Minister Hrnjić and H.E. Yousef Khalawi signed a memorandum of understanding: Bosnia and Herzegovina as a European halal hub

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Islamic Chamber of Economic Development (ICCD) today, marking the beginning of strategic cooperation in the field of halal industry development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić and H.E. Yousef Khalawi, Secretary General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development.

Minister Hrnjić pointed out that this memorandum created a framework for positioning Bosnia and Herzegovina as a European halal hub.

“We make Bosnia and Herzegovina a European halal hub with this memorandum. It opens the door to strong cooperation that includes the development of a comprehensive halal strategy, strengthening the capacities of our institutions and companies, encouraging investments and joint ventures, as well as the exchange of expertise and experience,” said Minister Hrnjić in his address.

“I am convinced that this memorandum will encourage both European and global investors to see BiH as a place to invest in. We also owe gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, led by Minister Konaković, who contributed to the preparation and signing of this memorandum,” said Minister Hrnjić.

Minister Hrnjić stressed the importance of working together to promote sustainable practices in the agriculture, forestry and water management sectors, which is crucial in times of climate challenges and the need to preserve natural resources.

Secretary General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development, H.E. Yousef Khalawi expressed his appreciation for the memorandum signing, pointing out that this is the first step in an effort to attract direct foreign investments to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the countries that best manages the process of accreditation and certification according to halal standards. In this way, we want to promote and encourage foreign investors to use these opportunities and see Bosnia and Herzegovina as the Halal hub,” said Khalawi in his address.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture provides funds for certification through the Model of payments for other types of support, including support for companies that apply halal standards in their operations. This cooperation will significantly contribute to the country’s economic development and better integration into the global halal market.