The Qatar-Malaysia Business Council convened on the sidelines of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026 and the Global Halal Summit (GHaS) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur Saturday to enhance investment cooperation between the two nations.
At the same time, Qatar’s ambassador to Malaysia Salah bin Mohammed al-Sorour and Qatar Chamber board member Dr Mohammed bin Jawhar al-Mohammed attended the ‘MIHAS Awards Ceremony 2026’ at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
Top officials of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), which organises the annual MIHAS, also welcomed business leaders from Qatar to discuss strengthening bilateral private-sector cooperation and trade ties.
During the awards ceremony, al-Sorour and Dr al-Mohammed met with Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, in the presence of MATRADE chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican and MATRADE CEO Indera Abu Bakar Yusof.
Dr al-Mohammed, chairman of the Qatari side of the Qatar–Malaysia Joint Business Council, held a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamed Razeek Hussain, to discuss bilateral trade and economic relations and explore ways to further strengthen them.
Both officials also discussed enhancing the joint business council’s role in fostering cooperation between the two countries’ business communities. They agreed to convene regular meetings, pursue cooperation opportunities, promote trade and investment, facilitate business partnerships and joint ventures, and exchange information on investment opportunities, regulations, and promising sectors.
Dr al-Mohammed reaffirmed Qatar Chamber’s commitment to strengthening the council’s role as a platform for private-sector cooperation, highlighting promising opportunities and the importance of intensifying reciprocal visits and business meetings to foster new trade and investment partnerships.
In another meeting, Dr al-Mohammed held discussions with S Jai Shankar, the deputy CEO for Export Acceleration, Chief Digital officer, and Sustainability Lead at MATRADE, on enhancing trade and investment cooperation, strengthening private-sector engagement, and exploring new opportunities for Qatari and Malaysian companies.
Furthermore, Dr al-Mohammed held discussions with Malaysian business leaders, particularly from the food industry, highlighting Qatar’s investment opportunities and incentives. He invited them to invest in Qatar, noting that the country is well positioned to become a regional food industry hub.
According to a MATRADE statement, the MIHAS Awards 2026 recognised outstanding exhibitors across 13 categories, including the newly introduced Women in Export (WiEX) Awards.
Regarding the evolution of the awards, Merican stated: “The MIHAS Awards are no longer only about recognising excellence achieved today. They also recognise the capabilities that will shape the halal industry of tomorrow.
“This year, we have placed greater emphasis on innovation, sustainability, digitalisation, and emerging technologies because these are increasingly important to how businesses compete and create value globally.”
He added: “The winners recognised today have demonstrated the resilience, creativity, and forward-thinking capabilities needed to navigate a rapidly changing global marketplace.
“Through the MIHAS Awards, we hope to inspire more companies to innovate, embrace technology, compete internationally, and contribute meaningfully to the continued growth of the global halal economy.”
Commenting on the entries, Yusof stated: “The entries received this year demonstrate that businesses in the halal ecosystem are continuously evolving, innovating and adapting to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global market.
“What stood out this year was the increasing recognition of sustainability, digitalisation and emerging technologies as integral components of business competitiveness and long-term growth.”
