The 21st Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Halal Food, hosted by Myanmar, was held virtually at 8:30 am yesterday.

The meeting was attended by representatives from ASEAN member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat; the Director-General of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation; officials from the Planning Department; and representatives from the Veterinary and Slaughterhouse Departments of the Development Committees in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon.

At the opening ceremony, Dr Toe Min Tun, Director-General of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, served as chairman and delivered a welcoming speech.

At the meeting, ASEAN member countries discussed and agreed on the ASEAN Halal Food Cooperation Action Plan (2021–2025), including the progress of the project proposal on issuing ASEAN-level halal food certification, the official accreditation scheme, the registration of flavoring agents in halal food, the establishment of the ASEAN Halal Food website, and the general guidelines for ASEAN Halal Food.

The ASEAN Working Group on Halal Food was established in 2000 under the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Meeting (AMAF) to promote the development and cooperation of the halal food industry within ASEAN. The working group meetings are hosted annually by ASEAN member countries on a rotating basis. Myanmar hosted the 11th ASEAN Working Group on Halal Food Meeting in 2015 and is now hosting the 21st meeting for the second time.

MNA/TH

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