Mecca, 1 November 2023 (WAI): The 18th General Assembly meeting of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) convened on November 1, 2023, in Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
At the opening ceremony of this Meeting, Naghi Jabbarov, Director General of the Department of Economic Affairs, gave the Message of the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
While delivering the message, the Secretary-General commended SMIIC for its continued commitment to promoting OIC trade activities through harmonizing Halal standards across OIC Member States. It urged states to capitalize on the Halal Market’s rapid growth to boost intra-OIC socioeconomic development.
The Secretary-General also applauded SMIIC for making substantial advancements in investigating the possibility of employing Artificial Intelligence to increase its level of communication with Member States.
The Secretary-General further highlighted that the SMIIC website and SMIIC Information System provide good options for Member States to access information in the SMIIC database.
The 18th GA meeting evaluated SMIIC’s report on the execution of different resolutions and activity programs for 2023 and approved SMIIC’s Work Program and Budget for 2024.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General has urged all member states to tap into the rapidly expanding global halal market to promote socioeconomic development within the OIC.
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SMIIC was established to develop, promote, and harmonize standards and metrology practices among OIC member countries.
The organization’s primary goal is to facilitate trade and economic cooperation among Islamic countries by ensuring that products and services meet international quality and safety standards, particularly those in line with Islamic principles, including halal standards.
SMIIC plays a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of OIC member countries in the global marketplace and promoting quality assurance and conformity assessment systems in various industries, including agriculture, food, and manufacturing.
An International Relations graduate, with a keen interest in diverse areas of IR; diplomacy, global politics & human rights.
