For the second year, Africa Halal Week will be held at the CTICC from the 7th – 9th of October. The event aims to showcase opportunities presented by the Halal market on the continent, with attention on the Halal industry in the Western Cape.

Hosted in collaboration with the Western Cape Government’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the City of Cape Town and Wesgro, Africa Halal Week aims to foster business linkages and conversations as well as highlight opportunities spanning across sectors including halal certified food, beverages, spices and sauces, tourism, Islamic banking, modest fashion, film and media promotion, investment and trade opportunities in South Africa, Africa and the rest of the Muslim World.

Speaking to VOC Breakfast Beat, Rashid Toefy, the Deputy Director of the Economic Operations for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism said that this is an opportunity to showcase local South African products to an international crowd.

“We’re all aware of our own Muslim consumers in the Western Cape, but globally, there are billions of people looking for products – and South Africa really has that. And this is a showcase for local South African products [for] exports trades”

Toefy said that they were expecting a large global crowd from countries like India, Malaysia and the USA and encourages traders and business owners not to wait until the last minute to register as an exhibitor.

David Maynier, Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities commented:

“An estimated R200 million in trade declarations was secured as a direct result of Africa Halal Week 2018, so I’d like to encourage interested exhibitors and buyers to register for this year’s conference.”

With almost 5 weeks to go until the main event, Toefy feels hopeful that this will become an annual occasion, bringing together buyers and sellers of halal products. He said that this event is not just about food but will capitalize on halal fashion and pharmaceutical products, bringing together the vast Muslim community to one central home for halal products.

“We want to position the Western Cape as a hub for halal products. Either food and beverage products…but also tourism products, pharmaceutical products – anything that is halal and that appeals to the Muslim market.”

Maynier echoed this sentiment, saying that with the Western Cape “already producing Halal products” it made sense to tap into the market and grow it through job creation and heightened trading.

In addition to this, on 2 September 2019, between 08:30 – 14:00, Wesgro will set up live registration stations for Halal-certified, Western Cape-based companies in the Halal goods and services industry at the Invest SA One Stop Shop, 46 St Georges Mall, Cape Town.

On this day only exhibitors will be able to secure a stand at a special rate of R2,500 ex VAT. Those interested can contact: aalia@puregrit.co.za for more.

For more information on this event and how to register as an exhibitor, visit: https://www.capehalal.com/events/exhibit-at-africa-halal-week-2019/

VOC