Malaysian CropLife & Public Health Association Calls for Action Against Illegal Pesticides

SELANGOR, Malaysia, July 18, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The Malaysian CropLife & Public Health Association (MCPA), a national association representing the plant science and public health industries of Malaysia, calls for action against illegal pesticides after the tragic poisoning incidents of two young boys and the hospitalization of a teenager upon consumption of rat poison-laced snacks, as reported in the media. These heartbreaking events underscore the urgent need for stringent measures against the use and sale of illegal pesticides.

“The use of illegal and unregistered pesticides poses significant risks not just to public health but also to the environment and economies. We strongly condemn the use of such products,” said Ms. Marie Goh Chooi Fong, Associate Director, Malaysian CropLife & Public Health Association (MCPA).

“Furthermore, the proliferation of unregistered and illegal pesticides through online platforms is a growing concern. We urge the authorities to intensify efforts to govern the online sale of pesticides. Ensuring that all pesticides sold online are properly registered and comply with safety standards is crucial to prevent further tragedies,” she added.

Pesticides are some of the most tested and regulated products in the world. Likewise, in Malaysia, the pesticide industry is rigorously regulated by the Pesticides Board (PB) of the Department of Agriculture (DOA). Only pesticides that comply with stringent safety, toxicology, bio-efficacy, and other standards are approved by PB for sale. MCPA members, as registrants, strictly adhere to the Act, rules, and guidelines provided by PB to ensure safety while supporting national needs, including food security. Additionally, MCPA members adhere to the International Code of Conduct on Pesticides Management (ICOC) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN).

MCPA and its members have been actively promoting Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) and stewardship programs for decades. These stewardship programs include educating users and promoting practices that encourage the responsible, safe and efficient use of pesticides. This is undertaken within the context of promoting an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy and forms an important part of the industry’s life-cycle approach to product stewardship. MCPA also partners with the food value chain and government agencies to ensure food safety.

MCPA remains committed to supporting farmers and advancing the use of innovative agricultural technologies for a safe, affordable and secure food supply.

About Malaysian CropLife & Public Health Association (MCPA)

MCPA is a non-profit trade association, the voice of the plant science and public health industry in Malaysia. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. MCPA is one of the 15 national associations under CropLife Asia, based in Singapore. For more information, visit us at www.mcpa.org.my.

For more information please contact:
Marie Goh Chooi Fong
Associate Director
Malaysian CropLife & Public Health Association (MCPA)
marie@mcpa.org.my

MSG Officials: Papua Is Stable and Conducive Overall

JAKARTA, June 20, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) team, led by Director General Leonard Louma and Executive Advisor Christopher Nisbert, emphasized that Papua is stable, and conducive overall. Economic and social activities are well and normal. The statement was released after MSG officials visited the Land of Cenderawasih, as Papua is known, traveling overland from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) to Jayapura on Monday, 17 June.

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin (left) waves to residents in the Malawei Fishing Village, Sorong Manoi District, Sorong City, West Papua, on Thursday (6 June 2024). The government set a target to build 350 houses for indigenous Papuan fishers in 2014, but only 40 houses have been completed due to technical constraints, including environmental impact assessments (AMDAL permits). Therefore, the remaining houses will be completed in 2024/2025. (ANTARA FOTO/Olha Mulalinda/Spt.) — Vice President Ma’ruf Amin waves to residents in the Malawei Fishing Village, Sorong Manoi District, Sorong City, West Papua, on 6 June 2024. The Indonesian government targeted building 350 houses for indigenous Papuan fishers in 2014, but only 40 houses have been completed due to technical constraints, including environmental impact assessments (AMDAL permits). The remaining houses will be completed in 2024/25.(ANTARA FOTO/Olha Mulalinda/Spt.)

Usman Kansong, Head of the Public Communication Task Force for Papua Welfare, appreciated the MSG team’s visit. “This is a positive step, and I would like to express my appreciation for MSG because its two leaders were able to witness the real conditions in Bumi Cenderawasih, and various developments that the government has undertaken in Papua,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday, 18 June.

During their visit, both Leonard Louma and Christopher Nisbert agreed that Indonesia could serve as a good example of how a country manages its borders. These best practices could be emulated in border areas in the MSG region. They also believe that Indonesia’s role in the ASEAN region will be crucial and beneficial for MSG member countries, providing various advantages and benefits in multiple fields.

Specifically, Leonard Louma revealed that he would promote cooperation in the plantation sector within MSG that involves Indonesia, including a vanilla plantation program in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Therefore, he believes it is necessary to create an economic corridor in the form of an MSG vanilla association to strengthen the vanilla commodity in the region.

Indonesia’s involvement is crucial because it is believed to help open the ASEAN market. This is highly beneficial as MSG is working to build communication and involve Indonesia regionally. During his visit, Leonard Louma also discussed the potential for cooperation in education between MSG and Indonesia, suggesting that student and faculty exchanges can be realized soon.

Separately, Senior Advisor Theo Litaay of the Presidential Staff Office deemed the MSG leaders visit to Indonesia a significant breakthrough that benefits the region across various economic, socio-cultural, and political sectors. “Such regional cooperation will expand economic growth towards the Pacific. The region will benefit from economic growth in Southeast Asia as a driver for development. That is from a regional perspective,” he said.

Leonard Louma and Christopher Nisbert, with their entourage, arrived in Indonesia from Port Moresby via overland journey to the Skouw-Wutung border on Monday, 17 June. They arrived at the border post around 10:00 AM local time, accompanied by Indonesian Consul General Tangkuman Alexander, and left the post with Representatives of the Border Affairs and Cooperation Agency of Papua Province as they continued their journey to the city of Jayapura, observing developments in Papua.

Both MSG leaders attended the MSG Security Strategy (MSG SS) on Wednesday, 19 June, in Jakarta, organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MSG SS aims to gather various input from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including civil society, regarding key priorities in addressing security challenges in the region.

* Note: The Melanesian Spearhead Group is an intergovernmental organization, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia. In June 2015, Indonesia was recognized as an associate member.

For more information, please contact the Directorate General of Public Information and Communication, Usman Kansong (+62 81 678 5320), or visit https://infopublik.id for up-to-the-minute news.

New CropLife Asia and EU-ASEAN Business Council Report Highlights Pathways for Sustainable Agriculture in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, June 14, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – CropLife Asia and the EU-ASEAN Business Council have jointly released a report on the sustainability of food systems in ASEAN. The report titled “Report on ASEAN Food Systems Sustainability,” draws on discussions from the first ASEAN Food Systems Sustainability Workshop that was held in Jakarta in November 2023. This report provides an analysis of the current challenges and opportunities facing agriculture and crop production in Southeast Asia, underscoring the need for region-specific solutions in light of global sustainability trends.

“This report is a call to action for countries in Southeast Asia to ensure national agricultural strategies address national needs and realities,” said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director, CropLife Asia. “Realizing safe, secure and sustainable regional food systems requires balancing increased productivity with environmental protection and economic viability for our smallholder farmers. We can and must work together to make certain Southeast Asia’s smallholders have access to innovative technologies enabling greater food production with fewer natural resources and less impact to the world around us.”

The report sheds light on the effects of rising population growth and food demand in Southeast Asia. The region is expected to have nearly 30 million more people in 2030 compared to the European Union. This projection highlights the need for innovative approaches that help provide a reliable and affordable food supply. Another key finding from the report is the growing climate change impact to the region’s agricultural sector including lower yields, increased risks from extreme weather events and the continued spread of pests and diseases. The region’s unique tropical climate as well as soil condition further contributes to these agricultural challenges.

“We live in a world where food security, improving the nutritional value of the food we produce, and raising rural incomes are all of increasing importance and are all equally key sustainability measures. And, we have to do this whilst also taking care of and protecting our natural environment. As this report highlights, these things can be done together, in balance,” said Chris Humphrey, Executive Director, EU-ASEAN Business Council.

The report also provides insight into the key crop export landscape in ASEAN and how the stringent agricultural and environmental policies of the EU Green Deal could hinder productivity and sustainability in the region. Additionally, the report emphasizes the role and relevance in the region of agricultural innovations including digital solutions for food distribution, training farmers in efficient farming techniques and the use of gene-editing and crop protection technologies.

The full report can be accessed on CropLife Asia’s website through the following link: https://www.croplifeasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Report-on-ASEAN-Food-Systems-Sustainability-FINAL-2024.pdf

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies and one associate member company at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

About EU-ASEAN Business Council

The EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) is the primary voice for European businesses within the ASEAN region and is the only organisation that operates in the intersection of the private and public sectors between ASEAN and Europe. We are formally recognised by both the European Commission, and we are an accredited entity under Annex 2 of the ASEAN Charter.

Independent of both bodies, the Council has been established to help promote the interests of European businesses operating within ASEAN and to advocate for changes in policies and regulations which would help promote trade and investment between Europe and the ASEAN region. As such, the Council works on a sectorial and cross-industry basis to help improve the investment and trading conditions for European businesses in the ASEAN region through influencing policy and decision makers throughout the region and in the EU, as well as acting as a platform for the exchange of information and ideas amongst its members and regional players within the ASEAN region

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

BEAST (Bengkel Animasi Digital Arts & Creative Festival) 2024 goes back to Bandung

BANDUNG, INDONESIA, May 20, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Bengkel Animasi is collaborating with the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Communication and Information to organize BEAST (Bengkel Animasi Digital Arts & Creative Festival) 2024, on Saturday, 25th May in the City of Bandung.

Bengkel Animasi is collaborating with the Ministry of Industry of Indonesia (Kementerian Perindustrian Republik Indonesia) and Ministry of Communication and Information of Indonesia (Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika Republik Indonesia) in organizing Bengkel Animasi Digital Art & Creative Festival (BEAST) 2024, on Saturday, 25th May 2024, at Holiday Inn Pasteur, Bandung — Bengkel Animasi is collaborating with the Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Communication and Information to organize BEAST 2024 (Bengkel Animasi Digital Arts & Creative Festival) on May 25.

BEAST 2024 is back post-pandemic to be held on-site and is intended to become a place for all of the digital arts and creative industry stakeholders to exchange information and create collaboration, ranging from animation & games companies, professionals, educational institutions, students and government representatives.

BEAST 2024 is presenting speakers from the Animation, Comics, Games, Illustration and Intellectual Property industry: Ronny Gani (CEO of Bengkel Animasi & Senior Animator on Avengers, Pacific Rim, Transformers), Shieny Aprilia (CEO of Agate International), Daryl Wilson (CEO of Kumata Animation Studio), Anintyas Wening (Operational Manager of Brown Bag Films Bali), and Bryan Valenza (Exclusive Color Artist at Marvel Entertainment).

These professionals will share their experiences from their career journeys working in established international companies. This will help increase the audiences’ knowledge and perspective in developing their business and skills.

Ronny Gani, CEO and Co-founder Bengkel Animasi explains, “Digital Art and Creative industry has experience a significant growth within the last few years. A lot of local companies question whether to create their own products or to provide services for international clients. Through BEAST, we want to synergize all of the industry stakeholders, especially for the business and human resources. We hope that the industry growth can be more optimal, and most importantly, human and talent resources regeneration can take forth on to the youth in becoming future professionals that are able to compete internationally. That is the motivation for us in Bengkel Animasi, a company that focuses in developing the future talents, through multiple programs; training centers, events organization, and 3D animation service provider.”

Daryl Wilson, CEO of Kumata Studio and the chairman of AINAKI (Asosiasi Industri Animasi Indonesia), who is also going to be one of the speaker at BEAST 2024, explains: “Indonesia will experience a significant increase of demographic within the next 10-15 years, and will require a lot of new opportunities. Given the nature of its production that requires a lot of human resources, animation industry will be able to create huge new jobs and opportunities, while also creates new Intellectual Property (IP) products and provides animation service production to domestic and international markets.

AINAKI is supporting Bengkel Animasi with their BEAST events, as it will create networking opportunities amongst the stake holders. Based on AINAKI’s research, there was a 26% growth within the last 6 years, whereas the amount of animation studios are increasing more than 200% in each year. Therefore, AINAKI is committed to collaborate with more entities in order to grow the animation sector in accomplishing Indonesia Emas that is set out by the government.”

Anintyas Wening, Operational Manager of Brown Bag Films Bali, who is also a speaker at BEAST 2024 says, “Brown Bag Films Bali believes that BEAST has a significant impact in the growth of Indonesia’s animation industry. We are looking forward in sharing our experience and insights at the event in order to provide knowledge and strengthening the animation ecosystem in Indonesia.”

BEAST 2024 registration is available at: bit.ly/beast2024bgd

CropLife Asia announces new Office Bearers for 2024

SINGAPORE, May 6, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – CropLife Asia, the regional voice of the plant science industry, today announced a new lineup for the organization’s Office Bearers within the Board of Directors. Following the CropLife Asia 2024 Annual General Meeting, changes include the installation of Mr. Rahoul Vijay Kumar Sawani as President of CropLife Asia with immediate effect.

Mr. Rahoul Sawani serves as President, Asia Pacific with Corteva Agriscience. Appointed to this position in 2022, Mr. Sawani is responsible for delivering the company’s regional strategy and overseeing the growth of the business in the Asia-Pacific region. Highly experienced in the agricultural sector, Mr. Sawani has held various positions in across the plant science industry in his 18-year career and was previously Vice-President, South Asia with Corteva Agriscience.

The new roster for the CropLife Asia Office Bearers is as follows:

Rahoul Sawani, President, Asia-Pacific, Corteva Agriscience – President
Pramod Thota, President FMC Asia-Pacific, Vice-President, FMC Corporation – Vice-President
Alexander Berkovskiy, Regional Director, AMEA, Syngenta – Treasurer
Simone Barg, Senior Vice President, Agricultural Solutions Asia Pacific, BASF – Secretary

“As climate change intensifies and farmers in Asia face increasing challenges with crop production, plant science plays an important role in ensuring a robust, resilient and sustainable food system for the region. We’re grateful to have experienced and strong leaders comprising our CropLife Asia Board of Directors at such a consequential time for our region,” said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: (65) 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

The South China Sea: A Nuanced Understanding Required

KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 22, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Leading regional commentator, and analyst, Eddin Khoo, and Crisis Management Centre founder, Nordin Abdullah, are starting a series of talks in the ASEAN region on issues around the South China Sea. The objective of these talks is to achieve a nuanced understanding of the activities surrounding this critical waterway and the potential impact on the corporate sector.

The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) in collaboration with the Crisis Management Centre will be hosting the first talk in this series in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday (24 April), titled ‘The South China Sea: Central to ASEAN’s Business Future?’.

Eddin Khoo, a renowned writer, said, “As we approach the half-century anniversary of that most defining of global events – the end of the Vietnam War, the region of the South China Sea appears to be drawn back, whether of its own volition or not, to superpower tensions.”

“Since the end of the Vietnam war, much of this region has devoted itself to economic development, emerging as one of the principal regions for the inflow of capital anywhere in the world, especially in that once lauded period termed ‘The Age of Globalisation’.

“As the period of the end of the age of globalisation is at once cautioned and heralded, and as the South China Sea is marked for a period of superpower contestation, how much, in these past five decades, has the region been able to ‘state a case for itself’?” continued Eddin.

The South China Sea handles roughly USD3.37 trillion in global trade annually, and is crucial for multinational corporations; however, territorial disputes often threaten trade routes and livelihoods dependent on its resources.

Nordin Abdullah said, “Everyone is aware of the obvious geographical choke points. The media have hyped up the spectres of single points of failure in global supply chains and past Black Swan events have produced volumes of analysis laden with hindsight bias.”

“Most bilateral and multilateral efforts relating to activities in the South China Sea are largely government to government. Yet it will be the corporate sector that is impacted first if any significant disruption takes place,” he continued.

Through ancient history, South East Asian nations were connected by extensive maritime trade networks. Trade routes such as the Maritime Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies among the numerous kingdoms and empires in the region.

Regional geopolitical tensions could disrupt maritime activities, impacting communities and millions employed in industrial activities dotted along the shores. Effective risk mitigation and crisis response strategies are imperative for corporations investing and operating in the area.

Nordin, who is also the MGBF founding chairman, concluded, “Simple diametrically opposed broad-stroke narratives are no longer sufficient for the corporate sector. A nuanced understanding is required for every organisation in any given jurisdiction. To achieve any level of anticipation, let alone foresight leadership, teams need to work through the data and conduct effective scenario planning.”

Businesses operating in the South China Sea must diversify supply chains, invest in alternative transportation routes, and engage in corporate diplomatic initiatives to safeguard their interest. These will be amongst matters discussed and addressed during the lunch talk in Kuala Lumpur, including the dynamic relationship between business and politics in ASEAN, and how corporations with regional and global supply chains manage potential threats.

The lunch talk will be an in-person event and requires pre-registration. The participation fee is RM138 per person. A special price of RM88 is available for members of the Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) and other partner chambers.

For more information, visit this event page on Malaysia Global Business Forum’s website: www.MalaysiaGlobalBusinessForum.com.

About Malaysia Global Business Forum

The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) was established to empower stakeholders at the intersection of international and Malaysian business. Through government relations, business intelligence, advocacy, media engagement, market research, networking, advisory and business matching, MGBF will continue to explore threats and opportunities with industry leaders and policy makers to ensure that Malaysia becomes a leader in the context of Asia.

For more information, visit www.MalaysiaGlobalBusinessForum.com.

About Crisis Management Centre

The Crisis Management Centre was established to empower individuals, corporations, industry associations and governments to effectively deal with all aspects of crisis. The Crisis Management Centre has been able to pioneer several ground-breaking concepts in the field of crisis management including the “Reputation-Revenue Dynamic”, which is a data-driven, community and communications framework for addressing areas of concern, crisis, and conflict.

For more information, visit www.crisismanagementcentre.com.

For media enquiries, contact:
Sofea Zarina
Assistant Manager, Public Relations
Glenreagh Sdn Bhd
E: sofea@glenreagh.net
W: http://www.glenreagh.net

Montage of Singapore Season 2 Launches to Acclaim: Promoting unity across Singapore through insightful conversations

SINGAPORE, Apr 15, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Montage of Singapore Season 2, a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering national integration and unity, today unveiled its 6 episodes at One Farrer Hotel, Singapore. The event provided a vital platform for open, respectful dialogue on topics central to Singapore’s diverse cultural landscape. Present for the event were Renuka Bhagat Arora, Masti Media Network, Desmond Tan CCMC Chair, QueenTown, Biren Desai, Singapore Gujarati Society; David Soh, Chair Harmony Circle, Prantik Mazumdar, President TiE Singapore, Dr Alicia Altorfer-Ong, Deputy General Manager, Ray of Hope, to name a few. Montage of Singapore Season 1 was celebrated by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in their newsletter as one of the top three shows showcasing Singapore’s diverse tapestry. The series’ primary objective is to unite residents and build a cohesive nation.

Renuka Bhagat Arora, Founder, Masti Media Network, dressed in black at the center of the bottom row, along with Season 2 panelists

The episodes of Montage of Singapore Season 2 are set to debut on digital platforms – Masti Media Network’s LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/mastimedianetwork), Facebook (www.facebook.com/radiomasti24x7) and Youtube (www.youtube.com/@RadioMasti24x7Singapore/streams) handle from April 15-20, 2024, daily 6:00 p.m.

Conceived in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Montage of Singapore Season 2 has solidified its position as a beacon of harmony and inclusivity within the nation. Championed by Masti Media Network and endorsed by the National Integration Council, the series embodies a collective effort to celebrate Singapore’s rich multicultural fabric and promote social cohesion. Montage of Singapore extends heartfelt gratitude to its esteemed panelists, partnering organizations, and production partners for their unwavering support and commitment. Special thanks are extended to Peoples Association, Harmony Circle, SINDA, Republic Polytechnic, Ray of Hope, Singapore Kindness Movement, The Art Of Living, TiE Singapore, vLookUp.ai, ACRES for their invaluable contributions to the success of the series. The Production partner for the series is : Nin9 Studios and Digital Media Partner is Radio Masti 24×7.

Season 2 of Montage of Singapore features insightful episodes, each delving into crucial facets of national integration. From celebrating Singapore’s cultural tapestry to exploring the altruistic spirit of its residents, the series encapsulates the essence of unity in diversity. Noteworthy panelists, including esteemed figures such as- Anbarasu Rajendran (CEO SINDA), Dr William Wan (Singapore Kindness Movement), Manisha Seewal ( Corporate Leader and Community Volunteer), Rahul Gokhale (Corporate Leader and Volunteer, ACRES) , Preeti Dubey (Leadership Coach and Community Volunteer),Shailesh Venkatesh (Banker and Volunteer Art of Living), Ravi Agarwal (Diversity Coach & Facilitator), Nilanjana Sengupta (Author), Desmond Tan (CCMC Chair, Queenstown Community Centre), Krishnamani Kannan(Investor and Multipreneur), Kanchana Gupta (Founder vLookUp.ai and Diversity Champion), Narinder J Singh (Entrepreneur, Investor, Philanthropist), Dr Alicia Altorfer-Ong, (Ray of Hope), Priyali Kamath (Corporate Diversity Leader), Sanjana Singh (Student Nanyang Polytechnic), Ika Khairiah (Artist), Priyadarshini Sharma (Corporate Leader and DEI Champion), Somnath Adak, (Chairman ICAI SG), Amit Gupta (Chairman TiE Global) , Nurina Syakirah (Republic Poly), Tan Guo Jun and Radha Govinda Dasa (Republic Polytechnic).

Renuka Bhagat Arora,Founder, Masti Media Network quips, “Montage of Singapore Season 2 reaffirms our unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity, empathy, and unity within our diverse community. Through ongoing engagement and meaningful dialogue, we aspire to cultivate a future where the richness of diversity is embraced, and a harmonious spirit of unity thrives.”

About Montage of Singapore Season 2

About Masti Media Network

Masti Media Network, acclaimed for its flagship brand Radio Masti 24×7, is the premier live Bollywood radio station serving Southeast Asia. Established in 2009. Masti Media Network is a reliable media partner for Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Ministry of Manpower. Evolving from its initial three-hour daily broadcasts on Mediacorp XFM96.3, Masti Media Network expanded in 2016 to become a 24/7 independent digital platform with cutting-edge studios. The network now creates visually compelling series of national importance, with support from the National Integration Council. For further details visit-https://radiomasti.com.sg/index.html.

For more information, contact:
ganesh@mettai.world
www.mettai.world

The 17th Asian Financial Forum concludes successfully

The 17th AFF concluded today, attracting over 3,600 policymakers and business leaders from more than 50 countries and regions who actively joined vibrant discussions, fostering sustainable development and multilateral cooperation and showcasing Hong Kong’s vibrant economy, setting the stage for conferences and exhibitions in the new year
The Forum arranged over 700 one-on-one meetings, successfully connecting investors with project owners and exploring opportunities in various industries
The AFF facilitated the signing of MoUs and agreements, including the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between Hong Kong and Croatia and Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Services Development Council and Financial Sector Development Program of Saudi Arabia, deepening business collaborations
On-site polling during the Forum showed that most participants considered the digital economy (31.4%) and electric vehicles (26.1%) the most promising industries in Mainland China

HONG KONG, Jan 25, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The 17th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), successfully concluded today, attracting over 3,600 financial and business elites from more than 50 countries and regions, including over 70 overseas and Mainland China delegations. The Forum showcased Hong Kong’s thriving economy as participants explored opportunities, accelerated sustainable development and multilateral cooperation and launched Hong Kong’s conferences for the year.

The event was marked by a vibrant atmosphere. Various segments – including the opening session, plenary discussions, policy dialogue, keynote luncheons and cocktail reception – were well attended. Leaders from around the world actively engaged in discussions.

In just two days, the Forum arranged over 700 one-on-one meetings, successfully connecting investors with project owners and exploring opportunities for industry and investment cooperation. After the Forum’s conclusion, participants will have the opportunity to continue discussions and meetings online from tomorrow until 30 January (Tuesday).

Over the two-day physical event, the AFF brought together more than 140 policymakers, international financial and multilateral organisation representatives, financial institutions and corporate leaders from around the world as speakers.

On the first day of the Forum, Prof Jeffrey D Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, addressed the keynote luncheon, affirming the importance of Hong Kong as an international financial centre. He said that global cooperation could help solve problems that were even beyond our reach. He believed Hong Kong could play a full role in sustainable development financing, an increasingly important area.

One of the highlights of this year’s AFF was the Plenary Session I – Charting the Path to a Shared Future, hosted by Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR, bringing together financial officials from around the world to discuss economic challenges countries face. Julapun Amornvivat, Deputy Minister of Finance, Thailand, said: “The Asian Financial Forum is the place where both the public and private sectors can have honest discussions to find solutions to tackle major problems today and transform the economy for the future.” H.E. Dr Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, Egypt, mentioned that the world was grappling with rising geopolitical tensions and a lack of clarity about the future, weighing on the achievement of sustainable economic growth. To address global challenges, the world needed to deploy all efforts to coordinate economic policies on a multilateral scale.

On the second day, the Breakfast Panel focused on Unleashing the Dragon’s Currency: Navigating Renminbi Internationalisation on the Global Stage, allowing participants to delve into the renminbi’s growing use worldwide and trends in international demand. Prof Douglas W Diamond, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences in 2022 and Merton H Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, addressed the Keynote Luncheon on the second day, which was moderated by Raymund Chao, Asia Pacific and China Chairman, PwC.

Global Spectrum, Dialogues for Tomorrow and Fireside Chat brought together pioneers from various industries to discuss a host of topical subjects, explored the latest Web 3.0 and virtual asset development, the future of fintech innovation, CIO Insights, green finance and opportunities in new markets. Speakers included Bob Prince, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Bridgewater Associates, Dr Ma Jun, Chairman and President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA), Guinandra (Andra) Jatikusumo, Group Director and Chief of Investments & Business Development of CT Corp, Darmawan Junaidi, President Director, Bank Mandiri, Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Animoca Brands, and more.

Understanding prospects for mainland industries, environmental economics

To gauge participants’ views on the global economic outlook this year, the Forum conducted on-site voting during panel discussions. For instance, at the Panel Discussion on Global Economic Outlook, participants were asked about the greatest threats or uncertainties to economic growth in the Asia-Pacific. Most attendees identified geopolitical fragmentation (66.7%) as the biggest challenge, followed by a slowdown in the recovery momentum in key economies (17.7%), persistent inflation (6%), a tightened monetary environment (4.2%), continued supply chain reshaping (3.6%) and other factors (1.8%).

In the newly introduced Panel Discussion on Stewarding China’s New Chapter, participants were asked about the most promising industries in Mainland China. The digital economy took top spot with 31.4%. Electric vehicles (26.1%) and renewable energy (18.8%) followed in second and third place, respectively. Advanced manufacturing (15.8%), other industries (4.2%) and electronic devices (3.2%) ranked subsequently.

Over 700 matching sessions held on-site, online platform continues to yield results

Through the years, the Forum has played a crucial role in deepening business and trade collaboration. AFF Deal-making, a global investment project-matching event jointly organised by the HKTDC and Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA), was well received, facilitating over 700 one-on-one meetings, connecting funds and investment projects from around the world. The founder of one of the start-ups from Thailand said he had met 20 visitors with potential deals, ranging from a family office to a legal adviser. He also commented that the geographical diversity of the visitors at Deal-making was extensive, ranging from India to Europe and Japan. The deal-making session had presented valuable opportunities to find potential business partners.

This year’s AFF also facilitated the signing of various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreement. These included the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between Hong Kong and Croatia and Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Services Development Council and Financial Sector Development Program of Saudi Arabia.

The Forum also featured exhibition zones including the Fintech Showcase, Fintech HK Startup Salon, the InnoVenture Salon and Global Investment Zone, presenting innovative solutions from international financial institutions and introducing prospective unicorns from Hong Kong and around the world. The exhibition segment brought together over 140 exhibitors, including international financial institutions, technology companies, start-ups, investment promotion agencies, and sponsors, including knowledge partner PwC, along with HSBC, Bank of China, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), Huatai International and Cyberport.

The 2024 International Financial Week (IFW) commenced on 24 January to create synergies, bringing together over 20 partner events. These events cover a many topics of global interest to the financial and business community. They include private equity investment, alternative investments, sustainable investments, family offices and women’s empowerment, among others. These events highlight the role of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.

To seize opportunities and promote the conference and event economy, the AFF collaborated with various organisations to arrange activities for participants beyond the Forum. These activities included free admission to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Hong Kong’s iconic Aqua Luna red-sail junk boat, TramOramic tour and open-top Big Bus arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. These experiences allowed forum guests to feel at home and appreciate the vibrancy and diversity of Hong Kong.

Furthermore, to provide overseas participants with a better understanding of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the vast business opportunities within, organisers will lead a delegation to Shenzhen tomorrow (26 January), including corporate visits and exchange activities.

Websites
Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/

Photos Download: https://bit.ly/3SvMXru

The 17th Asian Financial Forum, jointly organised by the HKSAR Government and the HKTDC, concluded successfully, attracting over 3,600 financial and business elites who actively participated in the event, creating a vibrant atmosphere for exchanges and showcasing Hong Kong’s thriving economy

Prof Jeffrey D Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, addressed the Keynote Luncheon on the first day

Prof Douglas W Diamond, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences in 2022 and Merton H Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, delivered insightful remarks during the Keynote Luncheon on the second day

Bob Prince, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Bridgewater Associates, an investment veteran, shared his experience in leadership transfer, markets views and investment tactics in Mainland China

The AFF Deal-making, an investment project matchmaking event organised by the HKTDC and the HKVCA, drew strong interest, facilitating over 700 one-on-one meetings and connecting funds and investment projects from around the world, involving more than 270 investors and over 560 projects

Representatives from Hong Kong and Croatia sign the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement

The Financial Services Development Council and Financial Sector Development Program of Saudi Arabia sign their MoU

The cocktail reception on the first day invited Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of HKSAR; Dr Peter KN Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC and Luanne Lim, Chairperson of the AFF Steering Committee and Chief Executive, Hong Kong, HSBC, to deliver speeches, fostering lively exchanges among guests from around the world

Media enquires

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Anson Wong, Tel: (852) 3428 3413, Email: awong@yuantung.com.hk
Tiffany Leung, Tel: (852) 3428 2361, Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-fung Wong, Tel: (852) 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong, Tel: (852) 2584 4524, Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: (852) 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

It’s 2024. Can Technology Drive a New Nigerian Economy?

LAGOS, NG, Jan 1, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Some 20+ years ago, in what keen observers have described as a “leapfrog” and as “the telecom revolution”, Nigeria leapfrogged from 400 thousand landlines to 80 million mobile lines in months. It remains the largest singular developmental stride Nigeria has taken in its 63 years of existence. Structured mass adoption of new technology enabled Nigeria to circumvent normal step-by-step processes to arrive at its destination ahead of time, and ahead of others who were there before them in the Telecom Industry.

Nigeria's Minister of innovation, Science & Technology

Deploying similar strategies, Nigeria can achieve similar outcomes in Clean Energy and Power, and in different areas of Technology. Take Artificial Intelligence (AI). McKinsey estimates that by the year 2030, the global AI economy will be at $16 trillion annually. (That’s larger than the entire American economy!)

So what will it take for Nigeria to stamp the AI revolution like we did in the Telecoms revolution?

I put this question to Ray Sharma a few weeks ago over dinner in an artsy and eclectic restaurant in London’s Tech City or Silicon Roundabout. Ray is one of earth’s most aggressive Technology Venture Capitalists with successes that include Expedia and Tinder. Ray agreed with me that primarily, it will take human resource.

Human resource is Nigeria’s abundant blessing. After India and China, Nigeria has the highest number of skilled Tech workforce in the diaspora. That’s an army waiting to be unleashed on the innovative gateway.

What about the in-country population? A whopping 160 million youth – below the age of 35. The vast majority of whom are smart, hungry, innovative, and trainable. Such a resource wealth can catapult any nation on earth when intention and strategy align. Recruit them and funnel them into Frontier Technologies. AI. Blockchain. Robotics. IoT, and the like.

Should Nigeria unleash her potential upon the AI space, with a modest ambition to capture 0.1% of the value of that emerging industry, in just 5 years, she would have created a $16 billion a year industry. And from just AI! Add Blockchain Technology, Fintech, IoT, Robotics, Clean Tech, Methanol and Hydrogen Production, etc, then you begin to envisage a horizon of endless possibilities.

What’s my point?

With her huge, young, smart, innovative and teachable workforce, plus a seemingly insatiable global tech market, Nigeria could create the kind of alternative national wealth and economy that will dwarf her entire budget and present economy.

Technology enables us to leapfrog, to deliver a Technology revolution, and create a new Nigeria with our international partners.

EdenBase (with Domineum) is partnering with us to create Tech Ecosystems like it did with London Tech City and in Switzerland. We are building out manufacturing capacity for Methanol and EV lithium-ion batteries. These will lay the foundation for our proposed AI-driven Renewable Smart Mini Grids to power our Innovation Parks and Tech Cities plus trigger massive manufacturing (Additive and Green) in partnership with Germany’s IMAPS Institute for Material Applications. We are building out the BPO (and other outsourcing) industry and will partner to prepare millions of Nigerian youth for careers in diverse technology-driven spaces ranging from the soft (data, AI, blockchain, etc) to the hard (hardware skills, welding, digital production, etc). We have partnered to develop and launch the world’s first mass V2X project where we manufacture/assemble Electric Vehicles (EV), powered by Renewable Energy (RE) with bi-directional charging/discharging capabilities that enables your EV to act as a generator that powers homes or factories after performing its ‘car duties’ of ferrying you around. Now that’s what a leapfrog looks like.

Clean energy and Intelligent RE Minigrids – powering and driving manufacturing. Productive Tech ecosystems – partnering world class institutions to trigger innovative startups on scale. These will drive the unleashing of the creativity of Nigeria’s enormous, smart, innovative and youthful population. They, in turn will drive the emergence of the new Nigerian economy, independent of fossil fuels, and constructed on the altar of Innovation, Science & Technology.

In 2024, Nigeria is truly open for business – the Business of Technology, Clean Technology. Those who missed the opportunities unearthed by Nigeria’s telecom revolution some two-decades ago, now have the opportunity to get on board this boundless Tech Revolution in the largest untapped single market on planet earth.

Is it possible to deliver these and more on scale? Can Nigeria leapfrog her way to near the front of the line in clean energy and power generation, green manufacturing and outsourcing?

You bet!

And in Nigeria’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister Uche Nnaji is betting on it too.

Contact:
Emeka Orjih, MBA (Wharton), Technical Adviser on International Cooperation & Finance to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Nigeria. emeka.orjih@scienceandtech.gov.ng

The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Nigeria is one of the strategic Ministries of Government with the responsibility of facilitating the development and deployment of Innovative Science and Technology to enhance the pace of Socio-economic development of the country. www.scienceandtech.gov.ng

ASEAN Disability Forum 2023 produces Makassar Recommendations for Persons with Disabilities

Makassar, Indonesia, Oct 13, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The ASEAN Disability Forum has produced the “Makassar Recommendations” to strengthen commitment to empowering persons, realizing inclusivity, and elevating the dignity of persons with disabilities. These Recommendations waere produced at the ASEAN High Level Forum on Disability Inclusive Development and Partnership beyond 2025 in Makassar on 10-12 October 2023.

The Recommendations were submitted after the participating ASEAN member countries led by Indonesia formulated a draft recommendation. The forum attended by around 200 participants, was one of a series of ASEAN Summits under the chairmanship of Indonesia. Apart from ASEAN member countries, there were also participants from the United States, England, Australia, as well as from the ASEAN Secretariat, various organizations for persons with disabilities, the ASEAN Disability Forum and various other partners.

The participants jointly formulated innovative strategies to realize socio-regional inclusiveness, empower persons with disabilities, and strengthen partnerships. The Forum hopes that ASEAN will become the epicentrum of sustainable growth of inclusiveness.

Following two days of deliberations, 10 recommendations were finally produced and named the “Makassar Recommendations”. These recommendations were read out by Commissioner of the National Commission on Disabilities (KND) Eka Pratama before the closing of the forum on Wednesday, 11 October 2023.

The Makassar Recommendations (10):

First, accelerating the implementation of the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025 by mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities in ASEAN cooperation.

Second, further support the review and report on the implementation of the ASEAN Enabling Masterpan 2025 by including the participation of persons with disabilities.

Third, ensuring disability inclusive development as a fundamental part of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Fourth, encouraging ASEAN Dialogue Partners to mainstream empowerment and rights of persons with disabilities through collaboration with ASEAN, including in providing disability inclusive infrastructure.

Fifth, provide more innovative social welfare and development policies to empower and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

Sixth, increase joint efforts to ensure equal participation and access for persons with disabilities in public services and eliminate barriers to stigma and discrimination such as education, health, employment.

Seventh, strengthen efforts to provide better and more inclusive disability data.

Eighth, strengthening access to supporting technology based on appropriate needs to increase access to inclusive education, health interventions, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Ninth, strengthens public understanding and awareness regarding persons with disabilities and their rights, as well as countering negative perceptions, and encouraging mutual respect and understanding.

Tenth, encourages the business sector to commit to promoting and implementing disability-inclusive business models and value chains, as well as supporting better access for persons with disabilities to employment, including as entrepreneurs.

Besides conveying 10 recommendations, participants from ASEAN countries also expressed their appreciation to Indonesian government, especially Ministry of Social Affairs for conducting ASEAN High Level Forum.

Disability Inclusive

In her closing speech, Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini said that disability inclusion is an approach, a perspective that needs to become mainstream in all sectors, including education, health, employment, political-security, trade and investment.

“Disability inclusive development requires collaboration and not working separately. The government, private sector and organizations of persons with disabilities must synergize and work together,” said the Minister.

The Minister also emphasized the need to strengthen the availability of disability data, so that appropriate policies and interventions can be made. Minister of Social Affairs also emphasized that entrepreneurship and advancing technology and innovation are real efforts to empower persons with disabilities and increase their independence.

No less important, the Minister emphasized, “All parties must work together to increase public awareness so that people do not see disability as a handicap. Society will see that persons with disabilities can also contribute and play an important role in society.”

Tendi Gunawan of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Jakarta said that currently there is still employment discrimination against persons with disabilities. However, if given the opportunity, persons with disabilities also have the same abilities.

Angkie Yudistia, Special Staff to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, said that all persons with disabilities can live independently. “It remains for all parties to work together to provide opportunities and trust for persons with disabilities to work,” she said.

Source: Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia