Manama: The Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture signed an agreement with the GCC Accreditation Centre to enhance cooperation in halal product regulation, exchange technical expertise, and coordinate efforts to ensure the efficiency of certification and labelling bodies, as well as to support the halal infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the agreement was signed in the presence of Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, by Asim Abdullatif Abdulla, Undersecretary for Agriculture and Animal Wealth Affairs, and Moteb bin Saeed Al Mezani, Director-General of the GCC Accreditation Centre.
Al Mubarak stated that the agreement represents an advanced step in enhancing the halal system in Bahrain. He noted that cooperation with the GCC Accreditation Centre will ensure certification efficiency, enhance the competitiveness of Bahraini products in GCC and international markets, and meet halal framework requirements, particularly for red and white meat imports.
He added that the agreement will open new markets for imports and exports, reinforce Bahrain's role as a hub for re-exporting halal products, and support local industry, boosting the Kingdom's standing on the global economic and trade map. He emphasised that the ministry is committed to strategic partnerships with specialised centres to align with global developments and ensure compliance with national, GCC, and international standards.
Asim Abdullatif Abdulla mentioned that the agreement covers knowledge sharing to establish the halal system in Bahrain in line with international practices, technical collaboration to accredit competent bodies before operations, and organising activities and training programmes to raise awareness and build national technical capacities.
He added that the agreement provides for exchanging information on national requirements, issuing internationally recognised technical reports, delivering specialised training to qualify staff as accredited technical assessors, and supporting the registration of conformity assessment bodies, while remaining open to further areas of cooperation to consolidate Bahrain's position in this domain.
Moteb bin Saeed Al Mezani highlighted the importance of the GCC Accreditation Centre's partnership with the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture in Bahrain. He said the agreement will expand cooperation and knowledge exchange in accreditation and quality, advancing strategic objectives in line with international practices.
He noted that the agreement will develop Bahrain's halal framework by ensuring certification and labelling efficiency in accordance with national, GCC, and international standards, enhancing consumer confidence in imported red and white meat and local products, and aligning them with global best practices.
The signing ceremony was attended by Shaikh Hamad bin Salman Al Khalifa, Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic and Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Bahrain's representative at the GCC Accreditation Centre; Dr. Ibrahim Yousuf Ahmed, Assistant Undersecretary for Animal Wealth; and Mohammed Al Jeaid, Director of Communications Department at the GCC Accreditation Centre, in addition to officials from the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.