Halal is an Arabic word meaning "lawful" or "permitted". According to Islamic law, all foods are permissible except those listed as forbidden (Haram). Foods considered unlawful are usually animal meat, blood, alcohol and their products and derivatives.

Some special products that meet Halal standards are milk (cow, sheep, camel, goat), honey, fish, fresh vegetables or dried fruits; nuts such as peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts;… cereals such as wheat, rice, barley;…

Vietnam, with its favorable geographical location, located near major Muslim countries, can easily reach millions of consumers. Connecting the domestic market with the Halal market is not only an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to expand their business scale but also an important strategy to promote the development of domestic manufacturing industries.

The Halal market , with its huge size and growing demand, promises to bring significant income and product diversification to Vietnamese businesses. 

There are currently 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), more than 2 billion Muslims, accounting for 25% of the world's population and a growth rate of 2.9%/year. This is a market with a special business culture and often requires Halal certification for the food industry.

According to the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2022, spending on Halal products and services is expected to reach US$1.67 trillion by 2025. Of which, Southeast Asia - South Asia - South Pacific region currently consumes the largest amount of Halal food in the world.

Speaking at the conference "Promoting internal strength, enhancing international cooperation to boost the development of Vietnam's Halal industry" held in Hanoi on October 22, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that Vietnam has three important foundations to develop the Halal industry. 

Firstly , Vietnam has a stable political and social environment; has a growing economic potential and scale; and an increasingly open and favorable investment environment. Vietnam is making efforts to build and perfect open institutions, smooth infrastructure, and smart governance.

Macroeconomic stability; inflation is controlled; major economic balances are ensured; growth is maintained at a high level. Economic growth in 2023 will reach 5.05%; in the first 9 months of 2024, it will reach 6.82%.

The economic scale in 2023 will reach 430 billion USD; per capita income will reach 4,300 USD, ranking 34th among major economies and among the 20 countries with the largest trade scale in the world; in the golden population stage with more than 100 million people; has signed 16 FTAs ​​with more than 60 countries.

Second , Vietnam firmly and consistently implements a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralization, being a good friend, a reliable partner, an active and responsible member of the international community, for the goal of peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world; persisting in the "4 no's" defense policy.

The Prime Minister said that Vietnam is one of the countries that has suffered the most damage since World War II, continuously affected by war, siege and embargo. However, Vietnam has "put aside the past, overcome differences, promote similarities, and look to the future" to turn enemies into friends. "Vietnam is a peaceful and peace-loving nation, wishing that no one is left behind, no one dies from war and conflict," the Prime Minister emphasized.

To date, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, with 32 countries being strategic partners and comprehensive partners; participating in more than 70 important regional and international organizations and having good cooperative relations with the community of Muslim countries around the world.

Third , Vietnam has many advantages to develop the Halal industry and participate more deeply in global Halal product and service supply chains.

Vietnam's agriculture makes an important contribution to ensuring global food security, with many basic agricultural products suitable and fully meeting Halal standards (seafood, pepper, cashews, coffee, rice, etc.). In 2023, Vietnam will be one of the world's leading exporters of agricultural, forestry and fishery products with a value of more than 53 billion USD, reaching nearly 47 billion USD in the first 9 months of 2024, striving to reach about 60 billion USD for the whole year.

Vietnam has many advantages in tourism development, including Halal tourism with a coastline of more than 3,000 km, many important and diverse ecosystems, and many bays and beaches considered the most beautiful in the world.

Halal is not only a market but also a blue ocean full of potential. In the context of many changes in the world economic trends, which have a significant impact on the domestic socio-economy, Halal is a new field for Vietnamese enterprises to affirm their position and expand their business scale.

To effectively penetrate and participate in the global Halal market in the coming time, Vietnam needs to focus on a number of key groups of measures including supporting the connection of localities and businesses with partners and the global Halal market in priority areas such as agriculture, tourism, textiles, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

At the same time, promote investment attraction, technical support, training support, human resource development. Continue to build and perfect the legal framework, state management policies on Halal, optimize the certification process, promote mutual recognition and recognition of Halal certification.

Along with promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges to enhance mutual understanding between Vietnam and Muslim countries and communities around the world.

In order for Vietnam to promote its internal strength and boost international cooperation on Halal, the Prime Minister suggested implementing "5 steps" to promote its internal strength and international cooperation on Halal.

Firstly , promote cooperation in sharing information and experience, support Vietnam in perfecting the legal framework, state management related to Halal, perfecting the national Halal standards; provide technical support, improve capacity, train and supply human resources to meet the needs of large-scale Halal industry development and serve the export of Vietnam's products and services.

Second , promote negotiations and signing of agreements, memorandums of understanding, cooperation agreements, recognition and mutual recognition agreements on Halal certification, thereby helping Vietnamese enterprises become an important link in the global Halal food production and supply chain.

Third , promote regional and international partners to invest and do business in Vietnam in Halal-related fields, especially in agriculture, tourism, hotels, resorts, restaurants, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and supporting industries related to Halal (technology, production lines, logistics, etc.).

Fourth , promote and advertise Vietnamese Halal products, services and brands and open markets for Vietnamese Halal export products.

Fifth , promote people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation, thereby enhancing the sharing and understanding of people and businesses on both sides about each other's strengths and potential for cooperation in developing the Halal industry in Vietnam.

The Halal industry is expected to become a strong industry, making Vietnam an indispensable destination on the global Halal map, an important link in the supply chain of Halal products and services in the world.

Realizing the importance of the global Halal market and its potentials and advantages, in recent times, Vietnam has made efforts and focused on developing the Halal industry: Building a strategic orientation for the development of the Halal industry until 2030, including the Project on "Strengthening international cooperation to build and develop Vietnam's Halal industry until 2030"; Establishing the National Halal Certification Center, perfecting legal regulations and national Halal standards; Signing a number of Halal cooperation agreements with Muslim and non-Muslim partners. Agencies from central to local levels, enterprises and associations are increasingly interested in investing, producing and expanding exports to the global Halal market.

Vietnam believes that it will develop a professional and comprehensive Halal industry, contributing to creating a new impetus for Vietnam's sustainable economic development, contributing to the development of the global Halal market, together building a good, harmonious, prosperous and sustainable future worldwide; together developing a digital economy, green economy, sustainable circular economy worldwide, including Halal products serving people.

Thuy Linh