Uganda lays strategy for global Halal market

“The country should also take advantage of its favourable climate to produce organic halal products, an area experiencing growing global demand.”Halal benefits everyoneOne of the key messages from the dialogue was that halal should not be viewed solely as a religious concept.Professor Khadijah Nakyinsige, from Kyambogo University, said many people mistakenly associate halal exclusively with Muslims, yet its principles centre on quality, safety and ethical production."Halal is not for Muslims," she said. "Halal is for everyone who loves good because halal means good quality. It means safe products. It means products that conform to quality standards."Nakyinsige urged universities to incorporate halal-related training into programmes such as food science, laboratory technology, tourism, logistics and finance to prepare graduates with skills increasingly demanded in international markets.The dialogue highlighted Uganda's recent progress in establishing an Islamic finance legal framework, expanding halal certification and strengthening national standards.As part of efforts to open new markets, ICCIU announced it will lead a trade and investment mission to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in August, ahead of the Regional Islamic Trade and Halal Conference scheduled for October to attract investment and expand market access for Ugandan businesses.