BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 8. The second day of the Halal Business Forum has ended in Baku, Trend reports.
The forum was attended by Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, head of the Asian Development Bank's representative office in Azerbaijan, Việt Hoà Đinh, founder and chairman of the Vietnam National Association of Entrepreneurs, Rizvan Huseynov, director of the Caucasus History Center (Azerbaijan), and other officials, as well as company representatives.
The forum discussed the following topics: Enhancing the role of SMEs in the global discourse on the green transition; Joint declaration of the Baku Climate Coalition on the green transition of SMEs; The role of historical heritage in the development of halal tourism in the Caucasus and Central Asia; The role of women in the development of the halal industry.
Speaking at the forum, Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, Director of the ADB Representative Office in Azerbaijan, said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) supports the “green transition” and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan.
According to her, the ADB, founded 58 years ago and uniting 69 member states, continues to actively support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the Asian region, considering them the foundation of the national economy.
"This statement is also true for Azerbaijan. I lead a team of 30 specialists here. Our team is working to expand the private sector and support small and medium-sized businesses," Sunniya Durrani-Jamall noted.
Erkam Tüzgen, CEO of Bilişim Vadisi, noted that the Turkish company Bilişim Vadisi is expanding its cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of “green transition.”
"We already have several projects in Azerbaijan — we have organized gaming camps, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and yesterday signed a new memorandum with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (KOBIA) of Azerbaijan. We plan to work actively in areas related to the green transition, in particular," Erkam Tüzgen emphasized.
According to him, Bilişim Vadisi also cooperates with other organizations in Azerbaijan and intends to further expand these ties.
Afterwards, Muhammad Abubakar, Chairman of the Halal Supply Chain Committee of the Pakistan Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Quality Control, said that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the halal sector could become leaders in the “green” transition by 2040.
According to him, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the halal sector are not just businesses; they are guardians of the principles of sustainable development, ethics, and long-term values for future generations.
Abubakar noted that SMEs in the halal industry account for 90 percent of the business, create 70 percent of jobs, and are responsible for 50 percent of global emissions. This makes them the center of ethics, trade, and climate diplomacy.
Deputy Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic-speaking States, Merey Mukazhan, drew attention in her speech to the 12th Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic-speaking States (OTS) held in Gabala. He noted that the region's values, such as Islamic heritage, historic cities, and centuries-old traditions of hospitality, make halal tourism a natural and strong area of cooperation between OTS member states and observer countries.
According to Mukazhan, the halal industry, based on ethical, sustainable, and social principles, not only creates economic opportunities but also ensures cultural sustainability and spiritual purity.
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