The Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC), in collaboration with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber) and in strategic partnership with Refinitiv, today announced the second session of the GIES Virtual Series webinar that will provide an outlook on the future of the halal industry, amid the supply chain disruptions caused by the measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Scheduled for Tuesday, 14 July, 2020, at 12 noon (UAE time), the webinar will host Dr Rehab Faraj Al Ameri, Secretary General of the International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF), Asma Nishat Ahad, Director of Halal Market Development at The Islamic Food And Nutrition Council Of America (IFANCA), and Professor Ir Sukoso, Director General of Badan Penanggulangan Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH), the Indonesian Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency. Rafi-uddin Shikoh, Founder and CEO of Dinar Standard, will moderate the webinar titled ‘What will be the ‘new normal’ for the Halal Industry?’.

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and with a view to mitigating its spread, countries across the globe have taken strict lockdown measures with regard to internal and cross-border movements. These steps have affected the logistics sector, in addition to massively impacting international trade, travel and tourism. Furthermore, supply chain processes have slowed down considerably due to the additional stringent sterilisation procedures. The halal industry is not immune to this ripple effect, and most of the halal products are processed and distributed at multiple locations globally, causing severe supply chain disruptions.

The panellists will delve into these challenges, among others that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought in its wake, as well as examine the potential they hold in terms of opportunities for companies and entrepreneurs to innovate solutions that address these concerns.

All those interested in joining this global conversation can do so through registering on the GIES Summit website (direct registration link here).

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and General Supervisor of the Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy initiative, the fifth edition of the Global Islamic Economy Summit (GIES 2021), the largest convention of Islamic economy stakeholders and experts will take place from 1 to 2 November 2021, during Expo 2020 Dubai, the first World Expo ever to be hosted in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region.

In drumming up support for the upcoming edition of GIES next year, DIEDC is organising the series of virtual sessions until end-2020, to further strengthen Dubai’s position as a pioneering destination and a global capital of Islamic economy.