The IOFS third Expert Group Meeting for Food Safety and Halal Food was organized jointly with the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University in participation of leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars from OIC Member Countries.

H.E. Prof. Yespolov T.I., the rector of the KAZNARU, moderated the meeting and focused on the cooperation between the two organizations, and appreciated the efforts of H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet, Director General of IOFS, in starting the Gene to Fork modality and continuous support.  Participants from the National Institute of Standardization and Industrial Property, Tunisian Organic and Halal Certification (INNORPI), the Food Security Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment of Qatar, COE of Halal of the Islamic Development Bank Center of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur, and other institutions from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and  private sectors, academia, and media gathered in the hybrid meeting in Almaty, for “the Third Expert meeting for Food Safety and Halal Food.” The Director of the Program and Projects of the IOFS, Dr. Ismail AbdelHamid, emphasized the importance and timeliness of the regular meetings and active work of the experts to develop the Food Safety and Halal Food Development Program.  

Dr. Riadh Soussi, Director General of the INNOPRI, and Dr. Masoud J. Al-Marri, the Director of the Food Security Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment of Qatar, shared experiences and presented Halal food Development approaches in the countries accordingly.

The objective of the meeting was to establish a platform - “The IOFS Food Safety and Halal Food International Recognition Center (IOFS Center)” to provide a systematic approach and promote cooperation among the member countries in the area of food safety and halal food development and using the Gene to Fork methodology to outline a guideline for the future development.

The draft Concept Note of the IOFS regarding future program activities was introduced for concern and recommendations to the expert group. 

 The next meeting of the Expert Group will be held by the end of 2021.