Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi works in An Giang province, a province with great potential for the Halal industry, July 2023. (Source: An Giang Online)

Ambassador, please evaluate the potential for developing Vietnam's Halal industry?

The Halal market is expected to reach US$15 trillion by 2050. Vietnam has a solid foundation and great potential to tap into this market. Currently, through a focus on research and innovation as well as the development of high value-added products, Vietnam has become a competitive economy and one of the world's largest exporters.

Many businesses believe that Halal certification is the key for Vietnamese industries to increase their penetration into the Halal market. However, this view is incomplete, the Halal industry is not only about Halal certification.

Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi. (Photo: Indonesian Embassy in Vietnam)

For Muslims around the world , Halal is not just an industry but a way of life.

A product that is certified as Halal must comply with Halal guidelines at all stages of production. Furthermore, the product must also consider factors such as quality, sustainability, environmental impact, hygiene and health.

Halal is also applied in many fields, not only food and beverage but also fashion, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism, media-entertainment and financial services.

With a strong manufacturing base, strong commitment and desire to learn about the Halal industry, it can be affirmed that Vietnam's prospects in this field are very bright.

What are the potentials for cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia in the Halal industry as well as the Embassy's efforts in promoting this field of cooperation, Ambassador?

As one of the countries with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has built a Halal industry and market. Products sold in the market are reviewed and labeled according to the assessment of Halal agencies.

Currently, cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam on Halal can start from sharing expertise and know-how. Indonesia has experience in developing Halal products and applying Islamic regulations to the industry. Therefore, the two countries have great potential for cooperation and complement each other.

In terms of the Embassy, ​​our main task is to promote cooperation between the two countries in many fields. In the field of Halal, I emphasize that cooperation should not only focus on economic aspects but also on many other aspects, including social and cultural aspects.

The Indonesian Embassy has supported many activities of the Muslim community in Vietnam such as in Hanoi or An Giang. We believe that these efforts will strengthen the connection between the Muslim community in Vietnam and Indonesia. Furthermore, we hope that it will also promote cooperation in developing Halal industries.

Regarding the Halal industry, we continuously promote Indonesian businesses to cooperate in producing Halal products as well as policy makers to cooperate with Vietnam in establishing Halal regulations, creating favorable conditions for the two countries.

As a country with a lot of experience in developing the Halal industry, what advice does the Ambassador have for Vietnamese businesses wanting to delve into this industry with many unique characteristics?

I would like to reiterate that Vietnamese businesses must understand that Halal is not just an industry but a way of life for Muslims. To develop the Halal industry, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the Halal lifestyle.

Therefore, we have some suggestions, not only for Vietnamese businesses but also for the government, educational institutions and other stakeholders in Vietnam to take the first steps in developing the Halal industry.

First, Vietnam must ensure the active role of the Muslim community in the development of the Halal industry. The Muslim community has the knowledge to promote the development of the Halal industry, not only in an advisory role but also directly participating in the process.

Muslims around the world share common views and understandings, so the Muslim community can connect Vietnam with countries that have more experience in the Halal way of life. This connection can be done through training, student exchanges, cooperation with Muslim businesses or joint research. For example, Vietnamese universities can send students to Indonesian universities to study the Halal industry.

Overall, Vietnam can strengthen cooperation with experts and partners from around the world to create a solid foundation of understanding about Halal.

Vietnam also needs to establish specialized Halal agencies, thereby promoting cooperation with other countries, testing and evaluating Halal products, as well as building halal certifications.

With such efforts, Vietnam can not only export Halal products to Muslim countries but also provide Halal products for domestic consumption. This will attract more foreign Muslim tourists to Vietnam, including tourists from Indonesia.

With Indonesia's Halal market, what are the opportunities for Vietnam and Vietnamese enterprises in the process of cooperation or market access, Ambassador?

As a Muslim-majority country, Indonesia has a strong and stable Halal industry. I think the two countries should not compete in Halal. Instead, Vietnam and Indonesia can cooperate, develop joint ventures or promote investment to jointly produce Halal products.

With Indonesia's experience and expertise in the Halal industry, the two countries can complement each other according to their strengths and promote the development of the Halal supply chain in the region.

With that effort, Muslims around the world will have access to more Halal products, including products made in Vietnam.

Thank you very much Ambassador!