Dubai’s Halal Trade and Marketing Centre Partners with KITA to Boost Korean Enterprise Access to Middle East Halal Markets
The Halal Trade and Marketing Centre (HTMC)—operating under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) and headquartered at the Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA)—announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). The agreement aims to support Korean companies seeking to enter or expand their footprint within the Halal markets of the UAE, the Middle East, and Africa through comprehensive mentoring, guidance, commercial matchmaking, and institutional partnership programs.
This MoU comes amidst the sustained growth of the global Islamic economy, which reached an estimated volume of $2.60 trillion in 2024 and is projected to surge to $3.56 trillion by 2029. This expansion is heavily driven by growth across the Halal food, Halal pharmaceuticals, modest fashion, tourism, and Islamic media sectors. Consequently, the agreement reinforces the UAE's position as a strategic gateway for Halal trade and a central hub connecting global markets with lucrative growth opportunities across the Middle East and Africa.
Under the MoU, both parties will work collaboratively to enhance the readiness of Korean enterprises to capitalize on available opportunities in Halal markets. This will be achieved by offering specialized mentoring and guidance programs to KITA member companies, enabling them to navigate target market requirements, relevant certification mechanisms, and accreditation processes, thereby bolstering their regional expansion capabilities.
Furthermore, the two entities will roll out commercial matchmaking initiatives. These programs will grant Korean companies direct access to potential buyers, importers, distributors, retailers, and trade partners across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the wider MEA region. The partnership will also facilitate seamless communication with accreditation bodies, regulatory authorities, specialized institutions, and industrial associations to accelerate market entry and transform commercial opportunities into sustainable investments.
Amna Lootah, Director General of DAFZA, stated that this MoU underscores the importance of building cooperative bridges that merge broad trade expertise with specialized knowledge of the Halal sector. She noted that through the HTMC, DAFZA seeks to empower Korean companies to thoroughly understand target market dynamics, leverage specialized mentoring, and strengthen their networks with key stakeholders and potential partners, ultimately driving growth within regional and global Halal markets.
Lootah added that this partnership aligns seamlessly with DAFZA’s ongoing efforts to cement Dubai’s status as a premier global hub for Halal trade, enhancing its role in connecting international businesses with the promising opportunities abundant in the Middle East and Africa.
On his part, Pil-jae Park, Head of KITA in the Middle East and North Africa, remarked that the MoU represents a pivotal step toward improving Korean companies' access to the region's Halal markets. "By combining commercial matchmaking, specialized mentoring, and institutional networking, we look forward to cultivating a supportive environment that helps Korean firms capitalize on the massive opportunities presented by the Halal economy and expand their presence in these high-growth markets," Park stated.
