21 12 月, 2022

Indonesia encourages collaboration to achieve blue economy in AIS Forum

JAKARTA, Dec 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Indonesia emphasized the need for collaboration to achieve the blue economy and green economy concepts among the members of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum."Next year (in 2023), through the head of state level meeting, we hope the joint commitment of island and archipelagic nations around the world (which are the members of the AIS Forum) will encourage Indonesia to realize its vision as the world's maritime axis," Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said here on Tuesday.The AIS Forum, which was initiated in 2018, has held four ministerial-level meetings so far to encourage commitment and discussion between archipelagic and island countries to establish concrete cooperation and collaboration on improving their economy and protecting the marine environment.Additionally, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi reminded member countries of AIS Forum to be able to synergize with other global initiatives. "We must have the same spirit, namely the spirit of collaboration, because we can only overcome various global challenges if the world is united, not divided," Marsudi said.Then, Marsudi added, the AIS Forum should strengthen its commitments to solve common problems in managing the oceans.In 2023, Indonesia will host the AIS Summit which will be a part of efforts to realize the country's vision to become a global maritime axis. Indonesia and other archipelagic and island nations on the AIS Forum reiterated to increase commitments and efforts to tackle the danger of climate crisis by strengthening collaboration in the blue economy."When we talk about the green economy, we talk about carbon. A coastline is one of the biggest carbon sinks through mangroves and corals," Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said.The Indonesian government also committed to achieving Net Zero Emissions (NZE) in 2060 which is expected to grow the investment potential in the blue economy, green economy, and circular economy sectors. Lahadalia also emphasized efforts to protect and restore the wealth of marine resources, including planting mangroves, protecting coral reefs, and preserving marine life.Indonesia is currently intensifying the implementation of the blue economy and green economy in its investment and development program including the development project for the New National Capital City (IKN).The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy hoped the city would be able to create an inclusive and sustainable national economic transformation by utilizing digital infrastructure and implementing a green economy. "Thus, the development of IKN is expected to be a new basic in creating the inclusive and sustainable national economic transformation through business modernization, digital infrastructure improvement that implements the green economy and blue economy," Muhadjir said. The Minister said the new capital city is a national identity and the driver for the Indonesian economy in the future.According to the data of IKN.go.id, there will be six economic clusters in IKN including Clean Technology Industry Cluster, Integrated Pharmaceutical Industry Cluster, Sustainable Agriculture Industry, Ecotourism and Health Tourism Cluster, Chemical Products and Byproducts Cluster, as well as Low Carbon Energy Cluster. Besides, there will be two supporting clusters derived from the 21st Century Education Cluster, and Smart City and Industry 4.0 Centre.--Antara Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

28 11 月, 2022

Shenzhen Global Marine Forum to Focus on Ocean Leadership, Sustainability

SHENZHEN, November 28, 2022 – (SEAPRWire) – The Shenzhen Global Marine Economy Forum 2022, the executive strategy session of the high-powered China Marine Economy Expo, opened Thursday with the aim of further developing China’s booming “Blue Economy” and boosting global exchange and cooperation.This year’s marine forum, titled “Leadership for the Sustainable Expansion of the Marine Economy,” will bring together dozens of senior government officials, top business executives, leaders of global organizations, academic experts and renowned thought leaders. The hybrid event will also be live streamed on the internet. The two-day forum, which concludes Friday, will feature nine panel discussions on hot-button issues, such as marine technology, industry, shipping, transportation and governance. The goal of the forum, as in years past, is to promote dialogue and knowledge exchanges between the world’s ocean cities and to accelerate the development of marine partnerships. “The Shenzhen Global Marine Economy Forum is a bridge for exchanges and communication between Shenzhen and the rest of the world,” said Huang Min, deputy mayor of Shenzhen Municipality, during the opening ceremony. “It is also an important platform for pooling global wisdom and discussing cooperation and development. We hope you will use this platform to focus on the development of the marine industry and technological innovations in marine science, ecology and governance.” Huang Min pointed out that in 2021, the Shenzhen’s economy was third largest of all cities in China, fourth in Asia, and the tenth largest in the world. China’s marine economy was worth more than 9 trillion yuan (about USD $1.41 trillion) in 2021, an annual increase of 8.3%, and represented 8% of the country’s GDP growth in 2021. This relatively small percentage, however, does not fully reflect the crucial role that maritime industries – such as shipping, fishing, offshore energy, coastal tourism, and biotech – play in the overall economy and in people’s daily lives.As noted in the previous Marine Forums, there is no way to overestimate the potential of the Blue Economy, for China and the world. Official estimates have the global marine economy reaching at least USD $3 trillion US dollars by 2030.“We look forward to seeing people from around the world join hands to open up new prospects for marine cities and together achieve new developments in the marine economy,” said Huang Min, the deputy mayor. The Shenzhen Global Marine Forum is hosted by the China Oceanic Development Foundation, Global Ocean Capital Promotion Council of Shenzhen and the Yantian District People’s Government of Shenzhen.The forum was organized by Shenzhen SEZ Construction and Development Group Co.,Ltd, and will be produced by Smadja and Smadja Strategic Advisory of Switzerland, and Beijing Cexing Technology Co.,Ltd. The article is provided by a third-party content provider. SEAPRWire ( https://www.seaprwire.com/ ) makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Any questions, please contact cs/at/SEAPRWire.com Sectors: Top Story, Daily News SEA PRWire: PR distribution in Southeast Asia (Hong Kong: AsiaExcite, EastMud; AsiaEase; Singapore: SEAChronicle, VOASG; NetDace; Thailand: SEAsiabiz, AccessTH; Indonesia: SEATribune, DailyBerita; Philippines: SEATickers, PHNotes; Malaysia: SEANewswire, KULPR; Vietnam: SEANewsDesk, PostVN)

1 11 月, 2022

Digital Nigeria 2022: NITDA Director General tasks Tech Innovators with Problem Solving

ABUJA, NG, Oct 31, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE has challenged Nigerian tech innovators and entrepreneurs to identify problems bedeviling the nation with the view to proffering solutions because the government has provided a level playing field for them to achieve just that.NITDA Director General and conference host Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, challenged Nigerian tech innovators and entrepreneurs to identify the problems bedeviling the nation, ...with a view to proffering solutions. [Image: NITDA]Day Three of the Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference, tagged "Start-Up and Innovation Ecosystem Day", four enlightening Panel Discussions before "The Future is Tech". [Image: NITDA]Minister of Comms & Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, inaugurated the Digital Economy Industry Working Group (DEIWG) to accelerate the digital economy agenda in the country. [Image: NITDA]Tech-drivers, the Digital Nigeria Family at the conclusion of the three-day Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference & Exhibitions in a group photograph for the ages. [Image: NITDA]Inuwa stated his challenge during Day 3 of the Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference, held in Abuja. Inuwa noted that for Nigeria to succeed, the tech ecosystem needs every stakeholder on board to play their roles as required of them. "To build a very strong tech ecosystem, we need the government, the higher institutions, we need the entrepreneurs, the risk capitalists and corporate organisations, everybody has its own role to play."He stated that the government is playing its role by creating a level playing ground by formulating policies, legal framework, regulations and intervening in providing infrastructure to the underserved and unserved communities, reiterating that the government is doing more than enough in these regards."The government needs you, needs your commitment the same way the government is committed. For the higher institutions, we need you to produce high quality education to the people because innovation, digital economy or knowledge-based economy are all human capital economy.""Your greatest resources are not the mineral resources but it is what you have in your brain; we need higher institutions to produce the right skill, talents and people with entrepreneurial skills," Inuwa noted. He claimed that the government is doing more than enough in terms of building human capital and "this is beyond conventional educational systems."The government has several initiatives to achieve the 90% digital literacy, which would go a long way in building the tech ecosystem. He said, "We need the numbers. We need people to have skills to use in the digital based technological environment, and that is why we are training people on high earned skills to build the digital service, because digital service is a product-based economy."He listed part of government initiatives to include the partnership between the Nigerian government and Microsoft to train 5 million Nigerians, the partnership with COUSERA to train 24,000, and several others which aimed at positioning Nigeria to be the global talent factory."One of the digital prints we need in the ecosystem is the legal framework. Just last week the President signed the Nigeria Start up bill into law so all these are to level the playing field for you.""For the entrepreneurs, now you have the playing field; it is left for you to take your ideas from invention to impact and in Nigeria and even Africa in general, we have a lot of problems awaiting solutions. And technology can serve as inspiration for you to solve these problems so all you need is to explore how you can solve the problems and impact lives," he said.While decrying the imbalance in the distribution of global wealth and prosperity, Inuwa maintained that with the thriving tech ecosystem, the imbalance would be corrected. He added that successful countries have three things in common, namely innovation, entrepreneurship and a good ecosystem, as nobody succeeds in isolation."Even in Nigeria," said he, 'if you look at the ecosystem, Lagos alone is contributing almost one quarter of the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and when you talk about the tech ecosystem, Lagos attracts more than 50%; so why?"He however sued for replication of the feat in all other parts of the country. "We can build this kind of ecosystem across the country because every part of the country has its strength and weakness. If we can leverage on the strength, we can build the same ecosystem to engender prosperity, because innovation is the only thing that can lead any nation to prosperity."Day 3 of the Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference, which was tagged "Start-Up and Innovation Ecosystem Day", witnessed various enthralling discussions with the lead speech on "Innovative Ecosystem and Investors' Perspectives" presented by Satesh Elwani, Managing Director, Melsons Group.The panel sessions focused on: "Building a Thriving and Sustainable Start-up and Innovation Ecosystem for Nigeria's Digital Economy;" "A Tent Approach to Addressing the Talent Gap Issues;" "Exploring the Funding Opportunities for Nigerian Start-ups" and "Unlocking Nigeria's Innovation Potential for Economic Growth and Prosperity."About Digital Nigeria The Digital Nigeria International Conference & Exhibition is the flagship annual awareness program of the Digital Economy. Formerly eNigeria Conference & Exhibitions, the event was re-branded to expand in line with the National Digital Economy Policy & Strategy (NDEPS). It aims to brainstorm on contemporary issues of relevance from across the globe in order to address the Nigerian challenges for sustainable socioeconomic development. It is a platform for creating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) awareness, for associated framework development, and for charting best practices. Learn more at www.digitalnigeria.gov.ng. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

28 10 月, 2022

FG Stops Importation of Digital Technology Products, Services, as Nigeria Intends to be Global Talent Supplier: Day#1, Digital Nigeria 2022

ABUJA, NG, Oct 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - As stakeholders in the Digital Economy sector from both within and outside Nigeria gathered in Abuja to brainstorm on the path to a sustainable digital economy in the country, the Federal Government (FG) declared that it would no longer accept importation of any digital technological product or service into the country "until and unless the country is convinced that capacity to develop such product and service is not readily available in the country."Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, during his address to the Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference.Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), during the opening address at Digital Nigeria 2022.The Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference, Exhibition and Awards, which runs from October 25 - 27, 2022 in Abuja, Nigeria. [Image: FITMA]Deemah Yahya Alyahya, Secretary General, Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO), delivering her Keynote Address at the Digital Nigeria 2022.Ousman A. Bah, Minister of Communications & Digital Economy of The Gambia, delivering a Keynote Address at Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference.Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, made the declaration during a special address at the Digital Nigeria 2022 Conference, Exhibition and Awards in Abuja (Oct 25~27). Formerly known as the eNigeria Conference, the annual event was re-branded as Digital Nigeria to expand its scope in line with the core objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). Minister Pantami holds that wisdom behind the stoppage of importation of digital technological products and services gives effect to Executive Orders 003 of May 2017, and 005 of February 2018, which support "Local content procurement by ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria", and the "Planning and execution of projects, and promotion of Nigerian content in contracts and science, engineering and technology", respectively. He stated further that "even in the employment position that is publicized, as long as there are Nigerians that have the capacities to take up the challenges, it is not allowed for you to bring somebody from outside the country, except in an agreement transferring knowledge, and 40% of our products and services must be retained for Nigerians." The minister disclosed that his sector has been performing with increasing creditably in the last three years, making it the fastest growing sector and the highest contributor to Gross Domestic Product in the country. "The Digital Economy has in recent years recorded three unprecedented records. For example, contributing18.44% of GDP in the last quarter according to the National Bureau of Statistic." Listing record achievements for the sector, Prof. Pantami further expressed that his Ministry had scored high grades in each of the eight ministerial deliverables he signed with President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. He noted that his Ministry scored a very strong 173.86% average across the eight. The scores in each deliverable were recorded as: implementation of broadband connectivity -134%; deployment of 4G across the country - 127%; digitalising government functions and processes - 99%; development and implementation of a National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy - 103%; implementation of a Digital Identity Programme - 86%; improvement and optimisation of revenues from all operators and licensees in agencies under the Ministry's supervision - 594%; active collaboration with private sector to create jobs - 111%; empowerment of citizens - 137%. According to the Minister, the sector used to contribute an average of N51 billion (approx. US$118 million) quarterly to the government's coffer, but in the last three years, quarterly remittance has grown to N408 billion (approx. US$ 935 million). "And you cannot appreciate this until you know how difficult it is to generate funds for government. We remit all that we generate to the government, while others spend without generating," he noted. He expressed the vigor in implementation of the various pillars of NDEPS, facilitating the unprecedented achievements the sector is recording since the policy was approved in October 2019. He listed the eight pillars to include: Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy and Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Service Development and Promotion; Digital Society and Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Promotion and Adoption.The Minister revealed that the under the Service Infrastructure pillar, IT project clearance alone has saved the Federal Government over N44 billion in the last year, with the clearing of 1,600 projects which have to do with the automation of government processes in order to save funds, improve precision and accuracy, and promote accountability. He said, "In order to simplify the implementation of each of the pillar, we developed other implementation policies under each pillar; under some pillars we have developed three to four policies. Within the last three years, we have developed 19 national policies and at least 17 of them are being implemented today - and this is unprecedented."While noting the Ministry's achievements in capacity building, Prof. Pantami disclosed that 863,232 Nigerians have been trained on cutting edge and highly demanded digital skills, adding that the training identified a global vacuum in the digital sector, and focused on the provision of skills to citizens such that they could fill the vacuum. In addition, according to the Minister, over 2,000 IT centres have been established across the country.He said the many regulatory instruments developed by his Ministry and its parastatals led to the initiation and ultimate passage of the Nigeria Start-Up Bill by the National Assembly, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari last week to become the Nigeria Start-up Act.While commending President Buhari and National Assembly for the speedy passage and assent, the Minister described the legislation as "organic, because inputs were sought from the Start-Up ecosystem, and all its challenges are accommodated." He said passage of the Bill has attracted global commendation, noting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which indicated it would be learning from Nigeria's experience.Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), giving the opening speech at Digital Nigeria 2022, expressed optimism that with the several initiatives the ministry and all its parastatals are putting in place, Nigeria can become the global talent supplier in the tech ecosystem in no distant time. He said Nigeria is doing a lot in trying to position itself in the area of talent development because technology has two components; the technology, and the people side, or IT talent, which is abundant in Nigeria. According the Director General, if Nigeria could harness her talents in the tech ecosystem, it would need nothing else "because our talent alone is estimated at 8.5 trillion USD market value, and Nigeria has the capacity to fill the global talent gap."He assured that, "We have done it in the sport industry. We have done it in the music industry, and we are going to do it in the tech industry," adding that the country would also explore how to use Emerging Technologies to create and capture value from the tech ecosystem.While recalling that the Minister recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft Corporation to train 5 million Nigerians, the NITDA boss disclosed that there were "several other initiatives, like the training of 1 million developers in the next 18 months, geared towards positioning Nigeria to bridge the global talent gap."He described digital transformation and sustainability as increasingly important and intertwined phenomena that are full of promises and pitfalls. "To achieve sustainability, you need strategy to realise the promises while avoiding the pitfalls," he observed.Inuwa noted that the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has designed an approach to succeed in the digital economy sector. The Minister uses a three part gain : unleash the creative offence to position Nigeria as a leader in the digital economy, initiatives to strengthen the midfield in terms of processes, policies and legal framework, and initiatives to tide up the defense which is to explore technology to enhance processes and services which include the e-government master plan, and initiatives around infrastructure to connect the unconnected.On the recently passage of the Nigeria Start Up bill, now an Act after the President's assent, the Director General averred that the Act would provide legal instrument for Nigeria to become a start-up nation. "With the president assenting to the bill, it will help us position ourselves to disrupt and not to be disrupted because it is through start-ups you can come up with disruptive ideas with innovations to create Innovation driven enterprises, and we are implementing several initiatives to achieve that."We have an MIT REAP programme, we are working with JAICA, and we have several other initiatives aimed to strengthen the ecosystem, that is why Nigeria's ecosystem is the most vibrant ecosystem in all of Africa. Out of seven unicorn companies in Africa, five originated from Nigeria and we have three more to join soon," he added. Inuwa however solicited the cooperation of others because digital transformation cannot be achieved in silos. "We believe digital transformation needs collaboration. We need everybody on board. Government has its own roles; to create policies, to intervene in terms of regulations and legal framework and you all have your own roles to play. Academia produces the human capital; we need the innovators to come up with innovative ideas, we need the venture capitalists to invest, and we need you, our guests from abroad, to learn from your experience. "At the end of this, we are looking forward to ideas that will promote what government is doing so that Nigeria can have a sustainable digital economy," the NITDA boss concluded. Gambia's Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, His Excellence, Mr. Ousman A. Bah, a keynote speaker at the conference, enjoined African countries to embrace digital transformation stating that "digital transformation required the need for visionary leaders that have purpose and purpose that has destiny and destiny has address."He noted that adoption of blockchain technologies would speed up the continent's drive for digital transformation which will promote other emerging technologies such as data protection, cyber security, digital inclusion and entrepreneurship.While acknowledging that Blockchain has many benefits such as financial inclusion and nurturing of small scale businesses, he stated that the technology comes with its challenges, and there are significant challenges to overcome before the benefits of Blockchain could be realised. According to Mr. Bah consumer protection and system network risk can slow down the pace being recorded.He noted that Central banks in African countries need to be proactive to explore the technological advancement that Blockchain offers to promote digital inclusion advising that many countries need to embrace financial inclusion. "Countries in Africa are at the different stages of progress when it comes to allowing financial privacy from other sectors like telecom sector other than the banks." In her keynote address, the Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) Deemah A. Alyahya sued for bridging the gender digital divide that exists, maintaining that access to information should be all inclusive. "We need to promote digital inclusion and ensure that we bridge the digital gender divide that is prevailing because women occupy very important roles in our journey toward digital transformation."In his goodwill remark, the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Muhammed commended the ministry and parastatals under the leadership of Prof. Pantami for deepening the digital inclusion in the country through many of their initiatives. He stated that the sector remains the fastest growing sector which has been helping the nation in its drive for economic diversification.Other dignitaries at the conference were the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Crime, Senator Yakubu Oseni, representatives of ministers of Special Duties, the Minister of State for Health, Service Chiefs, captains of industry, IT enthusiasts, tech start-ups and innovators.A highlight of the event was the unveiling of a book titled "Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami: Advancing Nigeria's Drive Toward a Digital Economy", published in honour of the Minister. By Lukman Oladokun in Abuja.Digital Nigeria 2022 International Conference, Oct 25-27. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

28 10 月, 2022

FG Stops Importation of Digital Technology Products, Services, as Nigeria Intends to be Global Talent Supplier

26 10 月, 2022

Nigerian FG to Stop Importing Digital Products and Services says Digital Economy Minister

ABUJA, Nigeria, Oct 26, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - With stakeholders in the Digital Economy, from within and outside Nigeria, gathered at Digital Nigeria 2022 to brainstorm on a sustainable digital economy for the nation, the Federal Government declared that it was no longer accepting importation of any digital technological product or service into the country, "until and unless the country is convinced that capacity to develop such product and service is not readily available within the country." NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa opening Digital Nigeria 2022 in Abuja, October 25 [Image: NITDA]Communications & Digital Economy Minister, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) addressing Digital Nigeria 2022 [Image: NITDA]The Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) made the sweeping declaration while delivering special remarks on Day #1 of the Digital Nigeria International Conference, Exhibition & Awards in Abuja on Monday, Oct 25. The Conference, formerly known as the eNigeria International Conference, is the flagship awareness programme in the Digital Economy sector. The annual event was re-branded as Digital Nigeria to further expand its scope in line with the core objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). The aim is to brainstorm on contemporary issues of relevance across the globe, and to address Nigerian challenges for sustainable socioeconomic development. It is a veritable platform for Information & Communications Technology (ICT) awareness, creation, development of appropriate frameworks, and setting goals for best practices. The Minister holds that wisdom behind the stoppage of importation of digital technological products and services gives effect to Executive Orders 003 of May 2017, and 005 of February 2018, which support "Local Content Procurements by Ministries, Department and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria", and the "Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology", respectively. He stated further that "even in the employment position that is publicized, as long as there are Nigerians that have the capacities to take up the challenges, it is not allowed for you to bring somebody from outside the country, except in an agreement transferring knowledge, and 40% of our products and services must be retained for Nigerians." Prof. Pantami enthused that his segment has been performing with increasing creditably in the last three years, making it the fastest growing sector, and the highest contributor to Gross Domestic Product in the country. "The Digital Economy has in recent years recorded three unprecedented records. For example, contributing18.44% of GDP in the last quarter according to the National Bureau of Statistic." Listing record achievements for the sector, Prof. Pantami further expressed that his Ministry had scored high grades in each of the eight ministerial deliverables he signed with President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. He noted that his Ministry scored a very strong 173.86% average across the eight. The scores in each deliverable were recorded as: implementation of broadband connectivity -134%; deployment of 4G across the country - 127%; digitalising government functions and processes - 99%; development and implementation of a National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy - 103%; implementation of a Digital Identity Programme - 86%; improvement and optimisation of revenues from all operators and licensees in agencies under the Ministry's supervision - 594%; active collaboration with private sector to create jobs - 111%; empowerment of citizens - 137%. According to the Minister, the sector used to contribute an average of N51 billion (approx. US$118 million) quarterly to the government's coffer, but in the last three years, quarterly remittance has grown to N408 billion (approx. US$ 935 million). "And you cannot appreciate this until you know how difficult it is to generate funds for government. We remit all that we generate to the government, while others spend without generating," he noted. Prof. Pantami expressed that vigor in implementation of the various pillars of NDEPS was facilitating the unprecedented achievements the sector is recording since the policy was approved in October 2019. He listed the eight pillars to include: Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy and Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Service Development and Promotion; Digital Society and Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Promotion and Adoption.The Minister revealed that the under the Service Infrastructure pillar, IT project clearance alone has saved the Federal Government over N44 billion in the last year, with the clearing of 1,600 projects which have to do with the automation of government processes in order to save funds, improve precision and accuracy, and promote accountability. He said, "In order to simplify the implementation of each of the pillar, we developed other implementation policies under each pillar; under some pillars we have developed three to four policies. Within the last three years, we have developed 19 national policies and at least 17 of them are being implemented today - and this is unprecedented."While noting the Ministry's achievements in capacity building, Prof. Pantami disclosed that 863,232 Nigerians have been trained on cutting edge and highly demanded digital skills, adding that the training identified a global vacuum in the digital sector, and focused on the provision of skills to citizens such that they could fill the vacuum. In addition, according to the Minister, over 2,000 IT centres have been established across the country.He said the many regulatory instruments developed by his Ministry and its parastatals led to the initiation and passage of the Nigeria Start-Up Bill by the National Assembly, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari last week as the Nigeria Start-up Act.While commending President Buhari and National Assembly for the speedy passage and assent, the Minister described the legislation as "organic, as inputs were sought from the Start-Up ecosystem, and all its challenges are accommodated." He said passage of the Bill has attracted commendations globally, especially the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which indicated it would be learning from Nigeria's experience.Written by Lukman Oladokun in LagosDay #1: Digital Nigeria International Conference 2022, Oct 25. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

10 10 月, 2022

1,450+ Organisation Identified in the UAE Web3 Space as per the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report 2022

DUBAI, Oct 10, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Crypto Oasis, the fastest growing Web3 ecosystem in the world, announced that it had identified more than 1,450 active Web3 organisations in the UAE at the end Q3 2022. The research also identified more than 7,000 individuals working in the industry. The organisations that are active in the Blockchain space are broken down into native and non-native according to their dependency on this emerging technology. native organisations which only exist because of this technology account for 65 percent of the total number identified and non-native organisations are at 35 percent. Dubai Multi Commodities Centre(DMCC) has registered more than 460 native organisations which is more than 50% of all native Blockchain organisations in Dubai.Out of the 7,000+ individuals working in the Web3 industry, approximately 77 percent work in Blockchain native organisations and 23 percent work in non-native organisations.The Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report is a periodic report which is now on its inaugural edition and was created in partnership with Roland Berger, one of the first top-tier strategy consulting firms to have entered the world of Blockchain and is steering their global Crypto Economy advisory out of the UAE. The Report focuses on market development and emerging technologies such as Crypto, Blockchain, Metaverse and Web3. It establishes the first quantitative and qualitative ecosystem study of the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem and identifies its various stakeholders. It includes, a deepdive into the opportunity that Web3 represents for the region, has exclusive content such as the insights on one the largest greenfield mining sites in the world being carried out by Phoenix in Abu Dhabi, as well as survey results by Roland Berger, that assesses the state of the global Crypto Economy for which they collected insights from over 150 C-level executives and innovators across 10 industries. "We strongly believe in the transition towards a crypto economy and see this reflected in the top C-Level executive agendas. The UAE is accelerating its global position as a Crypto and Web3 hub, also thanks to prime ecosystem developers like Crypto Oasis," says Pierre Samaties, Partner and global co-head of the firm's Crypto economy team.The UAE is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in the global innovation economy. The growth of the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem will continue in the coming months as we can already witness how regulators in the region are welcoming innovation and disruption, making it simpler for Blockchain-related companies to secure licenses and operate. Ralf Glabischnig, Founder of the Crypto Oasis said, "We are pleased to see the UAE supporting forward-thinking organisations such as startups, service providers, investors, as well as science and research institutions in the Web3 space. We also have industry leading stakeholders like ADGM, DIFC, DMCC, Simmons and Simmons, State Street featured in our report which will provide the audience with a deeper insight into industry trends as well as educate and inform the reader of this ever growing and evolving ecosystem. Through the report, you are provided with a snapshot of the Ecosystem, which will help set the baseline from which growth can be identified in the following years as the Crypto Oasis becomes a centre of Blockchain excellence."Crypto Oasis catalyses the growth of organisations in the Crypto space and brings together Investors, Start-ups, Corporates, Researchers, Service Provider, and Government entities. It aims to advance the digital economy in the Middle East and bring distributed ledger technologies to the mainstream. Faisal Zaidi, Co-founder and CMO of the Crypto Oasis stated, "Our role is to curate the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem and our goal is to bring all stakeholders together on one playing field to assert the region as the leading global player in Web3."He added, "The Crypto Oasis Directory and the parallely launched report, are tools that we have developed and created inhouse and published, in order to create transparency and awareness of this emerging region."The report also contains insightful thought leadership articles from major players in the industry like 4ARTechnologies, Pulse, Ripple, Securrency, Singularity DAO, TDEFI, Tokengate, Virtua to name a few.Report Link: https://cryptooasis.ae/ecosystem-report-2022/ Directory Link: https://cryptooasis.ae/directory/About Crypto OasisThe Crypto Oasis is a Middle East focused Blockchain Ecosystem supported by initiators of Crypto Valley Switzerland. The core elements needed for its growth are Talent, Capital, and Infrastructure. The Ecosystems stakeholders include Investors & Collectors, Start-Ups & Projects, Corporates, Science & Research Institutions, Service Providers and Government Entities & Associations. Crypto Oasis' vision is to be one of the leading Blockchain Ecosystems in the world. Today it is the fastest growing, with more than 1,450 organisations identified in the UAE alone. www.cryptooasis.ae About Roland BergerRoland Berger is the only management consultancy of European heritage with a strong international footprint. As an independent firm, solely owned by our partners, we operate 51 offices in all major markets. Our 2,700 employees offer a unique combination of an analytical approach and an empathic attitude. Driven by our values of entrepreneurship, excellence and empathy, we at Roland Berger are convinced that the world needs a new sustainable paradigm that takes the entire value cycle into account. Working in cross-competence teams across all relevant industries and business functions, we provide the best expertise to meet the profound challenges of today and tomorrow. www.rolandberger.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

1 10 月, 2022

NITDA to host Blockchain Day at Digital Nigeria 2022

LAGOS, NG, Oct 1, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, in partnership with Domineum Blockchain Solutions, a leading Distributed Ledger Technology Company in Africa, is set to host a one-day National digital economy awareness event: BLOCKCHAIN DAY will take place on 26th October, during the annual Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition (Digital Nigeria 2022), happening from the 25th to 27th October. An audience of over 2000 Blockchain enthusiasts is expected in Abuja.Digital Nigeria 2022 is taking place at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria. The theme for this year's conference is Digital Transformation: A Path to Sustainable Digital Economy, chosen to stimulate discussion on how the economy could benefit from digital technologies to create value. The objective is to Promote digital transformation, Digital inclusion, Emerging technologies, Data Protection, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Nigeria.BLOCKCHAIN DAY will focus on scaling the blockchain ecosystem, with opportunities and best use cases from Africa and around the globe. Special focus will be given to Nigeria, a country blessed with talented people and over 200 million potential smart technology experts. BLOCKCHAIN DAY targets hosting 2,000 participants, global speakers, leaders and great personalities in the Blockchain industry. The conference will provide a platform for networking, co-creation and collaboration, sharing experiences, mentorship and knowledge circulation, stimulating conversation on emerging technology and incentives, with experts for tech startups.Mr. Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, said "There are a lot of opportunities in Blockchain, and it is critical in every business. Talent is the human component of technology and innovation, with Blockchain and emerging technologies being about the new solutions they are bringing on board. So, you need to task yourself to know which solutions or offerings the industry requires."Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Jega, co-founder Domineum said, "Blockchain is a technology that houses Cryptocurrency and other compelling ideas. It is important to demystify it, enable young people to get a proper grasp and expose themselves to this game-changing technology, and to take advantage of the numerous opportunities it presents."Over the past years, emerging economies have leapt to the forefront of blockchain adoption, with Nigeria being one of the frontrunners. The "Giant of Africa," as proudly called, is making great strides in the adoption of blockchain technological innovation. According to a survey conducted by Statista in 2020, 32% of Nigerians have admitted to using or owning cryptocurrencies, the sheer numbers of which are perfect consideration when exploring Nigeria's affinity for taking advantage of blockchain technology. Digital Nigeria International Conference will provide a power-packed agenda and activities such as Keynote Speaking, Panel discussions, Fireside Chat, Training Sessions, Guest Speaking, Presentations, Pitch sessions, Question and Answer Sessions, an Exhibition and Networking, and One-on-one interactive workshop for attendees with global industry leaders.Top speakers at the conference are Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi (DG NITDA); Prof. Isa Pantami, The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Ray Sharma - General Partner, Pacer Ventures; Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Jega - Co-Founder, Domineum; Ahmed Yousif - Lead, BSV Blockchain; Ray Youssef - Founder and CEO, Paxful; Lorien Gamaroff - CEO, Centbee; James L. Sisneros - Founder & CEO, The Possibility Company; Geoffrey Weli-Wosu - Founder & CEO, Domineum Blockchain Solutions Ltd; Simit Naik - Director, Commercial & Strategy, nChain; Faith C. Titus - Founder & CEO, Sonergy Data Technologies; Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi - Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions, NITDA; Dr. Rislan A Kanya - DVC IT Research & Innovation, Baze University; and many others.Online registration for the conference is welcome, visit https://www.digitalnigeria.gov.ng/register/ BLOCKCHAIN DAY is powered by DOMINEUM. For more information, call: +23 490 9557 7775For partnerships and sponsorship opportunities please write to: business@domineum.io Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

29 9 月, 2022

Kashifu Inuwa: Putting NITDA on the Cusp of a Revolution

LAGOS, NIGERIA, Sep 29, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Nothing offers a more reliable picture of a country's economic performance better than a periodic assessment of sectoral contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It's no less so in Nigeria where a report by the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that Nigeria's Information and Communications sector contributed 18.44 percent to the GDP in the second quarter of 2022. The figure was an improvement from the 15 percent performance recorded in the last quarter of 2021.Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA Director-General: "Globally, there is a shortage of talents, so, we are creating a mandate to develop a talent strategy because we have a competitive advantage as a country with our vast human and natural resources. Nigeria can seize the opportunity to fill that gap" [Image: NITDA 2022]A little context will help put the significance of this growth in real perspective. The NBS data shows that the country's Information and Communications sector's contribution trumped the figures recorded by sectoral powerhouses such as Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, Real Estate, and Financial and Insurance. The plaudits - or a huge part thereof - for that sterling performance should go to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, its helmsman Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and its steerer, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.NITDA, as the Federal Government Agency responsible for the development of the Information Technology sector in Nigeria, it is one of the seven agencies under the Ministry of Communications Technology and Digital Economy.NITDA's impressive scorecard could be glimpsed also in how quickly it has been able to develop strategies, to help grow the Nigeria information technology ecosystem in a COVID and emerging post-COVID era. Under its dynamic and innovation-driven Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, so much has been achieved by the Agency in a short span of three years.The NITDA Director-General, who recently marked three years in office, has gradually realigned and re-positioned the Agency, aiming to grow its capacity to respond adequately to the changing conditions and complexities of a digital economy in a fast-evolving global and local digital market.Milestones achieved under the leadership of Inuwa have been multi-faceted and stand out as bold testaments of his commitment to innovation. Inuwa's vision for NITDA in the medium term is encapsulated in a robust and bold policy framework - the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP, 2021 - 2024), which was launched last year.SRAP is designed to support the even broader, National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) enunciated by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.The many achievements recorded so far belie the fact that NITDA has implemented SRAP for just one year, a development that Inuwa recalls with an understandable pride: "The first year of implementing the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (2021 - 2024) has been one of deep learning, overcoming challenges and celebrating amazing breakthroughs. Along the way we got conferred with the prestigious National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award, in recognition of our productivity, hard work and excellence in service delivery."In June 2021, the Agency started operating the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with the Key Generation and Handover Ceremony for Root Certification Authority (RCA) for Country Signing Certification Authority (CSCA) and Country Verification Certification Authority (CVCA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The NITDA Director-General remains upbeat about its prospects: "This unprecedented cybersecurity landmark (NDEPS Pillar 6) will not only close loopholes in online activity but significantly reduce system vulnerabilities that are exploitable by threat actors." That was undoubtedly a milestone achievement for Nigeria's digital space.To further close out loopholes in online activity and generate proper accreditation of professionals, the Agency intends to implement seven cybersecurity interventions that are focused on the PKI.A key component of this creative platform is that, it will coordinate the management of the Country Object Identifier (OID), and upgrade the PKI authentication infrastructure, create a PKI Audit requirement for Microsoft onboarding on operating systems, and integrate PKI with major hardware/software vendors. "We will then construct, furnish, and equip two National Cybersecurity Research Centers," Inuwa says.With regard to the expected outcome, Inuwa, reputedly Nigeria's first Cisco-Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) public servant, says: "Digitalisation of Government processes facilitates transparency, efficiency, productivity, participation, inclusiveness, cost savings, and competitive advantage, which ultimately translates to social and economic development for a country like Nigeria."He also estimates that the "implementation of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) can save Nigeria N4.5bn annually". For a government determined to curb corruption and cut costs, this is quite significant. Some of NITDA's action plans in the area of regulation and framework development, which are already in the works, include fostering Gender Digital Inclusion, enthroning a seamless e-Commerce environment and enhancing government digital services."In 2022, we are developing the Framework on Gender Digital Inclusion (GDI), with the aim of codifying learning standards for different categories of IT learners, while addressing the wide gender disparities in digital literacy and skill acquisition," he said.He is optimistic that the Guidelines for e-Commerce in Nigeria will provide an enabling framework for e-commerce to thrive and increase online trade's contribution to Nigeria's GDP. Just as crucial, he noted, is the planned development of the "Framework and Regulations for Implementing Government Digital Services (GDS) as a Guideline for Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) to deliver digital services and the Framework for Implementation and Compliance with relevant regulations to ensure compliance with all developmental regulatory instruments such as the NDPR, Cloud Computing, outsourcing, among others".To some, these goals may seem rather grandiose. But Inuwa possesses a tapestry of experience as an IT professional, having worked, and indeed excelled, in highly challenging environments, among which are the Central Bank of Nigeria and Galaxy Backbone Limited. This imbues him with a capacity to sufficiently address current developments and discern the dynamic trends and markets in the IT sector. His deep knowledge of IT trends reflects in the remarkable way he has steered the Agency to address the likely challenges of tomorrow's digital environment.Under Inuwa, NITDA has issued 966 digital tools and supported the development of digital transformation plans in accordance with NDEPS Pillar 5 in 3 states. "These digital tools and expert guide, which are part of our initiative to develop a framework and implementation toolkits for measuring the impact of digital technology deployment in FPIs are already enabling institutions to embark on digital transformation self-assessments," he said, regarding the feat.When Inuwa assumed office as NITDA's Director General in mid-2019, the global Covid-19 pandemic which led to the lockdown of several cities worldwide, including Nigeria, was only a few months away. When it hit the country in February 2020, prompting a government-ordered lockdown in April 2020 which lasted for several months, the Agency initiated and adopted several remote and contactless digital technologies that ensured government machinery kept working throughout the critical period. Inuwa set up a team called Tech4Covid to cushion the effects of Covid-19. This led to the identification of three innovations that helped curb Covid-19 and the establishment of a virtual academy for research and training with over 70 active courses and over 485,000 active students.In the circumstances, Inuwa's leadership and managerial skills which had been honed by several high-level trainings in leadership and management at reputable world-class institutions such as Harvard, Sloan Business School, London Business School, IMD Business School, Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cambridge University, all came into play, ensuring that critical digital services are being delivered to government and that government can continue to perform its various functions effectively. The same expertise has come into play in his relentless efforts, to transform the Agency into a world class IT Agency.One instance of this transformation is the service delivery. The Director General comments: "In terms of the service contract, we reviewed the existing SERVICOM unit, expanded stakeholder identification, introduced new roles, realigned responsibilities to absorb the changes, created a new identity tagged iServe, and completed a sensitization process with key action points. Today, iServe represents our people first commitment to customer satisfaction through innovation and professionalism as we pursue the digital economy goals."Another key part of NITDA's statutory mandate is massive upskilling and reskilling of Nigerians across all walks of life. NITDA under Inuwa, has trained well over half a million Nigerians in various basic digital skills and literacy, with such diverse backgrounds as junior schoolteachers, traditional rulers, journalists, youth and talent development programme participants, among others.The Agency has embarked on a journey to train 1 Million Software Developers in the next 18 months, in collaboration with global giants such as Microsoft, Google, and other key ecosystem players. "Globally, there is a shortage of talents, so, we are creating a mandate to develop a talent strategy because we have a competitive advantage as a country with our vast human and natural resources. Nigeria can seize the opportunity to fill that gap", the NITDA, DG says, with high optimism.At a higher level, NITDA has awarded over 450 scholarships in IT to deserving Nigerians at the master's degree level, with 42 Phds, in the past few years. Inuwa is delighted with the phenomenal growth of the Nigerian Digital Innovation Ecosystem. Recent large acquisitions such as Stripe's $200 million takeover of Paystack in 2020, the $320 million Main One Ltd take over by US-based Equinix, and Flutterwave's $3.5 billion valuation have proudly spotlighted the country as a notable digital innovation centre in Africa.In the first half of this year alone, Nigeria's Digital technology and innovation startups have raised over one billion dollars in venture capital funding from major Western capital market funds. Notable among them are Sudo Africa, $3.7 million, Casava, $4 million, DrugStoc, $4.4 million, Bamboo, $15 million, Credpal, $15 million, and Reliance Health, $40 million.NITDA itself, has recently facilitated the support of six digital information technology start start-ups to access grants of $120 thousand each, amounting to $715 thousand. The Agency is actively backing several digital innovation hubs and has set up such hubs around the country, including over 150 start ups which it has supported to attend the GITEX global exhibition, World Creativity Challenge, among others.Just the beginning of this year, NITDA facilitated the approval of three Federal Executive Council memos through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, in favour of digital startups. These approvals will incentivise and further harness the country's digital innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to create job opportunities for its teeming youth population.Within three years, Inuwa has equipped 160 digital economy centres around the country to further catalyze skills development and digital innovations. According to Statista, 35 million Nigerian internet users will be added by 2026, which is another clear indication of increasingly phenomenal growth in internet adoption and usage in Nigeria.Addressing the recent Ogun State Digital Summit in Abeokuta, on Digital Technologies: Key to Sustainable Development, Inuwa affirms that "Digital Technology innovation is not only booming, but it is also quickly moving towards sustainable solutions, with many of the most promising ideas from businesses worldwide having a clear focus on the environment."An innovation powerhouse, Inuwa would yet, undoubtedly, be pushing forward the boundaries of innovative digital technologies in Nigeria and beyond, in the coming years.Written by Iklima MusaLagos, Nigeria 28/09/2022. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

19 9 月, 2022

G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN): Catalyst for Digital Economy Growth in Indonesia

Nusa Dua, Bali, Sep 19, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN) meeting is able to be a catalyst to expedite the digital economy sector development in Indonesia, said Minister Johnny G Plate, Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics (KOMINFO). The event aims to bring together start-ups, venture capital companies, policy makers, as well as leading global technology enterprises, including Google.Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G. Plate delivered his remarks at the opening of the G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN) forum in Nusa Dua, Badung, Bali, Saturday (September 3, 2022). (ANTARAFOTO/Aditya Pradana Putra/rwa.)"We believe that the DIN event is an important catalyst for the growth of the digital economy by strengthening collaboration among start-ups, venture capital companies, as well as national and international corporations," the minister said in his opening remarks at the inauguration of G20 DIN, a High-level Side Event of the 2022 G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), in Nusa Dua, Bali.Before the G20 ministers and international organization representatives present, Plate noted the development of the digital economy in Indonesia shows a positive trend. "In 2021, the value of the digital economy in Indonesia reached US$70 billion and it will increase to US$315,5 billion in 2030. This potential is Indonesia's future economy (strength) which is supported by various well-performed start-ups," he said.Plate said that currently, Indonesia has two decacorn start-ups, or companies whose valuations have reached US$10 billion, and more than 10 unicorn start-ups, which have valuations of at least US$1 billion. Plate believes that start-ups play an important role in determining the development of the digital economy sector, both at the domestic and regional levels."I trust the G20 DIN (organizing committee) to carry out this series of meetings and discussions which are expected to encourage various collaborations on digital innovations," Plate stated.The G20 DIN meeting was held in the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) in Badung District from September 2 to 4, 2022. More than 400 participants attended the event in person, while another 200 participated in the event virtually.Chairperson of 2022 G20 DIN, Sonny Hendra Sudaryana, said at a press conference after the inauguration that the implementation of 2022 G20 DIN would focus on five priority sectors: education technology, financial inclusion, healthcare, supply chain, as well as green and renewable energy.2022 DIN Start-Up Awards Winners:1. Healthcare -- UCARE.AI, Singapore / Neurobots, Brazil2. Supply Chain -- MOOVA, Argentina / Sinbad, Indonesia3. Green & Renewable Energy -- Xurya, Indonesia / Uali, Argentina4. Edutech -- Edubuk, India / Accredify, Singapore5. Financial Inclusivity -- WireBarley, South Korea / Lendo, Saudi ArabiaFavourite Start-Up Winners:1. Healthcare -- NUSANTIC, Indonesia / Qapsula, Russia2. Supply Chain -- Eunimart, India / FairSupply, Australia3. Green & Renewable Energy -- EINHUNDERT Energie GmbH, Germany / MVL Labs, South Korea4. Edutech -- Cakap, Indonesia / Sarente Gameon, Turkey5. Financial Inclusivity -- Komunal, Indonesia / Lendo, Saudi ArabiaG20 Digital Innovation Network: https://g20innovationnetwork.orgSource: DIN, Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics (KOMINFO). Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

3 9 月, 2022

G20 Digital Ministers yields consensus on 3 priorities

JAKARTA, Sep 3, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Digital Economy Ministers Meeting (DEMM) was held in Nusa Dua, Bali, Thursday (September 1, 2022). It was the culmination of the Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) meetings, as one of working group of the G20 that focuses on issues related to the digital economy and highlights the role of digital transformation on economic and social growth. Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate opened the 2022 G20 Digital Economy Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali province, on Thursday (September 1, 2022). (ANTARA PHOTO/Hafidz Mubarak A/foc/uyu)The DEWG itself discussed three priority issues of the digital economy at the G20 Indonesia Presidency, including digital connectivity, digital skills and literacy, and cross-country data flow.The Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, said the DEMM has produced a document called "G20 Digital Economy Minister Meetings 2022; Chair Summary".The document summarizes agreements between the ministers for the digital economy on the three priority issues of the DEWG. "The document shows that for all substantive content, the Indonesian Presidency (G20) has reached consensus from all DEWG members in accordance with DEWG priority issues," Plate said at a press conference, Thursday afternoon. It also summarizes all ideas and dynamics that developed during the series of G20 DEWG meetings presented by representatives of G20 member countries over the past six months. The formulation of concrete steps in the document will be presented as input for President Joko Widodo in leading the G20 Summit which will be held in November.On the first priority issue regarding connectivity and post-COVID-19 recovery, Plate said the meeting agreed on the need for a people center in an effort to strengthen digital connectivity. The meeting, he said, also agreed on the importance of digital security as the key to business sustainability. "The meeting also welcomed various initiatives of the G20 Indonesia Presidency, such as the G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN), G20 Digital Transformation Expo (DTE), and the smart village and island initiative together with ITU," he said. On the issue of digital skills and digital literacy which is the second priority issue, the DEMM meeting succeeded in compiling the "G20 toolkit for measuring digital skills and digital literacy". The document is useful for standardizing the measurement of literacy indicators and digital skills for more objective public policy making and encouraging international cooperation in overcoming gaps between countries, responding to the challenges of a digital future. "The presidency has also succeeded in compiling a compilation of reports on policies and recommendations to increase meaningful participation of vulnerable groups in the digital economy, as well as a summary document of practices and policies on digital skills and advanced digital literacy," he said. On the issue of free data flow with trust and cross-border data flow, Johnny said the DEWG forum has recognized the efforts of the Indonesian Presidency to initiate discussions on the principles of justice, transparency and legitimacy proposed by Indonesia. "This is a new principle base in cross-border data governance. We all know that data contains at least two important things. The first is that the data has a high economic value, and the second is that the data is related to geopolitics and geostrategy as well as the sovereignty of each nation and state," he explained. The DEMM meeting was attended by digital ministers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Cambodia, South Africa, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Australia, Germany and Spain were represented by ministerial representatives. DEMM was also attended by representatives from international organizations, including the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and The Pacific (UNESCAP).Written by: Rizka Khaerunnisa, Uyu Liman, Editor: Suharto (c) ANTARA 2022 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

9 8 月, 2022

Enhancing data governance through the 3rd DEWG meeting

JAKARTA, Aug 9, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The implementation of equitable and inclusive Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) and Cross-Border Data Flow (CBDF) had become crucial issues nowadays as data traffic between countries kept increasing.Hence, as chairman of the 2022 G20 presidency, Indonesia proposed four principles of fairness, lawfulness, transparency, and reciprocity for the implementation of cross-border data governance.Through the 3rd Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) Meeting, held in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, on July 20-22, 2022, Indonesia highlighted digital skills and literacy as the second priority issues of the DEWG, as well as the DFFT and CBDF as its third priority issue that will enhance the Bali Package document.The Ministry of Communication and Informatics has consulted with G20 members and partners to follow up on the results of previous meetings to be accommodated into a declaration draft, known as the Bali Package.The Bali Package will reflect the commitment of G20 members to achieve recovery through inclusive, empowering, and sustainable cooperation.Additionally, Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate expected that the 3rd DEWG meeting could establish three deliverables.The deliverables include the recommendations and policies to increase the vulnerable groups' involvement in the digital economy sector; a G20 Toolkit on digital skills, literacy, and workshop; as well as a summary of practices and policies to develop advanced digital skills and literacy.The G20 members also sought a common understanding on a clear definition of trust and general principles in implementing the cross-border data flow.Spokesperson for the Communication and Informatics Ministry Dedy Permadi said all parties involved in the 3rd DEWG Meeting agreed to strengthen the cross-border data governance."The Digital Economy Working Group or DEWG had completed discussions regarding the CBDF," he stated.The results of the working group's discussions will be presented at the G20 Digital Economy Ministers' Meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Bali, in early September 2022.A workshop had been implemented on the last day of the 3rd DEWG Meeting to enhance the discussion on the CBDF and establish a common agreement on the agenda.In addition to the G20 members, a number of private actors, international organizations, academics, and non-governmental organizations were also invited, since the workshop served as a multi-stakeholder dialogue forum."Thus, the agenda does not only contain the government's interest, hence, the cross-border data flow agenda will be able to provide comprehensive recommendations," Permadi, who was also the Alternate Chair of 2022 G20 DEWG, remarked.The effort showed Indonesia's commitment in pursuing concrete deliverables to realize beneficial data utilization for all to encourage the recovery of the global digital economy.Additionally, the Director General of Informatics Application at the ministry, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, stated the value of Indonesia's digital economy was projected to reach US$124 billion (Rp1,855 trillion) in 2025.To optimize the potentials, Indonesia will hold a 2022 G20 DEWG side event entitled G20 Digital Innovative Network, themed 'The Rise of Digital Economy: Post-pandemic Recovery and Beyond'.The forum aims to facilitate knowledge-sharing as well as international partnerships among start-ups, venture capitalists, policy makers, and corporations to solve various global challenges.It was initiated by Italy's 2021 G20 Presidency under the name of G20 Digital Innovation League.The G20 Digital Innovative Network aims to find the 100 most promising start-ups in five priority sectors of healthcare, renewable energy, smart society, financial inclusivity, and supply chain.Start-up pitching, discussion panels, 1-on-1 business meetings, networking sessions, as well as cultural events will be held in a hybrid way during the implementation of the forum in Bali on September 2-4, 2022.The registration for the forum has been opened to the public at g20innovationnetwork.org.(c) ANTARA 2022 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

20 5 月, 2022

Second G20 DEWG focuses on digital connectivity for recovery

JAKARTA, May 19, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Indonesian government has urged the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) to continue the discussion on digital connectivity. Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny G Plate, G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) Chair Mira Tayyiba (L), and G20 DEWG Alternate Chair Dedy Permadi (R), second DEWG meeting in Yogyakarta, 18 May. (ANTARA FOTO/MOHAMMAD AYUDHA) “I believe we have all witnessed the importance of information and communication technology in helping people cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, stated. The DEWG is part of the Indonesian G20 Sherpa Track. The working group originated with the formation of the G20 Digital Economy Task Force (DETF) in 2017 during the German G20 presidency. The working group was mandated to discuss the implementation of an interconnected, protected, and safe digital technology to develop an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable digital economy. The second DEWG meeting, under Indonesia’s G20 presidency, which is being held in Yogyakarta on May 17-19, 2022, discusses the issue of digital connectivity. As the chair of the 2022 G20 Presidency, Indonesia has encouraged the 2022 G20 DEWG participants to discuss three priority issues: digital connectivity and post-COVID-19 recovery; digital skills and digital literacy; as well as cross-border data flow and trusted free data flow. At the meeting, Minister Plate emphasized the importance of overcoming the digital divide by building digital connectivity or telecommunications infrastructure. During the second DEWG meeting, he urged that the discussion focus on inclusiveness, empowerment, and sustainability for strengthening the global position and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital divide has remained an issue until now. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in 2021, a total of 2.9 billion people across the world had never used the Internet. Meanwhile, according to the World Bank data for Indonesia, 94 million adults could not access the Internet via mobile devices in 2019. “The digital divide remains a challenge. Those who have access to fixed broadband Internet are even fewer,” Plate pointed out. The digital divide has become one of the reasons for the G20 DEWG forum to discuss the issue of digital connectivity. The Ministry of Communication and Informatics, which is in charge of the DEWG, is seeking to address the digital divide by strengthening collaboration to drive massive construction of digital infrastructure between G20 member countries and the rest of the world. Digital Connectivity The discussion on connectivity has become more relevant in the wake of a global economic turmoil that has affected food, commodities, and energy availability as well as caused the inflation rate to soar. “The discussion on digital connectivity becomes important at the second DEWG meeting because after the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy is greatly supported through the use of digital connections in solving various community problems as well as empowering the community itself,” Minister Plate emphasized. Plate further accentuated that the pandemic had shown the extent to which people are dependent on digital ecosystems in various public sectors, such as education, health and, of course, economic development. Taking into account the importance of the digital connectivity issue, the priority issue of DEWG is discussed in five subtopics. First, Plate said, DEWG discusses a common understanding of digital connectivity by placing the community as the main focus of the digital connectivity development efforts. “This is what we mean by people-centric digital connectivity,” he remarked. The second subtopic of the digital connectivity discussion at the second DEWG meeting is digital security as a key enabler to support the business community. The intensification of digital communications indirectly also raises new challenges in the form of various digital security risks that threaten the online safety of internet users, especially the increasingly digital economic actors. Recognizing the importance of digital security in supporting the sustainability of digital businesses in the future, the DEWG decided to facilitate the collection of existing digital security and safety practices. On the third subtopic, the Working Group agreed to establish a G20 Digital Innovation Network as a continuation of the G20 Innovation League hosted by the G20 Italian presidency last year. Such a network aims to accommodate and support the collaboration of digital innovation actors around the world, such as start-ups, venture capitalists, corporations, and governments. On the fourth subtopic, the G20 DEWG welcomes the implementation of the digital transformation expo that will showcase the achievements of G20 members regarding strategic policies and information on digital transformation. “The Indonesian G20 presidency hopes that the concept of the event would be welcomed positively and enthusiastically by the holders of the next G20 presidency,” Minister Plate stated. On the fifth subtopic, the G20 DEWG supports the notion from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on the smart village and smart island initiative. “Support for this idea shows Indonesia’s commitment to taking advantage of the role of the G20 to solve various issues in the global community. DEWG encourages solidarity in the use of digital transformation, not only from G20 member countries but also non-member countries, especially small island developing states,” he stated. Minister Plate expressed gratitude for the smooth, proper, and focused implementation of the second DEWG meeting. Plate also reminded all delegates and knowledge partners to join the third DEWG meeting that will be held in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, on July 20-21, 2022. Written by: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga, Editor: Rahmad Nasution (c) ANTARA 2022

6 4 月, 2022

Planet Ark Launches Collaborative ACE Hub Portal to Accelerate Australia’s Transition to Circular Economy

NEW YORK, PARIS, and SYDNEY, Apr 6, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Planet Ark, an environmental non-profit organization, chooses Hivebrite's community management and engagement platform to connect circular economy stakeholders to drive change.Established in 1992, Planet Ark is one of Australia's most respected and trusted environmental organizations. It is focused on solutions and making positive environmental actions accessible to everyone.The non-profit organization created the Australian Circular Economy Hub (ACE Hub) to facilitate and accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Australia.Supporting and Spurring Collective ActionThe ACE Hub aims to be the focal point for all things circular in Australia - a platform for sharing information and inspiration and celebrating the efforts of all those contributing to this vital movement."You can't have a circular economy without collaboration. The transformation to a circular economy will require one of the greatest collaboration efforts ever undertaken by humanity." Paul Klymenko, co-CEO, Planet Ark Environmental Foundation."We knew that change-makers around the country were launching impressive initiatives to advance circular economy. We wanted to bring together all these individuals - from governments and industries through to business owners and consumers - in a digital space to facilitate connections and collaborations to maximize the impact of their work throughout Australia." Chelsea McLean, ACE Hub Portal Community Coordinator, Planet Ark Environmental Foundation.Scaling Impact Through Specialized GroupsUsing Hivebrite's Group feature, the ACE Hub team has created over 12 subgroups within the global online community to empower members to collaborate around specific interests related to circular economy.Group leaders can post news, organize events, share resources, and create forum discussions specific to their group. The ACE Hub team can share events and content from the different groups in the broader community to enhance reach and engagement.Sparking Conversations to Drive ChangeConnecting professionals and encouraging collaborations are facilitated by the community's interactive directory that allows members to search for peers based on expertise and location. Members can send direct messages to others to grow their network and exchange ideas.The hub's forum offers a space for members to start and join discussions, particularly after new initiatives, tools, and approaches have been presented at an event or conference.Most importantly, the community turns individual experiences into guidance and shared learnings to accelerate circular economy transformation. Members can access valuable information, training materials, and regional and topic-specific advice via the hub's resource center.Members are also provided with a fully branded mobile application, available through the Apple Store and Google Play, to more conveniently connect to the community, facilitate deeper engagement, and enhance brand recognition."We are proud to partner with this extraordinary community. With Hivebrite's community management and engagement platform, Planet Ark unites and connects trailblazers with each other and essential resources to spur collective action to support and accelerate the circular economy movement in Australia." Dilianna C. Bustillos, Senior Director of Customer Success, Hivebrite.About HivebriteHivebrite is an all-in-one community management and engagement platform.It empowers organizations to launch, manage, and grow fully branded private communities. Hivebrite is completely customizable and provides all the tools needed to strengthen community engagement.Over 800 organizations worldwide, including American Heart Association, JA Worldwide, Earthwatch, the University of Notre Dame, and NYSE, use Hivebrite to create and engage vibrant communities.Press contactKathryn Birdkathryn@hivebrite.comhttps://hivebrite.com/SOURCE: Hivebrite Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

8 3 月, 2022

Academics detail take-off of China’s ice and snow economy

HONG KONG, Mar 8, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - China has seen the fastest growth of its ice and snow economy in recent years and has become the world's largest market in the sector, according to a report released by Jilin University on Thursday.Jilin University Key Laboratory of Ice and Snow Tourism Resorts Equipment and Intelligent Service Technology releases the 2022 China Ice and Snow Economic Development Index Report on Thursday. (Photo by Xu Lihua/For chinadaily.com.cn)Xin Benlu, vice-dean of the School of Business and Management at Jilin University, oversees the release of the ice and snow report at a news conference on Thursday. (Photo by Xu Lihua/For chinadaily.com.cn)Jilin University's Key Laboratory of Ice and Snow Tourism Resorts Equipment and Intelligent Service Technology, took a year to complete its 2022 China Ice and Snow Economic Development Index Report, which aims to measure and forecast China's ice and snow economic development using several ice and snow indicators.The report proposed the "airplane theory" as a way to look at the ice and snow economy.The concept uses the growing and escalating ice and snow demand, and ice and snow technology as the "airplane engine" of economic development.The specific weights of the current stage of China's ice and snow economic development is set out in the report.The "airplane's head" represents ice and snow sports, which account for 25 percent of that weight. The "airplane's fuselage" represents ice and snow tourism, which accounts for 40 percent of the weight. And the "two wings" that balance the development of the economy represent ice and snow equipment, and ice and snow culture, which account for 25 percent and 10 percent, respectively.Data shows that China's ice and snow economic development has shown a linear upward trend since the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).Other than in 2020, with the novel coronavirus pandemic impacting the sector, each year has succeeded the previous one, ever since 2016.Driven by the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the chain growth rate exceeded 34 percent in 2021, and the development of China's ice and snow economy is expected to maintain a chain growth rate of nearly 30 percent in 2022, the report said.Along with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, China's ice and snow tourism will show a new face in the international arena, and attract more foreign tourists in the post-pandemic era, the report said.At the same time, with the release of Chinese people's enthusiasm for participating in and experiencing ice and snow tourism, ice and snow tourism consumption will play a massive role in boosting China's domestic demand and realizing the central domestic circulation, provincial medium circulation, and municipal microcirculation of China's ice and snow economy, the document said.Xin Benlu, vice-dean of the School of Business and Management at Jilin University, said: "The report is one of the preliminary and basic works for the construction of the big data platform of the ice and snow economy. It is expected to be released annually to measure and forecast the development of China's ice and snow economic development."Source: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202202/20/WS62113909a310cdd39bc87b2e.html Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

1 2 月, 2022

Trade associations, chambers can help industries transform as economy recovers: DPM Heng

12 1 月, 2022

Co-Author of Liechtenstein Blockchain Act Speaks to Government Leaders in Washington

Washington, D.C., Jan 11, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - On January 27-28, 2022, Government leaders come to Washington to learn from Liechtenstein's experiences implementing blockchain.In January of 2020, the Liechtenstein Token and Trusted Technology Service Provider Act (TVTG) (known as The Blockchain Act), became enforced as law. With this new law, Liechtenstein became the first country to have a comprehensive regulation of the token economy. Dr. Thomas Dunser, Director of the Office for Financial Market Innovation of Liechtenstein, will be providing insights based on his experience in leading The Blockchain Act, at The Future of Money, Governance, & the Law, held at the National Press Club in Washington DC, and streamed globally. Dr. Dunser will discuss Tokenomics and Crypto-Governance, bringing clarity to the emerging Token Economy. The Token Economy defines a very important development in the digitalization of our economy and society, driven by blockchain technology. Token Economy allows for assets and goods to be represented on a digital transaction system without necessarily relying on a regulated intermediary. Dr. Dunser points out that the Token Economy enables smart contracts to operate, impacting governance beyond the financial services sector.Government policymakers in attendance will be from Washington, El Salvador, Chile, Brazil, Ireland, Jordan, Kuwait, Estonia, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, Bermuda, and the UK, as well as global governance organizations such as the World Bank, United Nations, the European Parliament, and the Union of Arab Banks.Dr. Dunser's real-world experience in adopting blockchain innovation on a national level will provide a unique opportunity for government legislators to benefit from lessons learned. As this technology continues to land on the forefront of the news, understanding how it has already been implemented will be invaluable for all moving forward. For more information on The Future of Money, Governance, & the Law, go to bit.ly/3ng3KyG. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

17 11 月, 2021

Biden-Xi talks a good beginning to avoid clash, Kissinger says at forum in Singapore

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - A virtual summit between United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping marked a good beginning for the world's biggest economies to avoid a conflict, former secretary of state Henry Kissinger said. "They now have to be followed by concrete discussions that lead in a direction both presidents have affirmed they want to pursue," the influential US diplomat and author said via video on Wednesday (Nov 17) at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, during a conversation with Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait. "We're through the mountain pass, on a precipice from which you can look in both directions," Dr Kissinger said. "And now it depends which direction is chosen." His comments came shortly after Mr Biden and Mr Xi met for a generally positive virtual summit, agreeing to continue talking on a range of topics even as they continue to spar over issues such as Taiwan. The renowned diplomat, who paved the way for president Richard Nixon's historic 1972 trip to China, said the nations must move "towards a pattern in which disputes are attempted to be mitigated, and in which they realise that a victor is not possible without a risk of destroying humanity". He said: "Both sides have to accept that a conflict between major technical powers of comparable capacities must not occur for the preservation of humanity." Dr Kissinger mentioned that the US and China should find ways to cooperate on advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, saying that a race could lead to accidents. "The logic of cyberwarfare is to operate at a speed which is beyond human capacity, and, therefore, the temptation is to build automatic responses into weapon systems," Dr Kissinger said. "But if you deprive these issues of any human element, then the danger that systems might make a judgement which you didn't foresee, and the danger of an automatic conflagration, becomes very grave." In separate comments at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan said China and the world must work together to boost global economic growth, vowing that Beijing will continue opening up more to foreign investment at a time when more countries are raising barriers over national security concerns. "China can not develop in isolation of the world and nor can the world develop without China," Mr Wang told the forum via a video link. "China will not waver in its resolve to deepen reform and expand opening up." The New Economy Forum is organised by Bloomberg Media Group, a division of Bloomberg, the parent company of Bloomberg News. More on this topic Related Story Key issues discussed at Xi-Biden summit Related Story Xi-Biden summit leaves many questions unanswered: Experts

28 10 月, 2021

2021 Global Digital Trade Conference concludes; 15 days trade dialogues, 8,500 companies from 100 countries

Building a bridgehead for “dual circulation” between China and the rest of the world SINGAPORE & WUHAN, CH., Oct 27, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – The 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference and Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair concluded after 15 days of global trade dialogues, procurement fairs, and live streaming activities. Diplomatic representatives and business delegations from 103 countries and close to 8,500 foreign and Chinese companies participated in the event, achieving a total purchase order of RMB 402.8 billion (S$ 85.0 billion) and attracting 520,000 trade visitors to the event. Li Jun, Deputy District Mayor of Huangpi District, Wuhan, announcing the results 2021 Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair Closing Ceremony 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference successfully concludes As China’s first large-scale digital trade themed event, the 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference and Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair aims to promote the development of China’s digital economy, showcasing Wuhan’s strengths in the global digital trade and driving China’s “dual circulation” strategy, marking a new milestone for the trading system of the future. Various forums and thematic events on digital technology empowerment were organised to support Wuhan’s vibrant commercial and logistics center development, including the opening ceremony, China’s wholesale market annual meeting, cross-border cooperation promotion events, and the digital trade and technology thematic conference. The conference focused on current digital trade issues, providing a platform that facilitated discussions and exchanges around the development of the digital economy and trade to build a bridgehead for “dual circulation” between China and the rest of the world. A new white paper on Global Digital Trade was also launched at the event, shedding insights into the current development of digital trade from the existing digital infrastructure, policies, technologies, and capital. The paper analyses how digital technologies and supply chain services can bring about profound changes to global trade and the development prospects of digital trade. Experts and scholars also highlighted the importance of the digital economy as a key driver for China’s “dual circulation” development strategy, with Wuhan among China’s most promising cities for the digital economy. Fifteen leading national enterprises and institutions, including Digital China, Alibaba, Ant Group, and JD Group have signed a cooperation proposal to increase investments and support Wuhan’s construction of a national trade and logistics center in Central China. ZALL Smart Commerce Group also signed a digital service agreement with 15 wholesale markets across China, including Shandong Linyi Trade City, Chengdu Hehuachi Market and Shenyang Wuai Market Clothing City to promote digital upgrading of China’s national wholesale markets. The diverse formats and trade activities of the Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair exemplify how “goods sell well when they reach Hankou” during the new era. The event attracted China’s well-known brand manufacturers and popular products, featuring 39 commodity-themed exhibition areas across the country, including Guangdong Pavilion, Hunan Pavilion, Chu Chamber of Commerce, Jiangxi Pavilion, and Hubei’s 17 cities and prefectures. A total of 30 themed commodity trade activities were held during the event to promote Hubei’s local brands and culture, and 113 procurement events were organized to support domestic consumption, including the Hankoubei Hotel Supplies Expo, the first Wuhan-style Children’s Clothing Trade Fair; and China’s National Footwear Brands Exhibition. The integration of domestic and foreign trade, and building a bridgehead for “dual circulation” between China and the rest of the world is a key objective of this year’s flagship event that aims to promote the development of a high-level open world economy. Accolades were received from hundreds of diplomatic representatives and foreign business delegates regarding Wuhan’s efforts to promote commodities trade and support economic, trade, and technological exchanges. 80% of the international trade platforms that participated were first-timers. They include cross-border e-commerce expo, Hubei’s export-to-domestic trade fair, eight cross-border e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, Wish, Newegg, and 50 cross-border service organisations, including PingPong Payments. The European Pavilion, Shanghai Cooperation Pavilion, and ASEAN Pavilion were also launched and featured products from more than 50 countries. About ZALL Smart Commerce Group ZALL Smart Commerce Group (HKG:2098) is a leading Chinese B2B e-commerce group (ranked 155th in Fortune China 500, 2021) with a global footprint across the world and its companies listed on four exchanges: HKSE, NYSE, SSE and SZSE. ZALL Group develops and operates Asia’s largest B2B offline-to-online trade ecosystem in China and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, with more than 30 B2B platforms in China, US and Singapore, and a GFA of more than 10 million sqm of wholesale trade centres in China. In 2018, ZALL Group achieved a GMV of more than RMB 600 billion (US$85.2 BN), serving over 1 million SME customers worldwide. ZALL has also obtained a virtual banking licence and currently operates Z-Bank in China since 2017, one of China’s Top 5 digital banks that has supported more than 5.5 million SME and individual customers. See http://en.zallcn.com. Since 2018, ZALL has invested in five projects in Singapore, including ezbuy.sg, Singapore’s leading global online shopping platform; ZMA Smart Capital, an online trade finance company; ZALL Chain Technology, a blockchain solutions company, and the Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), Singapore’s first physical commodity eTrading platform (B2B) powered by blockchain technology, see https://www.cic-tp.com.

18 10 月, 2021

2021 Global Digital Trade Conference hosts “Digital Trade and Technology” themed event

WUHAN, CHINA, Oct 18, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference and Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair presented "Digital Trade and Technology", a thematic keynote event, on October 13 in Wuhan, Hubei Provence, China. More than 300 distinguished guests, including experts and scholars in the digital economy, shared new insights on digital trade under China's new "dual circulation" development strategy, and on the future of the global digital economy.The Main Conference Hall, 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference & Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair, for the thematic keynote "Digital Trade and Technology", in Wuhan, Heibei Provence, on October 13. The event on-/off-line runs through October 26.Jiang Wei, Standing Committee-member Wuhan Municipal Party Committee and Vice-Mayor of Wuhan encouraging conference attendees to take advantage of digital trade development opportunities in Wuhan for new businesses and tech innovations.Organizer/host Qi Zhiping, CEO, ZALL Smart Commerce Group, joins entrepreneurs Qian Xiaojun, CEO, Beijing United Information Technology; Mu Xiaohai, Vice President, JD Cloud Business Group; Sun Wei, CEO, Shenzhen Sinoagri; and Huang Jianwen, Chairman, pao400, for panel "Industrial Development in the Digital Economy Era". [All images: ZALL Smartcom]This new technological revolution and industrial transformation brought about digital trade, significantly impacting the trading sector, fostering new business models and trading patterns. This has reshaped the global industrial chain, supply chain, value chain and innovation chain, becoming a major driving force for economic globalization.As one of the key highlights of the Global Digital Trade Conference, the "Digital Trade and Technology" event aims to become the leading platform that facilitates discussions, exchanges, and conversations around global digital trade.Jiang Wei, Standing Committee member of the Wuhan Municipal Party Committee and Vice Mayor of Wuhan, delivered a speech that addressed Wuhan's geographic location and transportation advantages, vibrant commercial hub, and quality modern logistics infrastructure laying the foundation to advance the development of Wuhan's digital trade and economy. Wuhan has introduced a series of policies to promote development of the digital economy with much success. Jiang Wei welcomed all attendees to take advantage of the digital trade development opportunities and invest in Wuhan for their new businesses and technological innovations.Internationally renowned speakers including Dr Finn E. Kydland, Norwegian economist and winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Economics; Yoshinori Ogawa, Executive Director, Marubeni Corporation and Managing Director, Marubeni China; Wu Ying, Chairman of the Digital China Federation; Liang Rubo, CEO of Bytedance; Jiang Guofei, Vice President of Ant Group; Loh Boon Chye, Vice Chairman, World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and CEO, Singapore Exchange (SGX); Tian Ning, Chairman of the Board of the Panshi Group delivered keynote addresses, sharing new insights into the development trends of the global digital economy, the integration of digital trade and technology, and industrial supply chain innovation and transformation.Host organizer Qi Zhiping, CEO of ZALL Smart Commerce Group, joined entrepreneurs Qian Xiaojun, CEO of Beijing United Information Technology; Mu Xiaohai, Vice President of JD Cloud Business Group; Sun Wei, CEO of Shenzhen Sinoagri; and Huang Jianwen, Chairman of pao400, for an in-depth panel discussion around the development and transformation of traditional industries in the digital economy era.iResearch Consulting, China's leading data research organization, presented a new white paper on Global Digital Trade during the event. Li Chao, a Chief Analyst at iResearch and Executive Dean of iResearch Institute, presented their findings. The white paper shares the current development of digital trade from the existing digital infrastructure, policies, technologies, and capital. It also analyzes in-depth how digital trade has redefined traditional trade across production, transaction and supply chain.The whitepaper looks at five major industries: agriculture, steel, plastics, wholesale and cross-border trade, along with the business models of renowned Chinese and global digital trading companies. It analyzes the profound changes digital technologies and supply chain services bring to the global trade industry, highlighting the growth momentum of digital trading companies and their financial market prospects. The paper suggests that with continued industry upgrading and business segmentation, there will be opportunities for digital trade services and ecosystem-based platforms to create new industrial supply-demand relationships and ecological synergies.Themed "Intelligent Connectivity . Global Trading", the 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference is organised by the Hubei Provincial People's Government; supported by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce; co-organised by the Wuhan Municipal People's Government and the Department of Commerce of Hubei Province; and executed by the Wuhan Huangpi District Government, Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Hankoubei Group and ZALL Smart Commerce Group.The Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair is organized concurrently and features hundreds of procurement hubs and thousands of live streaming activities, pushing global industrial and supply chains towards digitalization and intelligent connectivity while promoting high-quality economic development and global trade. Running through October 26, 2021, the event has attracted representatives from 100+ countries, as well as over 10,000 merchants, experts and scholars. (en.hubei.gov.cn)Contact: ZALL Smart Commerce Group, http://en.zallcn.com, e: ZALL@preciouscomms.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)