Indonesia Committed to Enhancing Halal Industry Trade with OIC Countries
Indonesia possesses strong potential to enhance the role of Islamic economy sector business trade on the global stage, positioning itself as a global hub for halal trade and economy. Chairman of B57+ Asia Pacific Regional Chapter, Arsjad Rasjid, stated that this potential can be realised through collaboration, not only nationally but also regionally.
This is bolstered by growing awareness that the halal economy is no longer solely about demand driven by religious reasons.
“Halal is not just about faith, but also quality, integrity, and standards relevant to various sectors, from fashion, health, logistics to Islamic finance,” he said during the Halal Bihalal of B57+ Regional Chapter Indonesia at Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
He urged the strengthening of business connectivity among member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its strategic partners to advance Indonesia as a key player. According to him, the government and private sector now agree that strengthening the halal economy should no longer be sectoral but must become an integrated global trade strategy.
According to Arsjad, the global halal economy potential is projected to reach $9.5 trillion by 2030. However, without connectivity and an organised platform, this potential will remain merely a figure.
“The mission is simple, yet ambitious: to translate collective strengths into shared prosperity through concrete trade, investment, and business connectivity,” he said.
As an initial step, B57+ has launched the Asia Pacific chapter on 3 February 2026 and begun building cross-country networks, including Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia.
Secretary General of B57+ Indonesia, Eka Sastra, stated that the establishment of the chapter in Indonesia serves as an entry point for integrating the national halal ecosystem into the global network.
“Indonesia must become the engine of global halal economic productivity. But this goal cannot be achieved alone; cross-country collaboration is needed,” he said.