MPR Speaker Encourages Halal Industry and Religious Tourism Cooperation with Uzbekistan
The Speaker of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Ahmad Muzani, along with an MPR delegation, conducted a visit to the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan and was received directly by the Chairperson of the Senate, T. Narbayeva.
During the meeting, he stated that Uzbekistan is a friendly nation to Indonesia. Despite the significant geographical distance, this does not hinder the desire of the Indonesian people to visit Uzbekistan.
“Historically, Uzbekistan and Indonesia have maintained cooperation and friendship for decades. It began with Bung Karno, who wished to pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Bukhari. From that point, bilateral friendship and cooperation between Indonesia and Uzbekistan have continued to flourish,” he stated in a written release on Monday (29/06/2026).
He further explained that the diversity within Indonesia can be unified through the Indonesian language. According to him, the Indonesian language serves as a vital instrument in uniting a society characterised by differences in religion, race, language, and ethnicity.
“Indonesia is a very large archipelagic nation. Differences in language, tribe, race, and religion are all unified by one language, which is the Indonesian language. Thus, the language becomes a very important instrument in the effort to unite all existing differences in Indonesia,” he said.
In addition to discussing bilateral relations, he also expressed hope for the future availability of direct flights between Indonesia and Uzbekistan. He noted that the potential for religious tourism in Uzbekistan would be highly attractive to the Indonesian public, particularly for pilgrims wishing to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari before proceeding to Umrah.
“We hope that there will eventually be direct flights from Indonesia to Uzbekistan and vice versa. The potential for religious tourism in Uzbekistan will be highly sought after by Indonesian pilgrims who wish to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari and then continue to Umrah. Therefore, before travelling to Makkah and Madinah for Umrah, Indonesian pilgrims could transit through Uzbekistan,” he explained.
He also encouraged bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Uzbekistan in the development of the halal industry. He noted that the halal industry is no longer merely a religious obligation for Muslims but has evolved into a promising global economic sector.
“The global Muslim population continues to grow rapidly and is expected to reach almost 30% of the total world population by 2030. This represents a massive consumer base that requires certainty regarding products that comply with Sharia principles,” he remarked.
“For Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia and Uzbekistan, strengthening the domestic halal industry can reduce dependence on imported products while simultaneously promoting economic independence,” he added.
The Indonesian delegation during this visit included the Deputy Speaker of the MPR, Hidayat Nur Wahid, as well as MPR members Himmatul Aliyah, Puti Sari, Melati Erzaldi, Longki Djanggola, Hoerudin Amin, and Johan Rosihan.