According to www.thesoutheastasiadesk.com, the D-8 Halal Expo Indonesia 2026 — held from July 8–12, 2026 in Jakarta — secured USD 13.4 million in partnership agreements through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Letters of Intent (LoIs) between Indonesian businesses and companies from D-8 member countries.
Event Scope and Participation
The expo was co-hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, multiple government agencies, and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin). It featured 80 companies from D-8 member states and partner countries across food, lifestyle, healthcare, finance, tourism, and digital services. Over 5,000 local and international visitors and buyers attended the five-day event, which included 29 business-matching sessions designed to connect exhibitors, buyers, investors, and certification bodies.
The D-8 Bloc: Scale and Strategic Gap
The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, founded in 1997, comprises nine Muslim-majority developing countries: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye. Collectively, the bloc represents 1.3 billion people — 16% of the world’s population — with a combined GDP of USD 5.1 trillion. Intra-D-8 trade has reached USD 160 billion, yet none of the D-8 or OIC member states rank among the top global halal exporters. As highlighted in the report, the top three exporters in 2024 were China (USD 34.7 billion), Brazil (USD 33.3 billion), and India (USD 28.7 billion).
Global Halal Economy: Size and Trajectory
Global Muslim consumer spending across six halal sectors totaled USD 2.6 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 3.6 trillion by 2029, according to data cited in the source. The halal food industry remains the largest contributor. Demand is driven by more than 2 billion Muslims worldwide, with major concentrations in Africa, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. Top import destinations for halal products in 2024 included Saudi Arabia (USD 46.9 billion), the United Arab Emirates (USD 43.7 billion), Türkiye (USD 32.9 billion), Indonesia (USD 31.5 billion), and Malaysia (USD 30.6 billion).
Strategic Initiatives Forward
To close the export gap and deepen integration, D-8 leaders proposed four concrete initiatives: an Integrated Halal Trade Corridor to harmonize standards and simplify customs; a Digital Halal Marketplace to connect SMEs with investors, Islamic financial institutions, and certification bodies; Future Halal Investment targeting food technology, pharmaceuticals, AI, blockchain, sustainable logistics, and green manufacturing; and an Annual D-8 Halal Expo to institutionalize cooperation. The bloc aims to raise intra-D-8 trade to USD 500 billion by 2030.
Stakeholder Perspectives
Anis Matta, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, emphasized shared identity and economic potential while acknowledging regional limitations:
“The D-8 countries share a common history and identity, while their abundant resources and growing technological capabilities give the bloc strong economic potential. However, the group does not represent all major Muslim-populated regions.” — Anis Matta, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister
Sohail Mahmood, D-8 Secretary General, framed the halal economy as a convergence point for multiple strategic domains:
“Our objective is to help build more competitive, resilient, and future-ready economies that deliver tangible dividends for our people. Within this broader vision, the halal economy occupies a unique and strategic position as it naturally integrates trade, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, finance, digital technologies, sustainability, and innovation into one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy.” — Sohail Mahmood, D-8 Secretary General
Amir Hosein Mehrpouya, Indonesia Affairs Director, Iran and Indonesia Trade Center, underscored practical commercial goals:
“Halal Expo is a good opportunity for networking, for expanding our connections. And I hope to develop my connections with governmental organizations, also with private organizations in the field of food and ingredients, also cosmetic. And after that, I hope to develop our exportation, our Halal products from Iran to Indonesia.” — Amir Hosein Mehrpouya, Indonesia Affairs Director, Iran and Indonesia Trade Center
Source: thesoutheastasiadesk.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
