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APREA Expands Reach into Real Assets with Infrastructure Investments to Push Boundaries and Create New Opportunities in the Region

APREA’s rebranding celebrates 16 years of long-term industry advocacy with re-found purpose in “Driving the Future of Real Assets”

 

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 7 April 2021 – APREA celebrates its 16th anniversary with the association’s mission redefined: To promote growth in the real assets sector by being the voice of members in all policy matters, providing access to industry-advancing research and insights and connecting members to business opportunities.

Asia’s economic transformation over the past 60 years has been unprecedented with the 21st century being described as the “Asian Century”. Despite the pandemic turmoil, Asia remains the locus of future global growth, expected to boast the largest economies in the world including China, Japan, India and the ASEAN region in 2030 and beyond. Driven by demographic tailwinds, urbanization in the Asia Pacific is an epic boom that will drive the growth of its middle-class and with it, a cycle of rising consumption. Real assets are a play into the region’s structural megatrends that will outlive the pandemic.

The Asian Century – Real Assets Growth
The Asian Development Bank estimates that the region will need to invest $26 trillion from 2016 to 2030 if the region is to maintain its growth momentum, eradicate poverty and respond to climate change – that works out to US$1.7 trillion a year to the end of the decade. Currently, only about US$900 million are estimated to be invested annually. In other words, if policies are conducive for the private sector to step in to fill this void, Asia Pacific provides an infrastructure investment opportunity of over US$8 trillion over the next ten years.

“Infrastructure is ultimately what translates the impact of urbanization into benefits for real estate. With the requirements needed by the rapidly developing economies that will eventually host more than half of the world’s megacities, investments into infrastructure development in the Asia Pacific is a cycle that will be played out over decades,” commented Mr. John Lim, Chairman of APREA, also Co-Founder & Deputy Chairman of ARA Asset Management Limited.

Infrastructure demand is expected to increase exponentially, thus, enabling sustainable financing of these massive projects to gain traction. And there will be opportunities for the private sector to participate, as many of the infrastructure initiatives align with ESG allocations, re-development, connectivity, and economic growth.

Economic Aspirations – The Key Regional Drivers

The economic ambitions of the region will provide the necessary impetus to power infrastructure spending and lift it out of the coronavirus slump.

China has announced plans to focus on developing “new infrastructure” to reach development targets. Key infrastructure investment plans announced for the next 5-7 years will require close to US$7 trillion. Bets are also placed on India‘s infrastructure sector. The Indian government, in its latest budget, has pledged to expand expenditure into its US$1.5 trillion infrastructure pipeline, creating financing institutions that can open the role of capital markets in infrastructure financing.

In Southeast Asia, ambitious infrastructure projects are happening across the region. President Duterte’s “Build! Build! Build!” infrastructure plan in the Philippines is underway with 75 different projects expected to cost US$180 billion. In Indonesia, a high-speed rail system connecting the 140-km trip between Jakarta and Bandung is also being built.

“As it stands, Southeast Asia’s US$2.4 trillion economy is the seventh-largest in the world and is forecasted to jump to fourth largest in Asia Pacific by 2050. Its workforce will grow by a further 60 million while its urban population is expected to rise by an additional 90 million by 2030. The reality is that ASEAN needs infrastructure development if it wants to sustain its economic growth,” says APREA’s Chief Executive Officer, Miss Sigrid Zialcita.

Plans to integrate the region’s economies will also fuel another infrastructure boom. While China’s Belt Road Initiative has undoubtedly headlined the effort to connect Asia, they are by no means alone. Japan articulated its own Partnership for Quality Infrastructure to expand funding in the region’s infrastructure development. Infrastructure diplomacy programmes have also seen U.S. and Australia collaborate on infrastructure projects in the region. Similarly, the European Union has its own “Connecting Europe and Asia” strategy. All this points to an internationalization of capital in the Asia Pacific.

The Rise and Rise of REITs

Government policies in the region will continue to be conducive with significant efforts made by fast-growing countries to develop their own REIT regimes. Economies are in a race to secure their REIT future and significant momentum will be created as regulators strive to stay ahead of the game. Further growth of the asset class will also be propelled by the participation of the region’s largest emerging economies. As the REIT movement accelerates in the region, the stock of institutionalized assets will continue to grow.

“Market capitalization of the region’s REITs has risen from under US$6 billion at the dawn of the new century to over US$315 billion now[1]. There are significant drivers to contemplate that once China’s and India’s REIT markets are established and mature, Asia Pacific will sit as the Global REIT epicenter with total market capitalization to hit over US$1 trillion by the end of the decade, surpassing that of the US,” said Miss Zialcita.

Massive Opportunities Ahead

By 2030, seven of the world’s 10 largest megacities will be in the Asia Pacific. The region’s urban population will expand by close to three billion. Increasingly, the region is emerging to be an investment hotspot for cross border investors. Additionally, the region remains a hot bed of construction activity and as its cities continue to grow, the fundamental demand for real estate and infrastructure will increase in tandem. As economic focus increasingly turns to longer-term recovery, infrastructure investments and REITs are a crucial part of this equation, to fast track the region’s recovery from the pandemic and secure its economic future.

“The benefits of investing in institutionalized assets will be more evident as the world inches towards a post-pandemic future. Allocations to the region from global investors can only continue to rise and the securitization of the very assets so critical in driving its growth will be a massive investment opportunity. Asia Pacific remains primed to take advantage of this revolution in real assets. APREA’s goal is to pave the way for the advancement of investment opportunities into the region’s real assets,” said Mr. John Lim.

Please download the full media kit via the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ChMBor60EW6fyCNCf9b0BJIzxekm-Q3s?usp=sharing

Photo Captions:

Group Photo.jpg

From left to right

Top Row: Mr Dato’ Stewart Labrooy, Chairman of APREA SE Asia Market Chapter, Mr Hideki Yano, Chairman of APREA Japan Chapter, Mr Lijian Chen, Chairman of APREA China Chapter

Second Row: Mr SRINIWASAN S., Co-chairman of APREA India Chapter, Mr. John Lim, Chairman of APREA and Miss Sigrid Zialcita, Chief Executive Officer of APREA, Mr Neel Raheja, Chairman of APREA India Chapter

Third Row: Ms Ada Wong, Chairperson of APREA Hong Kong Chapter, Mr Trevor Cooke, Chairman of APREA Australia Chapter, Mr Andy Tan, Chairman of APREA Singapore Chapter

(Fr left to right) Mr Andy Tan, Mr John Lim, Miss Sigrid Zialcita.jpg

From left to right: Mr Andy Tan, Chairman of APREA Singapore Chapter, Mr. John Lim, Chairman of APREA and Miss Sigrid Zialcita, Chief Executive Officer of APREA.

Mr. John Lim, Chairman of APREA.jpg

Mr. John Lim, Chairman of APREA, also Co-Founder & Deputy Chairman of ARA Asset Management Limited.


[1] Source: GPR/APREA REIT Composite Index

About APREA

Founded in 2005, APREA takes pride in its recognition as a trendsetter in both the developed and developing Asia Pacific markets. As a member of the global Real Estate Equity Securitization Alliance (REESA), APREA brings first-hand international knowledge to its well-established Asia Pacific chapters, where information is analysed and localised. Highly-specialised in the securitised real asset sector, APREA members and intelligence cover all essential segments of REITs, Asset Managers, Property Managers, Banks/Trustees, Legal, Accounting & Tax Specialists, Investors, Developers, Mutual Funds and Consultants.

APREA offers a distinctive global outreach and vision for the Asia Pacific real assets sector, with an aim to create value for our members through the following key focuses:

Anchoring Success

Professional Development

Reach out to industry leaders

Education & Research

Advocacy

Gogo Herbs Launches Various Eye Health Products to Deal with The Vision Crisis

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 7 April 2021 – Vision impairment has become a harsh problem nowadays, and the demand for eye care products keeps rising due to the challenge of young-age vision impairment. To meet the eye care needs of various groups of people such as students, office workers, the elderly, and so on, Gogo Herbs has launched high-quality eye care products from Charenda, Webber Naturals, Jamieson, etc., with various formulations such as the prevention of false myopia, anti-blue light, prevention of AMD, and so on, and help consumers choose the ideal products.

Dietitians Give Tips On Eye Protection For The Challenge Of Young-age Myopia


Due to the heavy burden of study and work, and the easy access of electronic appliances like computers and smartphones, students and office workers are overusing their eyes. Moreover, the decline of outdoor activities and the long-hour screen browsing make the problems of dry eyes, blurred vision, and even decreased vision become the norm. Retinopathy such as myopia, glaucoma, degeneration, and cataract is striking people at a younger age. In addition, some eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, are closely related to factors such as sedentary life, poor eating habits, and obesity.

The Dietitians of Gogo Herbs pointed out that, in addition to the problems of eye using and lifestyle habits, many people still have the problem of nutritional imbalance, and nutrition is also the key to protecting eyesight. They suggest that you could intake these nutrients in an appropriate amount:

A. Lutein and Zeaxanthin: They are antioxidants that help to protect eye tissues, form macular pigment in eye tissues, and filter blue light that may harm the macula. Leafy green vegetables (such as leaves of sweet potato, kale, spinach, etc.) are the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin.

B. Omega-3 fatty acids: They help to protect the retina and maintain retinal function, improve the eye’s oil film, and relieving symptoms or signs of dry eye. The best sources omega-3 are mackerel, sardines, oysters, salmon, shrimp, etc.

C. Anthocyanins: Anthocyanins are powerful natural antioxidants that help promote blood circulation in the eyes, enhance the function of the photoreceptor cells of the eyes, and enhance visual acuity. Anthocyanins can be ingested from purple-blue fruits and vegetables such as grapes, blueberries, eggplants, cherries, etc.

D. Astaxanthin: Astaxanthin is also a powerful antioxidant substance, which can promote blood circulation, relax the ciliary muscles, and help to remove free radicals in the body, thus it helps to improve the quality of vision. Astaxanthin can be ingested from salmon, crab, and shrimp.

E. Vitamins and minerals: Protecting eyesight requires complete and balanced nutrition, such as vitamins A, B, C, E and dietary minerals such as selenium, zinc, etc., which help to maintain retinal health and protect eyesight, so it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet in your daily lives.

The Demand Of Eye Health Products Continues Rising


According to a WHO report in 2019, more than 2.2 billion people around the world have a vision impairment, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed. In spite of the rising alarm of the vision crisis, the dependence on electronic appliances continues to grow. What’s more, most office workers need to work on the computer for at least 7 hours. Under these circumstances, the demand for eye health products is accelerating. Persistence Market Research showed that until 2024, the global market value of eye health will exceed 2.55 billion euros.

The CEO of Gogo Herbs said that orders for eye health products from Gogo Herbs are increasing at a rate of about 10% each year, and products with blue light and dry eyes protection formula are loved by youngsters. “For most Hong Kong citizens, suffering visual stress is inevitable, or at least it cannot be changed soon. In addition to the problems of an unbalanced diet and insufficient sleep, more and more people purchased eye health products to keep their eyesight from worsening.”, the CEO of Gogo Herbs said. And he pointed out that the elderly are also a group that urgently needs targeted eye health products. “Hong Kong citizens are getting more conscious about their health than ever before, and there are more people aware of the harm of AMD (age-related macular degeneration), thus the sales of products that protect the macular area of the retina have also increased.”, he said.

Different Requirements For Eye Care Should Be Taken Into Consideration


Although there is a huge demand for eye health products, the requirements for eye care are various. Therefore, eye care products are becoming diversified. Take Gogo Herbs as an example, it provides different formulas of eye health supplements on its online store to meet the needs of different people:

A. Students who suffer from vision stress: The online store provides eye care concentrated essence tablets with ingredients such as anthocyanins and lutein. These eye care supplements help to prevent pseudomyopia and strengthen the immune system, such as Charenda – Lutein 30 + Blueberry 10000 Concentrated Essence Tablets and so on.

B. Office workers who work on electronic appliances: Products with comprehensive anti-blue light and dry eye formulas can help reduce the damage of electronic appliances to the eyes and relieve eye strain, such as Webber Naturals – Blue Light & Dry Eyes Protection Formula Lutein, Zeaxanthin & Omega-3 softgels and so on.

C. Elderly people: Many elderly people need to take lutein and zeaxanthin to prevent AMD, and the online store provides lutein and zeaxanthin supplements to help them protect their eyes, such as Webber naturals – Lutein Extra Strength softgels and so on.

D. People who want to remain nice eyesight: There are other eye care supplements on the online store that can help to relieve eye strain, such as Webber Naturals Blueberry Plus with Bilberry Capsules and so on.

For each product, the online store of Gogo Herbs is also listed detailed information about the product’s benefits, ingredients, recommended dosage, warning, and so on. The CEO of Gogo Herbs said, “Although many consumers have already known some nutrients and their benefits, they often confused about which formula of supplements is best for them, and these measures will help them purchase the most suitable products”.

Although there is a bright future of the eye care market, winning the long-lasting trust and love of consumers requires the unremitting efforts of health care product companies. In this regard, the CEO of Gogo Herbs said that they will continue to “counter changes with consistency” in the future. In order to meet the real needs of consumers, they will continue to focus on the ingredients and formulas of the products, to provide consumers with the most matching products.

About Gogo Herbs

Gogo Herbs is a Hong Kong health product platform that gathers natural and high-quality health products from the globe. In addition to the symbol of healthy living, Gogo Herbs also represents the attitude of healthy living. https://gogoherbs.com/en/

Velocity Global acquires iWorkGlobal to accelerate remote work and global expansion platform; receives $100M growth investment from FFL Partners

Acquisition creates largest global Employer of Record in 185 countries and 50 United States

 

DENVER and SAN FRANCISCO, US – News Direct – 7 April 2021 – Velocity Global, the leading provider of global expansion solutions, today announced its acquisition of iWorkGlobal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gary D. Nelson and Associates, and a $100 million growth investment from private equity firm FFL Partners. The combined company, under the Velocity Global name, creates the largest U.S. domestic and global Employer of Record (EoR) and accelerates the future of remote work for companies around the world.

The investment from FFL Partners, a firm focused on growth investments in middle market companies, will also be deployed by Velocity Global to support additional strategic acquisitions, technology development, and to further expand the company’s global footprint.

“This strategic acquisition combines scale and expertise in a single platform for companies to employ top talent in another state or another country, quickly and compliantly,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. “We welcome the iWorkGlobal team, its clients, supported employees, and partners to the Velocity Global family at an inflection point for companies as we exit a pandemic that fundamentally removed the worker from the workplace.”

“At iWorkGlobal, we viewed ourselves as a strategic partner to our clients and this outlook aligns with the ‘People First’ brand of Velocity Global,” said Jeff Phelps, iWorkGlobal co-founder and CEO. “Combining our strengths allows us to deliver complementary expertise, capabilities, and new geographies to clients and their supported employees in the U.S. and around the globe.”

“As workforces have become more distributed, iWorkGlobal positioned itself as a leader in talent engagement solutions,” said Craig Nelson, Board Chairman of Gary D. Nelson and Associates. “It’s a testament to Jeff’s leadership and the hard work and dedication of the iWorkGlobal team that Velocity Global proactively sought out this combination of market leaders.”

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/HykpAOtgUq8

Expanded Services in Domestic U.S. and Globally

Brands rely on Velocity Global’s expertise and global infrastructure to hire compliantly without the cost or complexity of setting up their own foreign legal entities or state registrations. As the Employer of Record, Velocity Global manages in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for its clients’ supported employees.

As a result of this transaction, Velocity Global expands its offering to include EoR services in all 50 United States in addition to its industry-leading EoR capabilities in more than 185 countries. The combined company also offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Velocity Global’s platform combines these elements with a personalized customer experience, best-in-breed technology, and increased scale for companies to grow their remote workforce.

Velocity Global now guides, counsels, and serves more than 700 brands and their 4,000 supported employees. Clients include small start-ups to enterprise businesses. The combined company has supported remote teams for hundreds of public companies with an aggregated market capitalization of more than $2 trillion, and private companies funded by more than $60 billion.

“We serve as a single partner for a business to scale its remote workforce from one employee to multinational teams,” said Wright. “We have a global footprint that will grow to nearly 50 whollyowned foreign legal entities in the most desired international markets by year’s end, and now in all 50 states, to enable companies to compliantly employ top remote talent across a state line or country border.”

Market Growth

The rapidly maturing global EoR and AoR industries are key drivers of the “future of work” or gig economy worth $4.5 trillion according to a 2020 report from Staffing Industry Analysts. The investment from FFL Partners will help ensure Velocity Global is able to not just meet demand, but extend its market leadership position.

“We have all seen the nature of work evolve drastically over the past 12 months, and we are very excited to make this investment in Velocity Global, a pioneer in this space fast-tracking the future of work,” said Cas Schneller, FFL Managing Partner. “Velocity Global achieved a 400% organic growth rate over the past three years while maintaining disciplined financials and delivering an exceptional customer experience. We are confident FFL’s deep business services experience can help accelerate this remarkable success.”

Combined Company

Velocity Global welcomes 40 iWorkGlobal employees as part of the transaction, growing its team to approximately 300 employees worldwide. Ben Wright leads the company headquartered in Denver with regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Bogotá, and Singapore. The combined company operates additional regional offices in Bangalore, Dubai, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, and Toronto. Local Velocity Global employees in 16 countries contribute cultural and market knowledge for clients and a personalized supported employee experience.

Maria Goyer joins the Velocity Global executive team as Chief Innovation Officer, reporting to Wright, after serving as senior vice president of Strategy for iWorkGlobal. She will drive strategic initiatives and innovative best practices across the organization to serve the growing global customer base. Goyer applies more than 20 years of industry and strategic expertise in the development of all aspects of Business Process Outsourcing, including pioneering work in the Managed Service Providers (MSP), Vendor Management Systems (VMS), payroll, and compliance industries through Software as a service (SaaS) applications for global contingent workforce programs.

View Velocity Global leadership here.

ABOUT VELOCITY GLOBAL

Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its platform enables businesses to employ remote teams and expand internationally through global expertise, best-in-breed technology, and scale. More than 700 brands rely on its Employer of Record model and infrastructure in 185 countries and all 50 United States to compliantly employ thousands of supported employees, access global talent, and grow revenue. Named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall, Velocity Global is a strategic partner to its clients through additional comprehensive services including Immigration, Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Bogotá, and Singapore, with local employees in 16 countries.


ABOUT FFL PARTNERS

Founded in 1997, FFL Partners is a San Francisco-based private equity firm with over $4.5 billion under management. FFL pursues thematic investments in business services and healthcare services partnering with exceptional management teams where the firm’s high engagement operating model and extensive network can help accelerate growth and unlock value. Growing our businesses has provided over 75% of the value created by FFL for its investors. For additional information please visit www.fflpartners.com.

Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) Ups Net Income By 3% in 2020

  • Net income increased to USD115 mn despite fallout from COVID-19 pandemic
  • Balance sheet grew by 7.5% to USD7.89 bn
  • Corporate Banking and Treasury & Capital Markets portfolios up 6% and 13%, respectively
  • Improvement in key financial and risk metrics, including highest ever liquidity ratio (349%) and capital adequacy (31%).

DAMMAM, SAUDI ARABIA – EQS Newswire – 7 April 2021 – The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), a multilateral development financial institution, announces that its Board of Directors recommended to the General Assembly the approval of its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2020. Continuing its record performance, the Corporation posted a 3% year-on-year (y-o-y) rise in net income despite the fallout of the unprecedented COVID-19 global crisis – from USD112 mn in 2019 to USD115 mn in 2020.

The key drivers include a 6% y-o-y growth in APICORP’s Corporate Banking portfolio to reach USD3.9 bn, as well as a 13% y-o-y growth in its Treasury & Capital Markets portfolio, which also netted USD46 mn in capital gains, a 488% increase from the prior year.

Moreover, the Corporation’s balance sheet increased from USD7.34 bn to USD7.89 bn in 2020, a 7.5% y-o-y uptick which is higher than the 5% CAGR recorded over the past five years. Key financial and risk metrics also continued their steady improvement, as the Corporation recorded its highest ever liquidity ratio at 349% and increased its capital adequacy ratio to 31% (+1% y-o-y), as well as reducing its leverage level from 2.5x in June 2020 to 2.23x in December 2020.

Apart from demonstrating the strength and resilience of APICORP’s financial position, the robust financial and risk metrics enabled APICORP to retain its ‘Aa2’ rating with a stable outlook from Moody’s and earned its inaugural ‘AA’ rating with a stable outlook by Fitch – the only regional financial institution in MENA to hold two ‘AA’ ratings.

The year also witnessed a landmark capital increase by which the Corporation increased its authorized capital from USD2.4 bn to USD20 bn, subscribed capital from USD2 bn to USD10 bn, paid-up capital from USD1 bn to USD1.5 bn, and callable capital from USD1 bn to USD8.5 bn.

Commenting on APICORP’s results, Dr. Aabed bin Abdulla Al-Saadoun, Chairman of the Board of Directors said: “The strong 2020 financial results despite the uncertain economic landscape that clouded most of the year illustrates APICORP’s exceptional steadfastness and resilience. The fact that we ended the year with a 3% increase in net income points to the Corporation’s strong and solid fundamentals. As the region, and indeed the world, begins to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are confident that we will continue to ably support the MENA energy sector, including the proactive advancement of the energy transition agenda.”

Dr. Ahmed Ali Attiga, Chief Executive Officer of APICORP, said: “We are immensely proud to close yet another successful financial year for APICORP. The milestones we achieved in 2020 were made more remarkable given the shockwaves of the unprecedented triple crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic that severely impacted the financial results of peer financial institutions and affected all sectors. Complemented by the resolute support from our Member Countries, deep partnership base, and the hard work of all staff members, our positive results underscore the soundness of our long-term investment and funding strategy, as well as our agile and efficient approach to tackle the challenges of 2020.”

“Looking ahead, we will continue to solidify our position as the trusted financial partner to the MENA energy sector. In line with our development mandate, we aim to focus on supporting the growth of the private sector – particularly in the clean and renewable energy space – to accelerate the energy transition and build a more sustainable future for the Arab region,” Dr. Attiga added.

Business Line Highlights

Corporate Banking

APICORP increased its corporate banking assets by 6% y-o-y in 2020 to reach USD3.9 billion, booking 1.6 bn in drawdowns over the year. Notably, 6 of the 11 project finance commitments in 2020 were in green energy or within the category of sustainable utility projects, and all were part of the USD500 mn countercyclical package the Corporation launched in April to help the MENA energy sector mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price volatility. The gross NPL ratio, meanwhile, remained very low at just 0.59%.

Investments

Although the 2020 crisis affected the revenues of some investee companies, it also opened opportunities for APICORP to pursue quality investments in high-potential well-run companies alongside like-minded investors seeking to maximize long-term value creation and impact. The year witnessed the Corporation making its first-ever equity stake in a wind energy company, while at the same time progressing on a number of exits from current investments to optimize the balance sheet as well as capitalize on the positive long-term growth prospects of its equity portfolio.

Treasury & Capital Markets

By following a more active approach to managing the Corporation’s assets and liabilities of APICORP, Treasury & Capital Markets was able to not only optimize the risk-adjusted returns of the Corporation’s high-quality liquid portfolio (including USD 46 mn in capital gains), but also further bolster its strong funding profile. On the funding front, APICORP increased its medium-term financing by 26% y-o-y while decreasing short-term financing by 12% as a safeguard against prolonged market volatility. Moreover, the year saw the Corporation raising its profile as a debt issuer in the sovereign, supranational and agency (SSA) space through the USD 750 mn benchmark bond issuance in June, which achieved the lowest ever yield and spread in the Corporation’s history, and attracted high-quality SSA investors from across the globe (more than 50% of the order book were from central banks and official institutions. The success of the transaction was further cemented with the USD 250 mn tap in October that brought the total size of the issuance to USD 1 bn.

About APICORP:

The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) is a multilateral development financial institution established in 1975 by an international treaty between the ten Arab oil exporting countries. It aims to support and foster the development of the Arab world’s energy sector and petroleum industries. APICORP makes equity investments and provides project finance, trade finance, advisory and research. Headquartered in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, APICORP is rated “Aa2” by Moody’s and “AA” by Fitch, both with a stable outlook.

More information can be found at: www.apicorp.org

You can also follow us at:

https://twitter.com/APICORP

https://www.instagram.com/apicorp/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/apicorp

Police To Breath Test Drivers During Lao New Year Holiday

Police to breath test motorists during Lao New Year

The Ministry of Public Security has issued special regulations that are to be strictly enforced during the Lao New Year, or Pi Mai, period, and are to focus their efforts on drunk drivers.

Nation in Mourning as Former President’s Wife and Son Perish in Boat Tragedy

Nation mourns alongside Sayasone family

The nation has gone into mourning following the tragic loss of former President Choummaly Sayasone’s wife and son, among other members of his family after a yacht capsized on Sunday.

Free Healthcare Webinar: Patient Journey & the Digital Twins

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Media OutReach – 6 April 2021 – Delivering high-quality care for patients starts by connecting data from admissions to discharge. By transforming live data into actionable metrics, the healthcare sector can make more insightful decisions to streamline and digitise workflow throughout the patient journey.

On 14 April 2021, Zebra — a leading healthcare technology solutions provider — will introduce MotionWorks™ Healthcare and virtually demonstrate how to streamline workflows and significantly reduce costs in healthcare facilities as well as identify patterns to enable intelligent predictions.

Under the theme Patient Journey and the Digital Twins this free and innovative webinar will empower the healthcare sector with technology solutions that enable them to instantly connect, collaborate and communicate with colleagues.

Register and learn how to better support patients and improve performance with the real insights that come from capturing real-time data in your emergency department or operating theatre.

Hear from expert speakers, including:

  • Christa Fourie — Sr. Account Manager of Healthcare at Zebra Technologies
  • Wayne Miller — Director of Healthcare Practice EMEA at Zebra Technologies

How to participate:

Register for this webinar HERE

For more information on this webinar visit: https://itnewsafrica.com/events/event/patient-journey-and-the-digital-twins/

MRC Unveils 10-year Strategy and 5-year Action Plan to Balance Basin Development and Management

MRC unveils basin development strategy

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) yesterday released a new ten-year Basin Development Strategy (BDS) for the Mekong River Basin and a five-year Strategic Plan (MRC SP) to enable Mekong countries to address emerging challenges and improve the overall state of the basin.