Halal Certification Cooperation Deepens As SFDA Expands Partnership With BPJPH

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are taking further steps to align halal certification, with a new addendum to an existing memorandum of understanding focusing on a unified digital halal system, shared recognition of a global halal mark, and QR code-based verification for products and certificates.

The addendum is agreed between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH). It is linked to the growing international halal market and responds to rising demand for trusted halal certification across different regions.

The signing took place during the third Makkah Halal Forum, which ran from February 14 to 16 at the Makkah Chamber Exhibitions and Events Center. The forum gathered officials, experts and business representatives to discuss halal certification, standards and sector development.

The memorandum addendum was signed by CEO of the Saudi Halal Center Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Rashoudi and Head of the BPJPH Dr. Ahmad Haikal Hasan. Their agreement builds on a previous understanding between both bodies and extends cooperation into more detailed halal certification processes.

The ceremony was attended by Advisor at the Royal Court and Member of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Dr. Saad Al-Shathri, Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi, and other senior figures involved in regulation, standards and halal certification within the Kingdom’s institutions.

Also present were Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) Saad Al-Kasabi, CEO of the SFDA and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Halal Center Dr. Hisham Aljadhey, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development Abdullah Saleh Kamel.

Under the addendum, both sides will cooperate through the Halal Academy on training programmes, capacity building and knowledge exchange. The Academy’s work will support staff and institutions involved in halal certification and help align technical practices between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

The agreement highlights Saudi Arabia’s strategy to support the wider halal sector and strengthen its position in global trade. By promoting unified halal certification and digital tools, the partnership is intended to widen the reach of halal products regionally and internationally. The information was reported by SPA at 11:14 Local Time, 08:14 GMT, reference 0032.

With inputs from SPA