ISTANBUL
The World Halal Summit and Halal Expo, to be held next month in Istanbul, wants to build new bridges to boost trade and commercial diplomacy with country business forums and business-to-business (B2B) sessions.
Under the patronage of the Turkish Presidency, with the partnership of the Islamic Cooperation Organization, the four-day event will be held at the Istanbul Fair Center from Nov. 26 - 29, according to a statement Wednesday from the summit.
B2B meetings, which offer small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular the opportunity to enter global markets, enable manufacturers to promote their products and expand their export networks, while facilitating the spread of exports and accelerating branding processes.
Country business forums will also play a critical role in increasing direct foreign investment, while international investors get to know the investment potential of countries more closely through presentations and success stories at the forums.
The environment strengthens the perception of countries as investable, providing sustainable contributions in terms of employment, technology transfer and production capacity, while the organizations also pave the way for scientific, technological and sectoral collaborations beyond commercial relations.
Joint projects developed in health, tourism, energy, digital transformation, agriculture and construction increase countries' innovation power and competitive capacity.
The meetings also reinforce countries' brand value and perception of trust, making their production capabilities and economic power more visible on the international stage through country pavilions, promotional events and media coverage.
The event will feature the Oman Business Forum, the Yemen Business Forum, the Tunisia Business Forum and the Palestine Business Forum with high-level participation from the related countries.
Country business forums and B2B organizations, which have become one of the most dynamic meeting points for international trade, contribute significantly to the economic growth, foreign trade and investment ecosystem of countries.
The platforms facilitate not only commercial relations between companies but also strengthen economic diplomacy between countries.
Furthermore, business forums increase the volume of mutual trade between countries while supporting the flow of technology, services, information and investment. In this way, business representatives, investors and public institutions come together under one roof to lay the foundations for new business collaborations and long-term partnerships.
- Productive meetings
Yunus Ete, president of the World Halal Summit Council, said country business forums and B2B meetings at the 11th World Halal Summit would offer important opportunities, and business forums for Yemen, Oman, Palestine and Tunisia would be held at the summit.
"In cooperation with the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye's (DEIK) Türkiye-Oman Business Council and the Oman Chamber of Commerce, we will hold the first leg of the Türkiye-Oman Business Forum on November 26-29 as part of the World Halal Summit.
"We held productive meetings with the Oman Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Oman Chamber of Commerce, and other officials on cooperation opportunities in the fields of defense, energy, tourism, health, food, and logistics," he said.
The event will reveal new potentials in trade with the Yemen, Palestine, and Tunisia business forums, he added.
The World Halal Summit, which welcomed more than 50,000 visitors last year, was attended by over 500 participants, over 50 participating countries, and over 100 visiting countries.
