Government urged to strengthen Halal trade laws
By our reporter
The government has been urged to strengthen laws and regulations governing Halal trade to help Uganda tap into the rapidly growing global Halal market.
The call was made during a Halal Economy Stakeholders Dialogue in Kololo, organised by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Uganda (ICCIU) in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
The dialogue brought together traders, policymakers, lawyers, business leaders and Halal industry experts to discuss how Uganda can prepare for both local and international Halal markets.
Muwalimu Elias Kagonya, Secretary General of ICCIU, said closer cooperation between Government and the private sector was needed to address challenges facing the sector and create new opportunities for traders.
Zackey Kalega, Commissioner for National Trade, said Government was looking at ways to benefit from the Halal market while ensuring that products manufactured, traded and sold in Uganda meet required standards.
The Executive Director of the Halal Assurance Institute Uganda said Halal should be viewed beyond religious certification, arguing that a stronger Halal industry could support agricultural transformation, industrialisation, export diversification, tourism and job creation.
Uganda, he said, could use its agricultural resources to produce and add value to goods for the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other global markets.
Representatives of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), led by Regional Operations Manager Omar Davis, also expressed the bank’s readiness to invest in Uganda’s Halal economy and support regional trade.
The dialogue brought together several institutions involved in the sector, including the Islamic University in Uganda, which has a Halal laboratory and testing facility; the Halal Assurance Institute and Halal Bureau, which handle certification; the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, which serves as a Halal accreditation agency; and financial institutions offering Islamic finance and insurance.
Organisers said coordinated action, credible Halal assurance systems, investment and stronger market linkages could help Uganda turn its Halal potential into exports, jobs and national income.
They said a strong Halal ecosystem could also contribute to the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy and its ambition of building a $500 billion economy by 2040.
