Tag: MENA

Collective action and innovative practices sowed within the industry are reaping results, with RSPO global certification, membership, production and consumption volumes steadily on the rise, alongside greater environmental stewardship

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil marked a special milestone at its Annual Roundtable conference (RT2023), themed “Partners for the Next 20”, to reflect on nearly two decades of impact made possible through the collaborative efforts of RSPO’s Members and partners. RT2023 presented an opportunity to take unified action on the core challenges facing the sustainable palm oil industry, including mitigating climate change, increasing uptake of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), protecting labour rights, and facilitating greater smallholder inclusion in green supply chains through compliance with emerging international regulations.

For nearly twenty years, the RSPO has facilitated global change to make the production and consumption of palm oil sustainable. Starting from 200 members from 16 countries in 2004, RSPO now counts more than 5,700 members in over 100 countries and territories spanning the globe.

In his opening remarks, RSPO CEO Joseph D’Cruz said, “Through nearly two decades of voluntary action, RSPO Members have banded together to raise the bars of sustainability within the industry. The impact we have collectively achieved is increasingly being acknowledged by stakeholders outside our industry, and we are seeing a definite shift in the sustainable palm oil narrative in our favour. As a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable, we must ride this trajectory and continue to evolve and pursue new territory. There is room now for us to move beyond a standard and certification system and develop tools that would enable the industry to demonstrate sustainability in the way that markets, regulators and customers demand today.”

Opening Speech

RSPO’s key achievements over the last two decades were highlighted, including the increase in global certified area from just 125,000 hectares in 2008 to 4.9 million hectares across 23 countries in 2023. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) supply reached a new milestone at 15.4 million metric tonnes, while RSPO Trademark licences have increased significantly to more than 1,600 licences in over 100 countries and territories, with growth seen in China, Japan and Southeast Asia, signalling significant opportunities in these markets. The RSPO Smallholder Support Fund (RSSF) has provided US$4.2 million in funding to support 44,203 farmers in 12 countries since 2013. Accounting for 40% of total palm oil production output in key producing countries, smallholders featured strongly at RT2023, focused on opportunities and pathways to facilitate greater inclusion in green supply chains through compliance with emerging international regulations.

Independent Smallholders

Charting new territory, RSPO’s Certification, Trade and Traceability System (CTTS), launched recently in October 2023 with the formation of the tripartite consortium of global agri-tech experts, exemplifies how the organisation is advancing and digitising its tracking and traceability systems into an end-to-end digital infrastructure. This is rooted by best-in-class solutions that will be able to meet current demands and anticipate the future needs of a sector that is rapidly evolving to meet tightening global regulations, starting with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and is actively engaging with the European Commission for knowledge-sharing on this topic with all relevant parties.

Excellence Awards

Anne Rosenbarger and José Roberto Montenegro, Co-Chairs of the RSPO Board of Governors, together called for the successes of the past 20 years to be leveraged and scaled further through collective action and innovative approaches. “RSPO is strategically evolving to meet current and forthcoming challenges, including shifting regulatory and market expectations, by improving the auditability and implementability of our current standards and Assurance systems in order to be ready to connect to the broader industry’s sustainability platforms,” said Anne Rosenbarger. Following a comprehensive and highly consultative review of its current 2018 RSPO Principles and Criteria and 2019 RSPO Independent Smallholder Standard, a technical revision process is underway to produce a revised set of standards in 2024.

Opening performance

The conference also featured the RSPO Excellence Awards, which saw fifteen of its Members nominated for their outstanding contributions to sustainable palm oil. The winners were DSN Group for Innovation; Bumitama Agri Ltd. for Conservation Leadership; Musim Mas for Smallholder Impact; Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for Communicating for Good, and WWF International for Shared Responsibility. Learn more about the winners, nominees and their award-worthy initiatives here.

About RSPO:
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Formed in 2004, the RSPO is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that unites members from across the palm oil value chain, including oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks, and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs. As a partnership for progress and positive impact, the RSPO facilitates global change to make the production and consumption of palm oil sustainable. To inspire change, we communicate the environmental and social benefits. To make progress, we catalyse collaboration. To provide assurance, we set the standards of certification. The RSPO is registered as an international association in Zurich, Switzerland, with main offices in Malaysia and Indonesia, and offices in China, Colombia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States. For further information, kindly contact: media@rspo.org

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For further information, kindly contact:

Kimasha Williams
Communications Manager Europe
kimasha.williams@rspo.org

Stephanie Ambrose
Communications Manager APAC
stephanie.ambrose@rspo.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8983091

Collaboration between the International Center for Genetic Disease and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, advances state-of-the-art precision medicine approaches and techniques, tailoring prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases for the Emirati population. This collaboration encompasses three strategic pillars: clinical and translational research, capacity building and technology transfer, and commercialization.

Boston, MA, Nov. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Genomic medicine, also known as precision medicine, offers transformative opportunities to reshape health care and public health from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to one utilizing an individual’s genetic profile, informing their personalized care pathway from prevention and diagnosis, to treatment of diseases and the development of novel and more effective drugs. To help further genomic medicine’s global promise, the International Center for Genetic Disease (iCGD) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (a founding member of the Mass General Brigham system) and Harvard Medical School, is launching a six-month nationwide program to train 100 physicians across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in clinical genomic medicine and genetic counseling. This training program is implemented in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The comprehensive partnership between iCGD, Mass General Brigham, and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi will help advance life sciences and health care outcomes across the globe while leveraging the advanced genomics capabilities of the Emirate.

With an emphasis on screening, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide spectrum of genetic conditions, clinicians will become deft with the necessary knowledge and skills to address genetic and genomic challenges in a clinical setting. Additionally, the program ensures the successful execution of the Emirati Genome Program, bringing precision medicine to the forefront of public health policy formulation and implementation across the UAE.

“We are delighted to collaborate with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi to launch this transformative training program,” said Alireza Haghighi, MD, DPhil, FACMG, Founding Director of the International Center for Genetic Disease. “As one of the largest and most comprehensive genomics educational programs worldwide, the primary goal is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of Emirati physicians. This initiative is designed to integrate genetics and genomics into patient care effectively, underscoring our dedication to enhancing genomic medicine worldwide. Our comprehensive partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi not only aims to advance life sciences but also to improve the well-being of the UAE population.”

Delivered by globally recognized Harvard-affiliated experts within the Mass General Brigham system and elsewhere, the program will enhance the knowledge and expertise of Emirati physicians, who will then be able to further incorporate the latest innovations in genomic medicine and genetic counseling into the clinical care of patients. The iCGD designed the program to specifically address the public health needs of the UAE.

“We are dedicated to enhancing patient care, preventing disease, and promoting the widespread adoption of genomic medicine, both locally and globally,” said Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MSHA, President of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Executive Vice President at Mass General Brigham. “Our International Center for Genetic Disease provides an ideal platform to realize these objectives. This transformative training program aims to cultivate a professional workforce in the UAE at the forefront of genomic research and clinical applications.”

The inaugural ceremony, held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on October 30^th, was attended by prominent Emirati officials, including His Excellency Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President of Khalifa University; and His Excellency Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University.

“This program comes as a continuation of our collaboration with the International Center for Genetic Disease (iCGD) and Harvard Medical School which started earlier this year, providing the world with genomic solutions that address international health challenges and needs,” said Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. “This comes in line with the Department of Health’s efforts to unlock opportunities for local talents and ensure the sustainability of our healthcare sector. These continuous strides further cement Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for healthcare.”

“We are delighted to join with our partners to launch the Clinical Genomics and Genetic Counseling course in the realm of healthcare at Khalifa University,” said Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President of Khalifa University. “Developments in this area represent a tremendous leap towards empowering individuals with a profound understanding of their own genetic tapestry.”

Advances in genomics, clinical diagnostic methods and therapies are now fueling healthcare. By integrating clinical data and genetic information, healthcare providers can improve population screening, diagnosis, prognosis, risk management, and in some cases, offer new and innovative targeted therapy for conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, hemoglobinopathies, lipid disorders, diabetes, cancer, among many other clinically complex morbidities.

About the International Center for Genetic Disease (iCGD)
The International Center for Genetic Disease (iCGD) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is dedicated to enhancing genomic medicine worldwide, focusing on the analysis of populations from various parts of the world for genetic research into human health and disease, with the ultimate goal of improving public health. iCGD serves as a nexus, bringing together unparalleled knowledge and expertise, as well as unmatched dedication to multidisciplinary research, cutting-edge technology, and innovative methods to bridge gaps in knowledge and practice in the realm of genomic medicine. iCGD forms partnerships with government, academic institutions, and industry, focusing on translational and clinical research, capacity building, and technology transfer, with the aim of enhancing access to genomic medicine for everyone, not just the affluent or the fortunate. For more information, please visit https://icgd.bwh.harvard.edu/

About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.

Noah Brown
Mass General Brigham
Nbrown9@mgb.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8982696

Signs Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WadzPay to onboard world’s first cross-border private blockchain tokenization solution

PADANG, Indonesia, Nov. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WadzPay, a leading innovator in blockchain based payments technology, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with BPKH (Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan Haji), responsible for managing Hajj finances in Indonesia. This collaboration enables cashless digital payment solutions for Indonesian pilgrims undertaking the sacred Hajj and Umrah journeys to Saudi Arabia.

BPKH performs Hajj Financial Management based on sharia principles, prudential principles, benefits, non-profit, transparency and accountability.

“We’re proud to join hands with BPKH in this transformative partnership. Combined with BPKH’s vision and WadzPay’s blockchain-based Pilgrim Program for payments, we aim to empower pilgrims, streamline transactions, and enrich their journeys,” said Anish Jain, Founder and Group CEO at WadzPay.

WadzPay shall serve as the overall program manager while BPKH plans an immediate pilot project through one of their member banks, aiming to make e-wallets accessible to the majority of pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj season.

WadzPay’s Private blockchain-based Pilgrim Payment Program is a game changer and world’s first cross border cashless Hajj and Umrah solution offering ease of operations for issuance institutions, pilgrims as well as merchants. The SaaS based platform can be easily leveraged by multiple issuer institutions in any country to link with the merchants in Saudi Arabia allowing pilgrims to top-up their e-wallets in the home country and spend like a “local” during the actual pilgrimage.

With this partnership, Indonesian banks will become early adopters of WadzPay’ s future-ready offering.

“We’re thrilled to modernize Hajj and Umrah finances, enhancing welfare and pilgrim satisfaction. This partnership shall drive transparency and financial inclusivity,” said Muhammad Thabrani Nuril Anwar, Head of BPKH Collection Division.

About WadzPay

WadzPay was founded in 2018 in Singapore with a commitment to drive financial inclusion and revolutionise the virtual asset landscape.  It is a leading global blockchain-based payments technology provider. The company’s innovative platform available as a SaaS offering provides secure, efficient, and transparent payment solutions, catering to businesses (B2B) and consumers (B2B2C). WadzPay works with large international payment companies, banks, and fintech’s to enable virtual asset-based transaction processing, custody, and settlement. It operates across geographies spanning Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

For more information, visit www.wadzpay.com

About BPKH

Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan Haji (BPKH) is an institution established according to the Republic of Indonesia Presidential Regulation Number 110 of 2017 concerning the Hajj Fund Management Agency. This agency oversees the finances of the Hajj in Indonesia. Hajj Finance encompasses all the rights and obligations of the government that have monetary value related to the organization of the Hajj pilgrimage. It also includes all assets, whether in the form of money or goods that can be valued monetarily, resulting from the execution of these rights and obligations. These financial resources stem from Hajj pilgrims and other legitimate sources.

For more information, visit www.bpkh.go.id

For media related queries please contact –

Arijit Das

PR and Communications Manager

arijit.das@wadzpay.com

+91 9654930523

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8bc7587-ffe5-4be7-9952-137e6a0a0138

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8982905