The Agency hosts the First Board Meeting of AHAC

The Agency hosts the First Board Meeting of AHAC

The Agency for Halal Quality Certification Bosnia and Herzegovina from January 20 to 22nd, 2020, hosted the First Meeting of Board of Directors of the Association of Halal Certifiers (AHAC). The meeting was held at the Hotel Bristol in Sarajevo.

The Meeting Board of Directors was attended by representatives of seven halal certification bodies, who were elected to the Board of Directors of the AHAC at the founding meeting organized in early December 2019 in Istanbul. Also, the meeting was attended by Mr. Ihsan Ovut, Secretary General of The Standards and Metrology Institute of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, who emphasized that he was extremely pleased with the presence and work of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member of SMIIC.

„Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very active member of SMIIC and participates in all activities. We are extremely pleased with the work of people involved in various activities and your country is among the five most active members of this association, which is a sufficient indicator of the quality that the people from BiH contribute to the work of SMIIC” said Mr. Ihsan Ovut.

The Association of Halal Certifiers (AHAC) brings together halal certification bodies from around the world. The main goal of the Association is to establish mutual cooperation and resolve issues of common interest. Mr. Farruh Azimov from Halal Control of Lithuania, is on the position of the President of the Association, while The Vice President is Mr. Damir Alihodzic, Director of the Agency for Halal Quality Certification of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

„It is very important for the halal certification bodies to unite and work on issues of common interest, including the adoption of a single halal standard to regulate and protect the halal market and halal consumers. This Association will work on the promotion and adoption of only one Halal standard that will be the same for all” said Mr. Farruh Azimov.

"Since its establishment, the Agency for Halal Quality Certification has been involved in all important activities and gatherings of the worldwide halal industry. We are very pleased that the First Meeting of Board of Directors of the Association of Halal Certifiers is being held here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we can say that this is one of the indicators of our commitment to harmonizing the regulations of halal certification contained in the one, already developed, halal standard of The Standards and Metrology Institute of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. We believe that the Association will help other Halal certification bodies to follow the same regulations and principles contained in this standard, which will also make it easier for them to implement halal accreditation standards" said the Agency's director, Mr. Damir Alihodžić.

The lunch was organized, in addition to the members of the AHAC was attended by a representative of the Islamic Community in BiH, Mr. Ismail Smajlović, Director of the Directorate for Religious Affairs, dr. Džemil Hajrić, Director of the Food Safety Agency of BiH, Mr. Borislav Kraljević, Deputy Director of the Institute for Standardization of BiH, Director of Media Center, Mr. Amir Sakić, President of the Managing Board of the Agency, Mr. Ahmed Hatunić, Member of the Management Board of the Agency, Mr. Faruk Mulabdić, representatives of Bosnia Bank International, Mr. Salih Purišević and Mr. Emir Ćehajić, Mr. Vedad Halilović and Mr. Emir Pašić on behalf of the Halal Industry Association under FBiH Chamber of Commerce of Federation BiH, and Mr. Sanadin Voloder on behalf of the Balkan Muslim Consumers Association.

At the meeting of the First Board of Directors of the Association of Halal Certifiers documents were adopted defining the conditions and requirements for access to the Association, the appearance of the sign (logo) and the Internet portal of the Association were adopted.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors of the Association of Halal Certifiers is scheduled for March 29, 2020.