by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business Summit, Events, Halal Food, Halal Industries, Halal Medicine
MIHAS 2020 TO PROMOTE THE VALUES OF SUSTAINABILITY
AMONG HALAL-BASED BUSINESSES
KUALA LUMPUR: (Press Release) World’s largest halal trade fair, the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2020, is set to host Malaysian and global Halal-based businesses at its 17th edition from 1 to 4 April 2020. In this edition, MIHAS will be facilitating the promotion of sustainability practices among Halal-based industry players.
Themed as “Expand Your Halal Horizon”, MIHAS 2020 will gather around 1,260 businesses – both Malaysian and international companies from ASEAN, North East Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Africa and Americas . In addition, the event is expecting over 35,000 visitors from 90 countries. The congregation is set to be MIHAS largest yet since its inception in 2004.
Participants of MIHAS will include Halal-certified and trade-ready companies, buyers, leading brands, manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. Organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), MIHAS 2020 will showcase the strengths of various sectors in Halal namely Food & Beverages, Food Technology Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Logistics, Tourism, Islamic Finance, Digital and Franchise.
According to MATRADE’s Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa, 2020 will be a significant year for Malaysia as it operationalises various plans to drive Malaysia’s sustainability agenda. “Sustainability promotes responsible businesses and good practices that emphasise responsibilities towards the environment, social and governance. This is very much in line with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals or the SDGs. Halal and sustainability when practiced together will lead to the Halalan Toyyiban lifestyle and we need to articulate this to the world through MIHAS,” Wan Latiff said.
“For example, Halal gives guidelines on the production, processing and handling of products. At the core of the guidelines there is a strong emphasis on being environmentally friendly, well-being of the living, fair and just business practices as well as ethics too. These are what make Halal and sustainability a perfect match for businesses to strengthen their value proposition when selling to the world, while at the same time protecting the world and society. This will definitely give exporters a long-term strategic advantage,” Wan Latiff explained.
Apart from the showcase of Halal products and services at the exhibition, MIHAS will also feature a highly effective business matching platform called International Sourcing Programme (INSP) that has, since 2005, recorded over RM17.2 billion in cumulative trade for its participants.
Other than that, MIHAS 2020 will offer quality networking and learning opportunities through spacious and improved experiential zones and industry-renowned fora as well as talks by experts from various Halal industries.
Last year’s MIHAS saw the introduction of the Modest Fashion Cluster – where a total of 48 companies and associations were highlighted.
“MIHAS 2020 will further strengthen Malaysia’s position as a global halal hub and put forward the economic values of Halal for the world. The prospects for Halal-based businesses continue to be strong. In terms of projections of export for halal products for 2020, the export of halal products this year is expected to grow around 5 per cent,” Wan Latiff added.
Based on DinarStandard’s (State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2019/20), the global Islamic economy in 2018 was worth USD4.74 trillion and is expected to grow to USD6.66 trillion in 2024. In that report, Malaysia once again leads the Global Islamic Economy Indicator (GIEI), reflecting a robust Islamic Economy ecosystem, with Malaysia leading the pack in pioneering the growth of the Islamic economy in various sectors,” Wan Latiff
MIHAS 2020 will be held from 1 to 4 April 2020 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Returning and new exhibitors as well as visitors can register in MIHAS 2020 at www.mihas.com.my.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Business Summit, Events, World
Singapore : Finance Ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Monday signed the bloc’s first agreement to facilitate e-commerce transactions in the region.
Asean, the third largest trading bloc in the world, is holding meetings on Monday and Tuesday prior to its official summit scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in Singapore, reports Efe news.
The newly signed agreement will foster speed and cooperation between businesses and governments, generating more efficient transactions, said Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.
At a parallel business summit, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for greater integration among Southeast Asian nations at a time when multilateralism was under threat from protectionist measures by the US and China.
The US-China trade war is expected to be a major topic on the ASEAN Summit agenda with participation of member countries Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
The summit will also have the presence of the US, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea.
US President Donald Trump will be represented by Vice President Mike Pence, who will also participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Papua New Guinea later.
It is not known so far whether Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Pence will hold a bilateral meeting to address the trade war between the two countries that has undermined world markets in recent months.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Business Summit, Emerging Businesses, Events, Investing
Mukesh Ambani
Guwahati : The first day of Global Investment Summit, being held here, witnessed signing of a total of 176 MoUs with 160 companies, amounting to Rs 64,386 crore.
While Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Ltd said that his company will invest Rs 2,500 crore in next three years time in retail, petroleum, telecom, tourism and sport sectors, companies like McLeod Russell, Century Plyboards Ltd, and Spicejet also assured to invest considerable amounts to boost the economy of the region.
Ambani, in his address at the meet, also said that Reliance Industries also set up a world class football academy and a centre for conservation of wildlife and eco tourism in Assam.
Spicejet CEO Ajay Singh said that the company is contemplating to use Guwahati as gateway to Thailand, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries.
“We are also contemplating to launch sea planes to connect different remote locations in India’s northeastern region, which has tremendous potential. The mighty Brahmaputra river can be the largest runway for the sea planes,” he said adding that Spicejet has also been working on to market the fruits and vegetables produced in the region to other parts of the country by establishing a modern supply chain.
Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said his country was keen to continue to foster bilateral ties and was committed to identify further areas of cooperation to contribute to the development of the state.
Other top industrialists who took part in the summit included Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekharan, Mcleod Russell India Ltd MD Aditya Khaitan, Century Plyboards Ltd MD Sajjan Bhajanka, Patanjali CEO Acharya Balakrishnan, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd MD Dilip Sanghvi, Ficci President Rashesh Shah, among others.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Business Summit, Corporate, Corporate Governance, Emerging Businesses, Events, Investing, News, Politics
Guwahati : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the two-day Global Investment Summit in Guwahati, a first of its kind initiative in the northeast, and said a new terminal being constructed at Guwahati airport would boost the region’s connectivity with Asean countries.
Addressing the event, being held at the Sarusojai Stadium in Guwahati, the Prime Minister expressed his happiness that Bangladesh and Bhutan have opened their consulate offices in Guwahati and said the northeast is at the heart of India’s ‘Act East Policy’.
Modi said the initiatives taken by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for the last three and half years “are becoming evident” and that his government had spent Rs 5,300 crore every year in northeastern states to improve the railway network.
“Rs 4,700 crore was allocated to extend railway connectivity to 15 new destinations. When the Agartala (Tripura)-Akhaura (Bangladesh) railway connectivity becomes a reality in the near future, the whole region will be benefited,” said Modi.
He said the tagline of the meet – ‘Advantage Assam: India’s expressway to ASEAN’ – is very appropriate and not just a statement but it is a “comprehensive vision”.
“We created the Act East Policy and the Northeast is at the heart of it. The Act East Policy requires increased people to people contact, trade ties and other relations with countries on India’s east, particularly Asean countries,” Modi said.
“Our vision is development of the eastern part of India, as the country’s fast pace of development will only be effective when the people living in the northeast develop,” he said.
Modi said that roads and railways are being constructed at a faster pace in the northeast and electricity is being generated at a similar pace.
The summit, a first of its kind two-day initiative, is expected to see participation of top industrialists of the country including Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani.
The summit is likely to see the participation of over 5,000 delegates from across the world, including Asean countries.
Officials said that over 250 MOUs worth Rs 60,000 crore are expected to be signed on the first day of the summit on Saturday.
Other top industrialists are expected to participate include, Anand Burman (Dabur), Subhash Chandra (Essel Group and ZEE), Amar Abrol (Air Asia India), Rashesh Shah (Edelweiss), Sushil Goenka (Emami Group), Sanjiv Puri (ITC Limited), Harshavardhan Neotia (Ambuja Neotia Cements), and Balakrishan Goenka (Welspun Group). Naresh Trehan (Medanta- The Medicity) and filmmaker Subhash Ghai are also expected to attend.
Business seminars on 12 focus sectors will be held on both the days including Agriculture and Food Processing – Organic Cultivation and Bamboo, Handloom, Textile and Handicrafts, Logistics, River Transport and Port Township, IT and ITeS, Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment, Plastics and Petrochemicals, Power, Tourism, Hospitality and Wellness, Civil Aviation, Petroleum and Natural Gas and Startups Innovation.
“Investments in our promising sectors are key to the economic growth of the state. The objective is also to position Assam as India’s Expressway to Asean. The Summit is based on the core principles of the Act East Policy,” Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on Saturday.
He said the Government of Assam is fully geared up for its first maiden Global Investors’ Summit. Several Union Ministers including Nitin Gadkari, Suresh Prabhu, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Zubin Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitendra Singh, Kiren Rijiju are expected to take part in the proceedings as well.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Nay Pyi Taw : China is ready to further boost cooperation with the ASEAN, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
Wang said on Monday that Beijing has appreciated positive response of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to China’s proposal to formulate a vision for strategic partnership between China and the ASEAN by 2030, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Chinese Foreign Minister’s remarks came during the meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan on the sidelines of the 13th Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Myanmar capital.
Wang also expressed appreciation for the important role of Singapore, as a coordinator of China-ASEAN ties, in deepening China-ASEAN cooperation and properly handling the South China Sea issue as well as its efforts for a successful ASEAN summit and related meetings in the Philippines last week.
The 10-member ASEAN groups include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
China will support Singapore, which holds ASEAN’s rotating chair in 2018, in fulfilling its duties as the host country, Wang said.
China is willing to work with the ASEAN countries for substantive consultations on the text of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea based on mutual respect and equal footing so as to continue promoting mutual trust and safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, he said.
For his part, Balakrishnan said Singapore is ready to work with China to bring the all-around pragmatic cooperation between the two countries to a new high and consolidate the positive momentum in the South China Sea.
—IANS
