Indonesia eyes strategic Halal partnership with Hue city

A seminar on Halal market and industries was co-organised in Hue on September 23 by the Department of the Middle East and Africa under Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Hue People’s Committee.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks from the Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hue, Tran Huu Thuy Giang, who underscored the importance of Hue as a strategic city for halal tourism.

“Hue is a key centre for culture, tourism, and services in central Vietnam. Boasting the UNESCO-recognised complex of Hue monuments, diverse natural landscapes, a network of resorts, and unique tourism products, the city offers significant potential for developing halal tourism and expanding connections with Muslim tourist markets,” Giang stated.

Director general of the Department of the Middle East and Africa Nguyen Phuong Tra highlighted the role of international cooperation and diplomacy in halal cooperation.

“The MoFA has submitted to the government for the promulgation of a scheme on enhancing international cooperation to build and develop Vietnam’s Halal industry through 2030,” Tra said.

Delivering his address at the seminar, Ambassador of Indonesia to Vietnam Adam M. Tugio, underscored that the Halal economy has expanded well beyond its traditional niche into a major global powerhouse currently valued at around $7 trillion and poised to approach $10 trillion by 2030.

Adam M. Tugio

He noted that a global Muslim population of over two billion is fueling surging demand for halal-compliant offerings across diverse sectors, including agrifood, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supply chain logistics, modest fashion, wellness, and the digital economy.

Ambassador Tugio noted that Hue and Indonesia’s Special Region of Yogyakarta share unique historical and cultural similarities as former royal capitals and custodians of national heritage. Building on a sister-city letter of intent signed in 2006, he invited stakeholders of Hue city to turn this longstanding relationship into a new platform for practical economic cooperation.

“Hue and Yogyakarta demonstrate that cultural heritage is not merely a legacy of the past, but a strategic asset for the future,” Ambassador Tugio said. “Our shared heritage can serve as the foundation for new partnerships that generate jobs, attract investment, and create opportunities for local communities.”

The ambassador welcomed Vietnam’s efforts to strengthen its halal ecosystem through a government decree and the growing role of HALCERT, which provides an important framework for developing internationally recognised halal standards and certification systems.

He also highlighted Indonesia’s experience through the Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency, which oversees halal product assurance in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

According to the ambassador, opportunities for Indonesia-Vietnam cooperation include halal-friendly tourism, halal-certified food processing, seafood and agricultural exports, logistics and supply-chain development, education and vocational training, as well as joint research and innovation. With its UNESCO-recognised heritage, renowned cuisine, cultural authenticity, and strategic location in Central Vietnam, Hue is well-positioned to attract Muslim travelers and investors from Indonesia and other international markets.

Ambassador Tugio expressed optimism that cooperation between Hue and Yogyakarta could become a model for broader Indonesia-Vietnam collaboration in the Halal economy and sustainable development.

“The Halal economy should be viewed not merely as a certification requirement, but as a bridge connecting cultures, businesses, markets, and people,” he said. “By combining Indonesia’s market scale and geostrategic location as a trade hub to the wider region with Vietnam’s dynamism and production capacity, we can transform shared heritage into shared prosperity.”