Strengthening the Halal Ecosystem with D-8
Demand for halal products continues to rise in step with the expanding global Muslim consumer market, yet the connectivity of the global halal ecosystem remains a problem.
The various links in the chain, from raw materials and production to certification, logistics and distribution, are not yet fully integrated, so opportunities for trade, investment and value creation in this sector have not developed optimally.
This connectivity issue is one of the focal points of the D-8 Halal Expo Indonesia (HEI) 2026, to be held at the Indoor Tennis Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta, from 8 to 12 July. As holder of the chairmanship of the Developing Eight (D-8) for the 2026-2027 period, Indonesia is using the expo as a means of strengthening economic cooperation among member states.
Under the theme “Strengthening the D-8 Halal Economy Through International Collaboration”, the D-8 HEI will bring together business players, investors, regulators and research institutions to broaden collaboration in the halal economy sector.
The expo will feature trading activities, business matching, panel discussions and business meetings involving D-8 member states and a number of partner countries.
The D-8, or Developing Eight, is an economic cooperation organisation of developing countries founded in Istanbul, Turkey, on 15 June 1997, to strengthen trade, investment and economic development among its members. The organisation initially comprised Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and Nigeria. At the end of 2024, Azerbaijan officially joined as the ninth member.
Collectively, the D-8 countries possess enormous economic potential, with a population of around 1.3 billion people, or 16 per cent of the world’s population, and a combined gross domestic product of approximately US$5.1 trillion. This strength serves as capital for the D-8 to expand trade, investment and industrial cooperation across various strategic sectors.
The D-8 countries have set a target of reaching US$500 billion in intra-D-8 trade by 2030. To pursue that target, strengthening the halal industry has become one of the areas receiving attention, as it encompasses high-value sectors ranging from food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fashion to tourism, sharia finance and digital services.
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia Anis Matta stated that Indonesia is encouraging the D-8 to become a new force in the global halal economy by strengthening economic integration with the Islamic world. The D-8 HEI 2026 is designed as a platform to expand business partnerships, investment and the exchange of knowledge among member states.
The staging of the expo also aligns with Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening the global halal value chain. This is consistent with the statement by President Prabowo Subianto at the 11th D-8 Summit in Cairo in December 2024 regarding the importance of strengthening the halal economic network and Indonesia’s role as one of the world’s halal economic hubs.
According to Ary Aprianto, Director of Socio-Cultural Affairs and Strategic Partnerships at the Directorate General of Multilateral Cooperation of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the D-8 HEI is directed at strengthening the halal supply chain from upstream to downstream, encompassing raw material provision, industrial estates, logistics, distribution, capacity building and technology exchange.
This means the competitiveness of the halal industry cannot rest solely on end products, but must also depend on the ability to build an efficient and integrated supply chain.