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The second International halal industry fair, Sarajevo Halal Fair (SHF) 2019, was opened in the presence of a large number of participants and officials today in Sarajevo. The Fair was inaugurated by Amer Bukvic - BBI CEO, Šefik Džaferović, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, YB Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Minister of Internal Affairs and Consumer Affairs of Malaysia, Ayman Amin Sejiny, Director of Islamic Private Sector Development Corporation (ICD) at Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Israfil Kuralay, Deputy President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Edin Forto, Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Hussein ef. Kavazović, reisu-l-ulemaI of the Islamic Community in BiH.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad addressed the participants of SHF 2019 via video link, pointing out that he is one of the honorary founders of the Sarajevo Business Forum and Sarajevo Halal Fair 2019.

“Given the success of the BBI in organizing the Sarajevo Business Forum over the past decade, I am confident that it will successfully position the Sarajevo Halal Fair, as a prominent meeting point for Halal industry representatives and business platforms for local and International halal companies with the aim of networking and trade development. The SHF has the potential to help enhance the economic co-operation of the Western Balkan countries, strengthen relations in the region and the rest of the world,” said Prime Minister Mahatir.

This year, 108 exhibitors from 36 countries, 52 from BiH and 56 foreign exhibitors will be presented at the Sarajevo Halal Fair 2019, more than 130 journalists have been accredited to monitor SHF 2019, and the organizers expect more than 10,000 visitors.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Member Sefik Dzaferovic, inaugurating the second SHF 2019, emphasized his satisfaction with sponsoring the fair, emphasizing that SHF is a great opportunity for new investments, as the halal products market has great potential in BiH, the region and the world.

“In the enormous potential of the world market, our country cannot be crucial. But BiH has huge advantages, in the context of the halal market, that it must take advantage of. First of all, these are comparative advantages that include: the cultural and traditional ties of BiH with the Islamic world, on the one hand, and the immediate closeness of the European Union and the European path of BiH, on the other. With its multicultural structure and strong connection to both the Islamic world and the European Union, BiH can be an extremely penetrating factor in conquering the halal market in the coming period," Džaferović said.

Amer Bukvic, CEO of Bosna Bank International, stressed that the holding of SHF, for the second year in a row, confirms the success of last year's fair and the revival of organizers' vision to make Sarajevo the center of halal industry in Europe.

"This year's fair brings two new projects. First, Transformers Roadshow, a project organized in partnership with IsDB, is a continuation of our efforts to promote and reward youth innovation and entrepreneurship in this country. Young people must not lose hope and leave Bosnia and Herzegovina. Transformers Roadshow is their chance. Another news of the fair is a platform for cooperation between Islamic financial institutions, which we are starting to build this year, with international Islamic banks coming from different parts of the world to share experiences and promote Islamic banking,” emphasized Bukvic.