KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) — The huge demand for halal products would ramp up the outlook for Muslim countries’ economies in the future, said Federation of Gulf Cooperation Council Chambers Secretary General, Abderrahim Hassan Naqi.

He said currently half the food, cosmetics and medicines sold in Muslim countries are imported from non-Muslim countries.

“The opportunities are quite huge for Islamic (Muslim) countries to tap into because we have many resources such as oil, gas and mining but we are hindered by politics,” he told reporters at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Round Table Talk here today.

He said cooperation among Islamic countries is still below expectation and they need to cooperate more to achieve unity.

He also urged Muslim youths to participate in dialogues and healthy debates, saying the involvement of young people in the economy is pivotal to Islamic countries’ future.

“What we are hoping for in the future is that all Islamic countries accept each other and not blame others for shortcomings propagated in the media,” he added.

— BERNAMA