Commitment to Halal Products, New Zealand Deputy PM Will Meet Vice President Amin in Indonesia

After Vice President Ma'ruf Amin's visit to New Zealand, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters will also go to Indonesia.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Komitmen Produk Halal, Wakil PM Selandia Baru Akan Temui Wapres Amin di Indonesia

BPMI SETWAPRES

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin attended the Business Forum with Halal Industry event at the Jade Room, Cordis Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand on Friday (1/3/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The Government of New Zealand, through its Ministry of Biosecurity and Food Safety, is making efforts to ensure that the Governments of Indonesia and New Zealand agree to a Mutual Recognition Arrangement. The commitment to the halal product inspection system in New Zealand between Indonesia and New Zealand, or MRA, is planned to be signed soon.

"I hope that we can sign a mutually acceptable commitment (mutual recognition arrangement/MRA), which will guarantee that Indonesian consumers will get products from New Zealand," said the Minister of Biological and Food Security who is also Minister of the New Zealand Agricultural Association Andrew Hoggard at the Business Forum with Halal Industry attended by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, at the Cordis Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand, Friday (1/3/2024).

Present at the event were players of New Zealand's halal industry represented by four related organizations namely the New Zealand Meat Exporters Association, New Zealand Dairy Products and Milk Association, New Zealand Islamic Development Trust, and the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand.

Also read: Going to New Zealand, Vice President Consistently Promotes Halal Diplomacy

Hoggard believes that MRA will enhance the halal cooperation between the two countries and ensure that Indonesian consumers of halal products continue to trust products from New Zealand. He emphasized that the New Zealand government's commitment to ensuring that the products they export meet Indonesian halal product criteria.

As an example, for beef, starting from the cutting process to its processing, efforts have been made to adhere to halal product criteria. The government of New Zealand has already collaborated with the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) to ensure that all product processes in New Zealand are in accordance with halal provisions in Indonesia.

BPMI SETWAPRES

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin attended the Business Forum with Halal Industry at Cordis Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand, on Friday (1/3/2024).

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters, is scheduled to visit Indonesia this March to follow up on the signing of the MRA with BPJPH. Vice President Ma’ruf Amin also welcomes efforts to enhance cooperation with New Zealand in the halal industry sector.

The halal industry continues to grow

The Vice President stresses that the halal industry sector has the potential to contribute up to 5 billion US dollars per year to Indonesia's gross domestic product. In 2025, global spending on the halal sector is projected to reach 3 trillion US dollars. This value is predicted to continue to increase to 5 trillion US dollars in 2030. This is in line with the global halal industry's growing economic value.

Increasing partnership with New Zealand is carried out in the form of human resource development, product development, and agreement on halal recognition. "The Indonesian government continues to encourage cooperation in exchanging knowledge, developing products together, as well as mutual recognition and acceptance," said the Vice President.

Also read: Committed to Halal Products, New Zealand Deputy PM Will Meet Vice President Amin in Indonesia

When giving a press statement after attending the Business Forum with Halal Industry, the Vice President emphasized that the halal industry is not something new in New Zealand. Since 2010, the New Zealand Government has issued regulations to support their involvement in the halal certification process.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A line of fresh beef with halal labels is displayed on the shelves of the Transmart retail supermarket in Jakarta on Wednesday (11/8/2023).

Almost all meat, milk, and dairy derivatives products prepared for export by New Zealand to a number of Muslim countries have been certified halal. This is in line with the Indonesian government's commitment to expanding the halal industry market and making Indonesia a global halal producer.

The Vice President hopes that there will be follow-up between New Zealand entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in Indonesia regarding increasing partnerships to improve the trade balance to and from the two countries. "The collaboration will be with our entrepreneurs, meaning B to B (business to business). "That will be facilitated further," he continued.

It is hoped that this collaboration in the halal industry sector can also be one of the factors that can boost the trade balance between Indonesia and New Zealand, which has fallen by 18.82 percent in the last two years. The trade balance between Indonesia and New Zealand will fall from 2,128.7 million US dollars in 2022 to 1,728 million US dollars in 2023. "This is what we were talking about earlier and indeed we have to find a way, perhaps because of the pandemic. "The impact has not yet returned, there has not been any recovery," said the Vice President.

The Indonesian Government continues to promote cooperation in knowledge exchange, joint product development, as well as mutual recognition and acceptance.

Representatives from the Meat Industry Association of New Zealand, including CEO Sirma Karapeeva, emphasize the crucial role of BPJPH in strengthening the halal industry's supply chain in Indonesia. The New Zealand meat industry employs workers from Indonesia.

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Pastor Rory Morrisey from the Sacred Heart Church shook hands with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin after the Vice President attended Friday prayers at the Ponsonby Mosque in New Zealand on Friday (1/3/2024).

During his official visit to New Zealand, Vice President Amin also managed to observe the Friday prayer at the Ponsonby Mosque in Auckland. Upon arrival at the mosque, the Vice President was greeted by the mosque's imam, Sheikh Haroon Khauka, and the Chairman of the New Zealand Muslim Association Ponsonby Mosque, Haider Lone.

When returning to his lodging, the Vice President met with Pastor Rory Morrisey from the Sacred Heart Church. Pastor Morrisey greeted and shook hands with the Vice President while stating that his church was located directly in front of the Ponsonby Mosque. "We, the church congregation, have a good relationship with the mosque congregation, almost like siblings," said Morrisey.

Also read: The Vice President Calls Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Key to the Integrity of the Indonesian Nation

The Ponsonby Mosque is the oldest mosque in New Zealand, built in 1979. The mosque is located in the quiet and peaceful residential area of Grey Lynn, not far from Auckland Port Fitzroy and the city center. Just across the mosque is the Catholic Church of Sacred Heart, similar to the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church in Jakarta.

The Ponsonby Mosque is capable of accommodating up to 700 congregants and has separate prayer areas for men and women. The mosque also includes facilities for a kitchen and funeral services. The architecture of the Ponsonby Mosque is influenced by the Indian subcontinent (sharp arches) and features a unique large green dome. (WKM)