| By The Diplomatic Insight

High-Level Symposium on Halal Science and Wellness Held in Islamabad

The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with the Embassy of Thailand, convened an International Symposium on “Halal Science and Wellness” at the COMSTECH Secretariat. The event was graced by Rongvudhi Virabutr, Ambassador of Thailand to Pakistan, as the Chief Guest.

The symposium brought together prominent international experts, senior government officials, diplomats, and representatives from scientific, academic, and regulatory institutions across the Muslim world.

Emerging Technologies to Strengthen Halal Integrity

In his address, Ambassador Virabutr highlighted opportunities for future cooperation in halal science, noting that advancements such as molecular analysis, contamination detection, blockchain-based traceability, and AI-driven risk assessment could significantly enhance halal product integrity and streamline certification processes.

Halal Industry’s Expanding Global Significance

The session opened with welcome remarks by Professor Dr. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH, who emphasized the rapidly growing importance of the global halal industry, currently valued at over USD 1.3 trillion.

He stressed the need for harmonised halal standards, scientific verification, and capacity building to boost consumer trust and expand international trade, while also highlighting the growing collaboration between OIC member states and Thailand.

Call for Harmonised Halal Standards

Speaking as Guest of Honour, Professor Ihsan Ovut, Secretary General of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), underscored the importance of developing unified halal standards under the guidance of experienced experts to ensure global credibility and consistency.

Strong International Participation

The symposium saw participation from over 30 international delegates representing Iran, Somalia, Palestine, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, along with a significant number of experts from Pakistan.

Capacity Building and Halal Science Infrastructure

Professor Choudhary highlighted SMIIC’s pivotal role in standard-setting across OIC member states and shared that COMSTECH and SMIIC have jointly conducted five regional training programmes in Uzbekistan, Uganda, Bangladesh, Morocco, and Pakistan—training more than 300 laboratory professionals in halal standards and testing.

He also announced a major Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)-supported project: the establishment of a Halal Authentication Laboratory at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU). The facility is expected to become operational early next year and will serve multiple East African OIC member countries. New scholarship programmes in Halal Science were also unveiled.

Expert Contributions and Institutional Partnership

Distinguished speakers included Professor Dr. Pornpimol Mahamad, Director of the Halal Science Centre at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and Akhtar A. Bughio, Director General of the Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA).

On the sidelines of the event, an MoU was signed between OIC-COMSTECH and the Halal Science Centre of Thailand, aimed at strengthening cooperation in research, capacity building, and the advancement of halal science.

Technical Sessions and Forward Outlook

The inaugural session concluded with a group photograph, followed by technical presentations and in-depth discussions on halal standards, testing methodologies, and emerging trends shaping the global halal market.

Original Article:

The Diplomatic Insight. (2025). OIC-COMSTECH Thai Embassy symposium on halal science. https://thediplomaticinsight.com/oic-comstech-thai-emb-symposium-on-halal-science/