.

—NNN-WAM