Whole-of-Government initiative empowers women exporters to secure international trade leads at the inaugural WiEX @ MIHAS 2026.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 October 2026 – Demonstrating the global demand for Malaysian innovation, women-led enterprises achieved RM229 million in potential export sales during the pre-arranged business matching sessions and the 4-days exhibition held at the Women in Export (WiEX) Pavilion @ MIHAS 2026.

The targeted 215 B2B meetings connected local women entrepreneurs with international buyers and distributors from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar. Women-owned companies from Selangor, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur, Perak and Penang topped the sales with a combined value totaling RM129.84 million for confectionary, snacks, coffee, tea, cocoa and sportswear products.

The WiEX platform held in conjunction with MIHAS 2026 underscores a strategic Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach to scaling women-led businesses into high-value global supply chains. Led by MATRADE with the support of Pertubuhan Hal Ehwal Wanita dan Keluarga Malaysia (HAWA Malaysia), the initiative brought together key government Ministries and developmental Agencies, including the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), SME Corp, Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), Wanita Berdaya Selangor (WBS) and UDA Holdings Bhd. This inter-agency ecosystem ensures the inclusiveness of women entrepreneurs’ transition seamlessly from domestic capacity-building to international market placement.

Speaking at the WiEX Forum, MATRADE Chairman, Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican highlighted that:

“The contribution of women entrepreneurs is not a side story in our economy; it is central to it. DOSM’s Economic Census 2023 shows women own 20.1% of Malaysian businesses, generating RM136.9 billion in output and employing nearly a million people. Yet, there remains room to improve export readiness. That is why MATRADE continues the WiEX initiative alongside HAWA Malaysia, chaired by Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. I am delighted that WiEX is now incorporated as a key component under MIHAS 2026, delivering a complete ecosystem of capacity building, market access, and recognition under one roof to help women entrepreneurs seize global opportunities.”

“In the era of Industry 5.0, success is no longer defined by high-tech alone, but also by high touch. Businesses must go beyond profit and contribute meaningfully to the well-being of their employees, communities and society. As women leaders and entrepreneurs, we must ensure that technological progress is balanced with values that are inclusive, ethical and anchored in integrity”, said Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, President of HAWA Malaysia during her opening speech.

Complementing the commercial outcomes at the WiEX Pavilion is the WiEX Forum 2026 brought together over 300 participants for actionable knowledge-sharing under the theme “Thriving through Uncertainty: Adapt, Compete, and Grow.”

The forum featured an array of industry leaders and founders sharing practical international expansion models:

• Ms. Low Ngai Yuen, Managing Director of AEON 360, detailed retail procurement standards and supply chain integration strategies for domestic and regional growth.
• Datin Eryca Baiduri (Madammu), Founder of NOIR, delivered a fireside chat on evolving a home-based digital business into a scalable global beauty and health brand.
• Founder-led Panel: Moderated by TV personality Ms. Azaria Tagaya, a dynamic panel consisting of Ms. Amnah Shari (Founder/CEO, Serunai Commerce), Tengku Norhanim Tengku Othman (Founder/CEO, NIMS Adeliciousz), Ms. Jesmine Tan (Co-Founder/COO, Applecrumby), and Ms. Amy Blair (Founder/CEO, Batik Boutique) provided tactical lessons on maintaining quality, navigating regulatory compliance, and managing supply chains across export markets.

Through the combined impact of trade facilitation, strategic cross-agency backing and industry mentorship, MATRADE will continue working alongside HAWA Malaysia, KKDW, MARA, SME Corp and NCER and international trade partners to elevate the ‘Made by Malaysia’ brand globally.

Hashtag: #MIHAS

MATRADE

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is Malaysia’s national trade promotion agency. Established in March 1993, its primary role is to assist Malaysian exporters in developing and expanding their export markets. Aligned with Malaysia’s commercial diplomacy efforts, MATRADE is the nation’s trade facilitator and champion of Malaysian-made products and services on the global stage.

From “Buying Products” to “Buying Lifestyles”: The Logic of Consumption Is Being Rewritten

Ms. Chang noted that the underlying logic of home appliance consumption is shifting from “purchasing home appliance bundles and choosing features based on price” to “making targeted upgrades, addressing specific pain points, and paying for genuine experiences.” What has changed is not what consumers buy but why they buy—and what value they expect appliances to create. This shift is pushing competition beyond end-product manufacturing toward long-term competition in core technologies and cross-scenario system solutions. Hisense believes that the home, automotive, energy, health, and office sectors together form a single integrated living system—and that corporate boundaries will inevitably expand from “product boundaries” to “consumer lifestyle boundaries.” This is the underlying logic behind Hisense’s expansion from traditional home appliances into semiconductors and automotive electronics.

Service as Growth: Products Are No Longer the Endpoint but the Entry Point

Addressing the idea of “making service itself a growth engine,” she explained that this means redefining products not as “one-time hardware deliveries” but as entry points into “long-term user relationships that can be continually nurtured and sustained.” Products are no longer the endpoint of a transaction—they are the entry point for service. In the past, products were defined by the question, “What technology do we have?” In the future, they must be defined by the question, “What problems and needs do consumers have?” Once a user purchases a Hisense product, that product becomes an ongoing point of connection: software upgrades, maintenance, and trade-in services are all available through Hisense. In ASEAN, Hisense has built its brand around three core lifestyle scenarios: Technology, Health, and Art. Technology enhances efficiency; Health improves quality of life; and Art meets aesthetic needs. Together, they correspond to consumers’ progression from “getting by” to “living well” to “living life on their own terms.”

Technology Benefits People; Industry Benefits People: The “Two-Way Journey” of Manufacturing and Consumption Upgrading

The story of Hisense Laser TV exemplifies the value of long-term technological investment. Hisense began investing in laser display technology in 2007 and became a global leader in the field over the next 17 years. By 2024, Hisense Laser TV accounted for 65.8% of global shipments, ranking No. 1 worldwide for six consecutive years. At CES 2025, Hisense unveiled RGB-Mini LED technology, advancing RGB technology toward industrialization and mass production. Hisense believes that Chinese manufacturing and Chinese consumption are forming a new symbiotic relationship—a “two-way journey”: consumption determines why we innovate; manufacturing determines how far we can innovate; and true innovation, in turn, creates new forms of consumption. The two reinforce each other in a spiraling process.

30 Years of Going Global: True Globalization Must Be Localized

At the forum, Ms. Chang shared three layers of experience from Hisense’s 30-year overseas journey. The first layer is “Take root first, then bloom.” Hisense entered the South African market in 1996—30 years ago. Today, Hisense operates 32 R&D centers, 41 industrial parks and manufacturing bases, and 65 overseas companies and offices, forming a “7+1” regional network with integrated R&D, manufacturing, and sales. Since 2018, Hisense has helped more than 40 supply chain partners expand overseas. The second layer encompasses 20 years of building its own brand. Hisense adheres to “Local for Local,” establishing regional headquarters, factories, and local teams in ASEAN. Hisense broke ground on the Thailand HHA Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park—its largest overseas industrial park—in September 2025. The third layer concerns the present and the future: ASEAN serves as a testing ground for brand globalization. Major projects involving commercial displays for the Indonesian government and Kelin Electric have been successfully implemented in ASEAN, marking B2B as Hisense’s second growth curve and driving its evolution from a home appliance brand to a technology group.

Globalization Upgraded: From “Made in China” to “Created for the World”

She noted that the underlying logic has shifted from exporting products and capacity to exporting technological value and localized scenario solutions. The narrative has evolved from “affordable Chinese manufacturing” to “a global brand that takes root locally and solves local users’ problems.” Today’s globalization harnesses global resources, innovation, and manufacturing to serve consumers worldwide. Hisense’s experience in ASEAN reinforces one conviction: the best approach to globalization is not to replicate the Chinese model but to use China’s technology, manufacturing, and brand capabilities to respond to the real needs of each local market and grow alongside local partners. As Ms. Chang concluded: “Quality is character; quality is morality; quality is values. Enterprises that hold fast to conscience amid the noise are the foundation and future of China’s high-quality development.” Looking ahead, guided by confidence, determination, a commitment to its original aspirations, and craftsmanship, Hisense will continue to uphold its “user-centric” philosophy as it deepens its roots in ASEAN, expands its global reach, and shares its experience, channels, and localization resources with more Chinese brands. Together, they will help Chinese brands move from “going global” to “becoming truly global.” https://hisense.sg/

Hashtag: #hisense

About Hisense

Founded in 1969, Hisense is a global technology group operating in 160+ countries, with a strong portfolio across TVs, home appliances, air-conditioning and commercial solutions. Recognised as one of the Top 2 TV brands worldwide, Hisense continues to strengthen its global presence through innovation, quality manufacturing and major international partnerships, including its role as an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Reimagining A Diamond Is Forever for a New Era, Redefining Natural Diamond Storytelling

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – De Beers Group unveils the campaign film for Desert diamonds. Following the Desert diamonds Asian launch in Shanghai on 29 July, the campaign extends across 25 key cities in China, timed to Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW) and the Golden Week. Blending classical Chinese poetry with contemporary aesthetics, the film reinterprets A Diamond Is Forever for a new era and places natural diamonds within a register of cultural resonance and inner narrative.

Desert diamonds are De Beers Group’s contemporary expression of natural diamonds, honouring the rarity of each stone and the brilliance forged by nature under immense heat and pressure over billions of years. The category answers a younger generation’s wish to resist definition by convention, to embrace the authentic self and to speak in its own voice. It carries natural diamonds beyond the bridal occasion into a lasting choice whether given to someone else or kept for oneself.

The soul of the campaign traces back to the landscape evoked by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei in the lines: “In the great desert, a single smoke rises straight; over the long river, the setting sun is round.” Through an exceptionally concise visual language, the film distils the rawness, vastness and stillness of the desert into the essence of its narrative, conveying to a younger generation the deeper core of Desert diamonds — authenticity, individuality and inner radiance. Through the lens, “straight,” “long” and “round” are no longer simply poetic images, but the truest forms of all things once every ornament has fallen away. In the desert, artifice is stripped away by wind and sand, leaving heaven and earth revealed in their purest geometric contours. This untouched, elemental state evokes an almost Zen-like sense of completeness. It is in such an extreme environment that natural diamonds take shape, and each refracted ray of light echoes the silent rhythm of the deep desert—brilliant and untamed.

Working in a minimalist visual language and an understated narrative, the film presents its four models in their most authentic state. Every frame is pared back to its essence, capturing the most unadorned dialogue between a person and a natural diamond. Throughout, the rhythm of the gong, a traditional Chinese instrument, provides a continuous thread. Its resonant Eastern tones answer the imagery of the desert, evoking a distinctive sense of freedom and ease.

Lü Mo, Director, said: “Young people today move between tradition and modernity, with classical Chinese aesthetics and global culture coexisting in their inner world. At its core, Wang Wei’s poetry embodies a distinctly Eastern form of minimalism — ‘straight,’ ‘long’ and ’round’ reveal the original forms of all things once everything superfluous has been stripped away, reflecting an independent spirit that neither follows trends nor caters to popular taste. This resonates with the younger generation’s refusal to be defined by external expectations. Through this film, I hope to convey that your sharpness, your edges, and even all the ‘imperfections’ that others may never see are precisely the irreplaceable marks that make you who you are.”

De Beers Group’s consumer research places figures to this: 95% of Chinese respondents said they would like to own a Desert diamond, 94% agreed that Desert diamonds are distinctive, and 96% viewed them as an innovative departure from tradition. As authenticity and individuality increasingly shape contemporary values, the natural beauty of Desert diamonds—and the uniqueness found in their imperfections—speaks to the radiance of a generation unwilling to be tamed, whether the occasion is a personal milestone or a feeling for someone cherished that words cannot fully convey.

The campaign runs across 25 key cities, among them Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, reaching audiences through digital television and social media platforms and through an integrated online and offline approach. De Beers Group continues to work with its three strategic retail partners—Chow Tai Fook, Chow Sang Sang and TSL | Tse Sui Luen—extending the campaign onto the jewellery floor, where the rich natural colours and distinctive character of Desert diamonds can be seen at close range.

Building on the spirit of A Diamond Is Forever, the new campaign film offers a contemporary reading of an idea now nearly 80 years old. Since its creation in 1947, the line has embodied the lasting, rare and timeless qualities of natural diamonds. Drawing on Chinese culture, the film opens a dialogue with a younger generation around the authentic self, taking the idea beyond traditional expressions of emotional commitment towards individuality, personal expression and inner radiance.

Shaped entirely by nature, Desert diamonds hold a radiance that comes from within. What lasts is not only the rarity of a natural diamond through the passage of time, but the strength to stay true to oneself and shine boldly. And what is carried forward is more than the value held in a stone: it is a spirit of authenticity and individuality that stays with a younger generation through the years.

For more information on natural diamonds, please follow and visit the official channels below:

De Beers Group official website www.debeersgroup.com
Natural Diamonds Instagram @ADiamondisForeverhk
Website: www.adiamondisforever.com/zh-hk

Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondIsForever #NaturalDiamonds #Desertdiamonds #Diamonds

About De Beers Group

About Building Forever

Building confidence in the natural diamond category with industry partners, guided by the Building Forever and diamond traceability strategies

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 September 2026 – 16 to 19 September, De Beers Group participated in Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW), presenting an immersive experience centred on Desert diamonds. Drawing inspiration from the wonders of nature and the artistry of human craftsmanship, the showcase created a captivating space that brought the story of natural diamonds to life.

Following its successful Asian debut in Shanghai in July, Desert diamonds returned to Hong Kong as De Beers Group’s first major beacon initiative in more than a decade and its largest category-marketing investment in 15 years. The activation reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to strengthening long-term confidence in the natural diamond category, working alongside strategic partners across the value chain and guided by its Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy.

Industry leaders convene to shape the future

De Beers Group Chief Executive Officer Al Cook, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading Paul Rowley, General Manager of Natural Diamonds Lynn Serfaty and Vice President of Natural Diamonds APAC Loletta Lai attended the Group’s breakfast meeting, where they exchanged views with industry partners from around the world.

Distinguished guests included Lekoko S. Kenosi, Ambassador of Botswana to China; Lin Qiang, President of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange; Nosiphiwo Mzamo, Chief Executive Officer of the State Diamond Trader of South Africa; Amber Pepper, Chief Executive Officer of the Natural Diamond Council; Jillian Wolk, Chief Executive Officer of Tracr and Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group. Together with De Beers Group leadership and other attendees, they discussed future opportunities and areas for collaboration across the natural diamond industry.

“We firmly believe that natural diamonds have an enduring future, and we remain confident in the long-term opportunity presented by the Chinese market. China has always been one of De Beers Group’s most important markets. For more than half a century, we have built deep and enduring relationships with retailers, consumers, governments and industry partners. We continue to invest in China and launched our Desert diamonds category-marketing initiative in July this year. The campaign has already delivered encouraging results in the US market and is showing strong momentum in China. Looking ahead, we invite our industry colleagues to work together to strengthen consumer confidence in the long-term value of natural diamonds,” said Al Cook, Chief Executive Officer of De Beers Group.

“The natural diamond market is gradually stabilising. Supply and demand are moving towards equilibrium, while diamond prices are showing signs of recovery. The US market remains resilient and the Chinese market is also beginning to stabilise, while India, Europe, Japan and the Gulf markets are providing further momentum for industry growth. Global annual natural diamond production has declined from a peak of approximately 170 million carats to around 100 million carats. Effective supply management is essential to restoring market balance. Looking ahead, the industry must continue to invest in detection, grading and traceability systems, enabling consumers to distinguish clearly between natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, while advancing collective category marketing and industry collaboration.” said Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading at De Beers Group.

“Desert diamonds are such a gift. They resonate with Chinese philosophies of resilience, transcendence and harmony between humanity and nature, while building a bridge between southern Africa and China. Through the Asian launch of Desert diamonds, retailer partnerships, social media communications and media engagement, we aim to further support China’s focus on quality consumption and help more consumers understand and appreciate the enduring value of natural diamonds,” says Lynn Serfaty, Managing Director of Natural Diamonds at De Beers Group shared her perspective on the emotional and cultural resonance of natural diamonds in China.

An immersive journey from earth to adornment

Following the breakfast meeting, De Beers Group officially unveiled its Show & Tell experience, inviting global industry guests on an immersive journey that combined visual, tactile and emotional storytelling.

Visitors entering the space were transported through the changing light of a vast desert landscape. Exterior screens depicted rolling sand dunes, while the interior brought together contemporary exhibition design and traditional Chinese bamboo-weaving craftsmanship, an element of China’s intangible cultural heritage.

Artist Xu Mingyu created sharply faceted geometric display cases inspired by the precision of natural diamond cuts. The woven textures echoed the intricate patterns formed on desert surfaces by the passage of time. Through this dialogue between ancient Eastern craftsmanship and the untamed poetry of natural diamonds, the installation connected heritage, nature and contemporary design.

The Show & Tell experience unfolded across five narrative chapters, creating a sensory journey from the earth to the wearer’s hand.

At the Desert diamonds display, loose natural diamonds were presented along a spectrum of warm, earthy hues, recalling the layered tones of the desert landscape. The distinctive colours of Desert diamonds arise naturally from subtle variations in nitrogen content and plastic deformation, giving every stone an entirely individual appearance and personality. No two Desert diamonds are alike, just as every person’s story is unique.

In a rapidly changing digital age, younger consumers are increasingly drawn to authenticity and permanence. Formed over billions of years, natural diamonds embody this pursuit through their inherent rarity and individuality. At the exhibition, retail partners presented Desert diamonds jewellery collections including Chow Tai Fook’s Desert Rose collection, Kashikey, represented by Chow Sang Sang, and alongside classic three-stone and five-stone designs.

Guests then moved to the Tracr area to explore the digital identity of a registered natural diamond. From mine to retail, the origin and journey of each diamond can be recorded and traced. A dedicated science and technology zone featured a range of De Beers Group’s detection instruments, enabling guests to see first-hand how natural diamonds can be differentiated from laboratory-grown diamonds.

The journey also highlighted De Beers Group’s long-standing conservation work. A dedicated rhino conservation area showcased decades of commitment to habitat protection, species breeding and relocation, bringing the Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitment to life in a tangible and meaningful way.

The experience concluded with a multi-sensory exploration of Desert diamonds. A fragrance experience inspired by the vast desert landscape evoked the interplay between the beauty of the desert and the brilliance of diamonds, while interactive quizzes invited guests to discover their own natural diamond aura.

Advancing trust through collaboration and traceability

During the exhibition, De Beers Group also participated actively in a series of industry exchange activities, engaging with value-chain partners to explore the opportunities and future direction of the natural diamond industry.

At the Natural Diamond Value Chain Repositioning and Outlook Forum, jointly organised by the Natural Diamond Council and the Hong Kong Diamond Federation, participants from across the industry exchanged insights on the evolution of the natural diamond value chain and its future prospects. Meanwhile, at the Brilliant Convergence: Envisioning the Future of Jewellery Design seminar hosted by the Hong Kong Diamond Federation, Loletta Lai, Vice President of Natural Diamonds APAC at De Beers Group, joined jewellery designers and industry representatives to discuss how natural diamonds can continue to inspire contemporary jewellery design and sustain their appeal in an evolving market landscape.

In addition, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) presented “The Beauty of Natural Diamonds” exhibition during the show, inviting visitors to explore the formation and unique beauty of natural diamonds through a scientific lens. Through diamond fluorescence, microscopic images of inclusions and growth features, as well as GIA Diamond Grading Reports, the exhibition revealed the unique “natural fingerprint” of every natural diamond. Notably, ahead of this year’s exhibition, GIA completed its acquisition of a 30% shareholding in the Tracr diamond traceability blockchain platform, an important milestone for the natural diamond industry. This strategic collaboration supports Tracr’s evolution into independent industry infrastructure, providing dual assurance through diamond grading and origin traceability, and laying a strong foundation for a more transparent and trusted future for the natural diamond industry.

Extending the industry conversation into a jewellery experience, De Beers Group also invited members of the media and fashion community to visit the De Beers London Hong Kong flagship boutique, where they experienced the beauty and distinctive appeal of natural diamond jewellery through an immersive journey. Behind the brilliance of every natural diamond lies a traceable journey, from its origin at the mine to the careful craftsmanship applied through sustainable practices. Every stage reflects De Beers Group’s unwavering commitment to exceptional quality and sustainability. Through jewellery try-ons and expert-led guidance, guests experienced first-hand how natural diamonds are being reinterpreted in a contemporary fashion context, deepening their emotional connection with appreciation of the category.

Guided by the enduring belief that “A Diamond Is Forever,” De Beers Group’s presence at this year’s Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong not only demonstrated the continuing vitality and broad potential of natural diamonds in the global market but also created an emotionally resonant natural diamond journey for industry partners and consumers through the storytelling platform of Desert diamonds. The initiative brought new depth and warmth to natural diamond category education.

Looking ahead, De Beers Group will continue to work with industry partners worldwide, with its Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy serving as two key pillars in advancing the natural diamond industry towards a more transparent and sustainable new era. Through the interplay of art and culture, every natural diamond formed deep within the earth can shine ever more brightly in its time, continuing a timeless story of enduring beauty.

For more information on natural diamonds, please follow and visit the official channels below:

Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondIsForever #NaturalDiamonds #Desertdiamonds #Diamonds

About De Beers Group

At the event, mayors and city representatives from six international sister cities of Wuhan called for closer cooperation in technology, industry, education and culture.

Representatives from Manchester in Britain, Kemi in Finland, Cape Town in South Africa, Yangon in Myanmar, Rzeszów in Poland and Turkistan in Kazakhstan took part in discussions on urban innovation, industrial cooperation and cultural exchange.

Manchester: a new start after 40 years of friendship

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Wuhan and Manchester.

Shaukat Ali, lord mayor of Manchester, said the city was ready to deepen cooperation with Wuhan in education, culture, youth affairs, innovation and industry.

“Manchester is committed to promoting urban transformation through open cooperation, sharing opportunities, and fostering common development with international sister cities like Wuhan,” he said.

Ali said Manchester had developed from a post-industrial city into an innovation-oriented economy, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, life sciences and green technologies.

He said the two cities could share experience in urban transformation, innovation districts, university-industry cooperation and low-carbon development, while encouraging links among universities, businesses and research institutions.

He also highlighted existing educational and cultural links, including cooperation between Hubei University and Manchester Metropolitan University and exchanges between the Royal Northern College of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music.

Kemi: balancing growth with environmental protection

Mikko Koivulehto, chairman of the City Council of Kemi, said the Finnish city sought to balance economic growth with environmental protection.

“We believe that protecting nature and building a prosperous city can go hand in hand,” he said.

Kemi, a port city in Finnish Lapland, has developed industries based on renewable raw materials, clean energy and the bioeconomy. The city is also seeking to expand tourism and improve livability.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the friendly exchange relationship between Wuhan and Kemi. The two cities have cooperated in areas including trade, the circular economy, tourism and youth exchanges.

Cape Town: technology and jobs key to urban transformation

Lungelo Mbandazayo, city manager of Cape Town, said technological innovation, talent development, infrastructure and green renewal were key to Wuhan’s transformation.

Cape Town, a UNESCO City of Design, is seeking to expand its technology and digital sectors while promoting green technology and an inclusive economy.

Mbandazayo said youth unemployment remained a major challenge for Cape Town and that technological development needed to create jobs.

After visiting Wuhan companies and technology facilities, he said Cape Town hoped to deepen exchanges with Wuhan in technology and talent.

Yangon: seeking practical cooperation with Wuhan

Yangon Mayor Myo Myint Aung said the city was looking to Wuhan for experience in smart-city development, digital governance, intelligent transport and urban resilience.

Wuhan and Yangon signed a letter of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.

Yangon is developing a long-term plan to accommodate population growth and expand its urban, industrial and transport infrastructure.

During a visit to Wuhan on Sept. 19, Myo toured the Optics Valley “Photon” suspended monorail, HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory.

“We came to Wuhan not just to observe, but to learn and cooperate,” he said, adding that Yangon hoped to develop smart manufacturing and strengthen cooperation in information technology.

Rzeszów: opportunities in aerospace and technology

Rzeszów Mayor Konrad Fijołek said the Polish city hoped to cooperate with Wuhan in aerospace, sensor technology, biodiversity and climate action.

Rzeszów is home to the “Aviation Valley,” a major aerospace cluster in Central Europe.

“Exploring cooperation with Wuhan is the reason I came here,” Fijołek said.

After visiting HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory, he said Wuhan’s automated manufacturing and technologies in sensors and satellite systems had impressed him.

He said cities could help connect universities, businesses and research institutions and promote international cooperation.

Turkistan: five areas for cooperation

Turkestan Mayor Azimbek Pazylbekuly said his city hoped to expand cooperation with Wuhan in tourism and culture, education and science, investment and entrepreneurship, digitalization and innovation, and transport and logistics.

Wuhan and Turkistan signed a memorandum of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.

Turkistan, an ancient Silk Road city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been developing industries including food processing, textiles, furniture and construction materials.

Pazylbekuly said cooperation between governments, businesses, universities and research institutions could help turn the two cities’ exchanges into concrete projects.

The conference also included friendship-city anniversary celebrations and a signing ceremony for 10 cooperation projects. A digital list of cooperation opportunities and an initiative on international friendship-city cooperation were released.

During their stay, the visiting mayors toured Wuhan’s technology, manufacturing and ecological facilities, including the Optics Valley suspended monorail, a Yangtze finless porpoise conservation center, Xiaomi, HGTECH and Dongfeng Motor facilities.

Hashtag: #wuhan

Over 4,000 high-impact B2B meetings scheduled to connect local exporters with top global buyers

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – The 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) opens today at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. The showcase commences with its signature International Sourcing Programme (INSP), facilitating over 4,000 scheduled pre-arranged meetings between Malaysian exporters and international buyers from 58 economies.

The INSP will once again serve as the primary growth driver, leveraging high-intensity B2B matchings to convert pre-vetted, high-intent global buyers into immediate export orders for Malaysian businesses. Demonstrating strong international demand, this year’s programme brings together around 450 buyers, including 50 premium buyers.

Participating buyers represent a balanced mix of traditional and non-traditional markets, highlighting the INSP’s global footprint. First-time participating economies, including Comoros and Rwanda, are tapping directly into Malaysia’s established Halal ecosystem to source high-quality products and services. As the global Halal market scales toward USD10 trillion by 2030, the INSP offers local exporters the strategic foothold needed to capture premium market share.

In terms of regional turnout, Northeast Asia and ASEAN anchor the buyer contingents, closely followed by expanding representation from Africa as a key non-traditional growth market. This broad multi-regional footprint underscores the widespread international demand for Malaysian Halal products and reinforces our standing as the premier global Halal hub.

“The INSP represents the core engine and ‘soul’ of MIHAS. With international buyers actively seeking high-quality Malaysian Halal products and services, our local SMEs must take full advantage of this platform. This strategic initiative has always served as a direct catalyst for local businesses, unlocking their access to high-value global trade networks and driving sustainable, long-term export growth”, stated Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Chairman of MATRADE.

“The commercial calibre of these buyers directly advances Malaysia’s export diversification. With premium buyers representing nearly RM700 billion in combined annual revenue, procurement spans beyond standard F&B into specialised ingredients, biotechnology, Islamic finance, logistics, and education, driving our shift toward services-led exports and deeper global supply chain integration”, he added.

The physical International Sourcing Programme (INSP) takes place today, 23 September 2026, at MITEC, alongside the virtual INSP component running from 1 April to 30 November 2026. Beyond the on-site B2B sessions, up to 150 international virtual buyers will participate remotely to conduct business with local exporters. Visitor registration remains open via the official MIHAS 2026 portal at https://register.mihas.com.my/visitor/register

Hashtag: #MIHAS

Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026

MATRADE

Source: Whole Earth Farming

18 September 2026

At full maturity, regenerative “whole earth farming” practices could also offset CO2 emissions equal to the entire airline industry’s

NEW YORK – Hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers could play an outsized role in feeding humanity’s growing population while restoring nature, but a new book underlines that they are the least supported producers in global agriculture.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation says there are roughly 475 million smallholder farms in the Global South, typically operating on less than two hectares (five acres). Together, these farmers already produce about 30% of the world’s food, despite severely limited access to finance, markets, technical and practical education support.

In his book, development expert Hugh Locke says helping just half of the smallholders farmers worldwide – about 240 million farming families – to adopt regenerative agriculture and agroforestry could yield all the additional food required by population growth through 2050 while improving rather than degrading nature.

And those farms would occupy only about 12% of the world’s arable land.

“The world’s smallholder farmers are too often treated as beneficiaries of development assistance when they should be recognized as architects of the next agricultural transformation,” says Locke, co-founder of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti.

The world population is expected to increase by roughly 1.5 billion by 2050, he notes, with that growth concentrated in developing countries. Locke’s central proposition is that meeting that additional food does not have to come at the cost of further soil degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.

Instead, he argues, the same investment needed to increase smallholder productivity could help turn agriculture into a regenerative force.

Haiti: a working laboratory

Many of the insights in Whole Earth Farming are based on Locke’s experience with the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), which he co-founded with Haitian agronomist Timote Georges in 2010.

The organization now works with roughly 10,000 member farmers in Haiti.

When participating smallholders receive basic agricultural support based on sustainable practices, their yields increase by an average of about 40%, he notes, while household incomes rise between 50 – 100%, depending on local conditions.

SFA members also plant an average of approximately 1 million trees a year.

With SFA’s leadership and help, Haiti’s farmers began transitioning production to a regenerative approach that combines agroforestry with what the SFA calls “tree currency”: farmers plant and care for trees in exchange for agricultural services, training, seeds and other inputs. The model connects increased farm productivity directly with environmental restoration.

The Haiti experience helped shape one of the book’s central conclusions: hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers are producing below their potential because agricultural policies, research, financing and extension systems have disproportionately supported large-scale agriculture for decades.

“This is not about nostalgia or returning agriculture to the past,” Locke says. “It is about recognizing where one of the greatest opportunities for the future now exists.”

Farming that restores instead of extracting from nature

Rather than simply reduce the damage farming causes, regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that aims to improve the natural systems on which agriculture depends.

It draws on three streams of knowledge: Indigenous and ancestral farming traditions; decades of experience with organic farming, agroecology, permaculture and other sustainable approaches; and contemporary science, including advances in soil biology, ecosystem science and impact measurement.

Depending on local conditions, regenerative farmers can employ techniques including crop rotation, cover crops, intercropping and diverse cropping systems, composting and other methods of building soil organic matter, reduced tillage, agroforestry and integration of livestock.

The objective is not adherence to a universal checklist. It is measurable improvement in outcomes such as soil health, biodiversity, water quality and availability, carbon storage, food production, farmer livelihoods and community resilience.

Locke describes this as regenerative agriculture’s “dual revolution”: a farming methodology and a framework for determining whether farming is actually producing regenerative results.

This distinction is important because practices appropriate to a smallholder in Haiti, India or Kenya may be very different from those suitable for a farm in Canada or the United States.

“The question is not simply, ‘Are you using regenerative practices?’” says Locke. “The more important question is, ‘Is the land, the ecosystem and the farming community measurably better as a result?’”

The approach represents a shift, he says, from shifting agricultural practices to “do less harm” to practices designed to produce net positive outcomes.

Climate dividend

The book also examines how such a transformation could affect climate change.

Healthy soils and growing plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon in soil and biomass. Regenerative systems can also reduce emissions associated with the manufacture and transportation of synthetic fertilizers.

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, Locke says approximately 240 million smallholder farms making the transition to regenerative agriculture across an estimated 480 million hectares could eventually remove every year up to 0.72 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually during the period in which soil carbon is actively accumulating.

Furthermore, reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizer could provide an additional climate benefit of roughly 0.1 gigaton of CO2 equivalent annually, bringing the estimated combined benefit to approximately 0.6 to 0.85 gigatons per year at mature adoption.

That is roughly comparable in scale to the annual CO2 emissions of global aviation.

Locke stresses that soils cannot absorb carbon indefinitely. Soil carbon generally accumulates over one to three decades before approaching a new equilibrium, and outcomes vary substantially with soils, climate, farming practices and farmers’ starting conditions.

“Regenerative agriculture is not a license to keep emitting carbon elsewhere,” says Locke. “Its climate potential is important precisely because it comes alongside other benefits we urgently need anyway: healthier soil, greater biodiversity, more resilient farms, increased food production and stronger rural communities.”

Measuring what “regenerative” actually means

The book arrives as regenerative agriculture is moving rapidly into the mainstream but still lacks a universally agreed definition.

Locke argues that this makes credible measurement especially important.

Rather than allowing a farm or company to be considered regenerative because it has adopted one favoured technique, Whole Earth Farming advocates assessing a broad range of environmental and social outcomes.

The book highlights the emerging “Regen10 Outcomes Framework,” developed through more than two years of global consultation, as an important step toward establishing a common reference for assessing regenerative agriculture while allowing farmers to choose methods appropriate to local circumstances.

The framework encompasses ecological health, farmer livelihoods, food quality, community resilience and other outcomes.

The distinction also guards against reducing regenerative agriculture to carbon alone.

A farming system that sequesters carbon while degrading biodiversity, water resources or farmer livelihoods, Locke argues, cannot meaningfully be called regenerative.

A great regenerative transformation

Locke calls the opportunity a “Great Regenerative Transformation,” comparable in ambition to the Green Revolution that dramatically increased agricultural production during the second half of the 20th century.

But there is a fundamental difference. Where the Green Revolution relied heavily on improved crop varieties, irrigation, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and increasing standardization, Locke envisions a transformation that combines traditional agricultural knowledge with ecological science, locally adapted practices and modern systems for measuring outcomes.

The goal is not simply more food per hectare. Success would instead be measured by what agriculture produces and what it leaves behind: healthier soils, restored ecosystems, greater biodiversity, improved water systems, climate resilience and viable farming communities.

Locke argues that smallholders are particularly well positioned to lead such a transformation because many retain traditional agricultural knowledge, operate diversified farms and have not adopted industrial farming systems as extensively as producers in wealthier countries.

The challenge is giving them access to the training, finance, research, markets, data and extension services needed to make that potential real.

Alongside its practical exploration of smallholder farming and regenerative agriculture, Whole Earth Farming makes a less expected case: that the Bahá’í Faith offers principles relevant to agriculture’s future; its teachings connect farming with humanity’s spiritual, social and economic development.

Locke focuses particularly on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who from 1901 to 1921 directed the farming community of ‘Adasíyyih in the Jordan Valley. He argues that practices used there anticipated many now associated with regenerative agriculture, including crop rotation, agroforestry, integrated livestock and soil-building, while applying broader principles of equality, consultation and justice.

Locke extends these ideas globally, arguing that the faith’s principle that “the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” provides a framework for treating farmers, governments, companies and international institutions as parts of an interdependent agricultural system. He stresses that the principles require no religious belief, describing them as “open-source foundational truths” that could help regenerative agriculture scale across cultures, continents and generations without fragmenting into competing definitions.

“Not a measure of the problem, but a measure of the possibility”

The book carries a foreword by Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, who describes the world’s 475 million smallholder farming households as “not a measure of the problem, but as a measure of the possibility.”

Steiner writes that regenerative transformation cannot be reduced to carbon or measured by crop yield alone, and that it cannot succeed without farmers themselves being active agents of change.

The book has also drawn endorsements from leaders spanning agriculture, humanitarian action, conservation, development and public policy.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says Locke shares lessons from his work with smallholders “with both rigorous evidence and genuine humanity.”

Chef and humanitarian José Andrés writes that farmers have the power not only to produce food but to strengthen local economies and nourish the future, concluding: “Read this book. Then do something.”

Other contributions and endorsements have been provided by

• Elizabeth Dowdeswell, former UN Environment Programme Executive Director and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario;
• Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank President;
• Rainn Wilson, actor and environmental advocate, who wrote the introduction;
• Paula Caldwell St-Onge, former Canadian Ambassador to Haiti;
• Tara Shyam, Executive Director of Regen10; and
• Leaders from organizations working in agriculture, food security, reforestation and international development.

The book includes 21 stories from 18 countries illustrating regenerative agriculture through the experiences of farmers and farming communities rather than presenting it solely as an abstract global model.

Its examples range from Colombia and Thailand to Canada, the Netherlands and farming communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Launched during Climate Week NYC, Whole Earth Farming offers a deceptively simple proposition: The world need not choose between feeding more people and restoring the planet. It’s possible to do both if hundreds of millions of farmers who have long operated at the margins of agricultural policy are finally given the means.

By the numbers

• 570 million – Approximate number of farms worldwide.
• 475 million – Smallholder farms in the Global South with less than two hectares (five acres).
• ~2 billion – People living and working on those smallholder farms, approximately one-quarter of humanity.
• 30% – Approximate share of the world’s food already produced by smallholders.
• 1.5 billion – Approximate increase in world population expected by 2050, concentrated in developing countries.
• 240 million – Smallholder farming families the book proposes supporting in a global regenerative transition.
• 12% – Approximate share of global arable land those farms would cultivate.
• 0.48–0.72 gigatons CO2/year – Estimated potential annual soil carbon removal at mature adoption during the active accumulation period.
• 0.6–0.85 gigatons CO2e/year – Estimated combined mature annual climate benefit when avoided emissions associated with reduced synthetic fertilizer use are included.
• 10,000 – Approximate number of Smallholder Farmers Alliance members in Haiti.
• 1 million – Approximate number of trees planted annually by SFA members.
• 21 stories / 18 countries – Farmer and regenerative agriculture stories featured in Whole Earth Farming .

About the author

Hugh Locke has spent his career working at the intersection of environmental conservation, international development, humanitarian service and interfaith collaboration. Since co-founding the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti in 2010, he has focused much of his work on smallholder agriculture and regenerative farming. He is President of the Impact Farming Foundation and serves on the board of the global reforestation nonprofit One Tree Planted.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation

September 2026

George Ronald Publisher

ISBN 978-0-85398-688-1

Official release

Quizzed on various aspects of the HKSAR Government’s new blueprint for economic and social development, Mr Lee said the inaugural Five-Year Plan set out five main objectives for Hong Kong: better livelihoods for all; breakthroughs in economic development; expanding global competitiveness and influence; faster development of the Northern Metropolis; and to better serve the country.

On expanding global competitiveness, Mr Lee said the Government would make good use of its international networks.

“The strength of Hong Kong is its international status, and we have been emphasising on how we ensure the internationalism or the ‘internationalness’ of Hong Kong. We are expanding to cover every part of the world where we can reach,” Mr Lee said, noting that the Government had offices, including Economic and Trade Offices, and the offices of Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, in countries around the world. “I’m very serious about expanding our network.”

Since taking office four years ago, Mr Lee has led delegation visits to regions, including ASEAN Member States, the Middle East, and recently Central Asia. “And my colleagues really go more often to different parts of the world, so for South Africa, and also Kenya and these are the very popular African places that my colleagues go to visit,” he added.

To boost Hong Kong’s influence in overseas markets, Mr Lee highlighted the example of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed).

“We are very proud to have the headquarters of IOMed set up in Hong Kong, because this is an organisation which is of United Nations status,” Mr Lee said. He added that an international office would be set up in Hong Kong under the global network of corruption prevention authorities. “Hong Kong is an international city, which not just is very good at doing business, but is exercising its responsibility as a global participator, and also, we really can contribute.”

“And this is also very important, because it just means how, in different areas, Hong Kong is doing very well, and also very connected to the world. And not just being a member, but being a contributor, being really a driver, and we want to share our good experiences, and also learn from other experiences.”

The First Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address placed strong focus on speeding up the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM) project, so as to boost long-term economic development, improve people’s livelihoods and help the city to further integrate into overall national development.

“The Northern Metropolis represents about one third of our geographical area. So it is a big piece of land that gives us new opportunities. An opportunity to upgrade ourselves, both from the accommodation angle as well as development angle,” Mr Lee said.

Beyond the city’s core economic strengths such as finance, shipping and trade, Mr Lee said the NM would provide room for diversifying local industries, creating new jobs and a brighter future as more development opportunities emerge from different kinds of industries as well as closer alignment with national development.

“The NM is actually mentioned in our country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. That means it is not just a Hong Kong development, it has been elevated as a state-driven project. And with the elevation of position, we will have to work hard. And I am sure that the Central Government will also help us to ensure that this will be a success story.

“And so, doing the Five-Year Plan has this advantage. We will capitalise on all the opportunities that the state can give us. At the same time, we will remain very fully connected to the international world. So we have the beauty of both worlds.”

Asked about Hong Kong’s approach to adopting artificial intelligence (AI), Mr Lee stressed the need to take advantage of the opportunities brought by AI, while also protecting against the risks of AI, in areas such as crime, fraud, sexual abuse and potential negative impacts on younger people.

“Last year, we talk very much about how we should benefit from the application of AI, how it will do things faster, and how it will also do things more correctly,” Mr Lee said.

“So while we develop and ensure people understand and use it, we also need to tell everybody the potential risks that it will bring.”

Mr Lee said the Government would create a post of Commissioner for AI, with a mandate that he is “the chief for the whole government, in terms of AI. It means setting the policy. It means coordinating resources, identify problems for them, setting the best practices, issuing guidelines. And also, very importantly, is developing AI for the whole of government with a view to, after we have developed our experience, let the world also learn from these experiences.”

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Hashtag: #HongKong #PolicyAddress #First5YearPlan #IOMed #NorthernMetropolis

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders

18 September 2026 – The race to contain Ebola disease outbreak is far from over, warns Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. While some indicators, such as declining patients’ admissions and slower transmission, may suggest the outbreak is easing, MSF teams are observing a worrying trend: cases are emerging and spreading into new, underprepared areas while basic response measures are still not in place in the original hotspots, making containment efforts increasingly challenging.

“Assuming the outbreak is under control because some Ebola Treatment Centres are admitting fewer patients would be a mistake,” says Anthony Kergosien, MSF Emergency Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“In Ituri, the original epicenter, the spread is indeed slowing down for now. But nationally, the number of new cases has not fallen. The outbreak is not shrinking, it is moving: South Ubangi has become the seventh affected province, while North Kivu now accounts for nearly half of all newly confirmed cases, with test positivity rising sharply in recent days. While undetected chains of transmission are already taking hold in the main operational hubs, the spread of the outbreak into new areas with even weaker preparedness and response capacities poses a serious risk.”

The DRC is currently facing the largest Ebola disease outbreak ever recorded in the country. Since May, more than 7,200 confirmed cases and 3,500 deaths have been reported, with the true toll likely higher due to gaps in surveillance and case detection. To make sure its response is the most effective, MSF is deploying staff and resources towards rapid-response teams. These teams support early case detection, patient observation and treatment, infection prevention and control measures, contact tracing, surveillance, and community engagement.

“This strategy is about detecting and trying to contain new clusters early, before they grow into large outbreaks,” explains Kergosien.

“In health zones, such as Bambu, where we currently have a rapid response team deployed, health systems are already stretched thin by chronic funding gaps, staffing shortages, and weak referral capacities. Ebola pushes these fragile structures past their limits. Our teams provide a frontline response to bridge the most urgent gaps while the wider response scales up.”

However, MSF teams alone cannot address the expanding edges of this outbreak. Sustaining this approach requires a significant increase in operational support from UN agencies, including the World Health Organization. A more responsive and comprehensive engagement that strengthens all pillars of the Ebola response is urgently needed, particularly in areas beyond the main hubs where response capacities are concentrating. Such support would enable MSF teams to focus on rapidly deploying to newly emerging clusters while ensuring affected communities receive the full range of services required to contain the outbreak.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au.

Drawing inspiration from desert rose formations and the resilience of succulent plants thriving in arid landscapes, the collection translates the beauty and vitality of desert life into contemporary jewellery design. Comprising 20 pieces, the Desert Rose collection is now available at selected Chow Tai Fook stores across 25 cities in China.

Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, commented: “Chow Tai Fook has been a key partner since becoming a De Beers Group Sightholder in 1973. With this new Desert Rose collection, we are delighted to continue working closely together to grow consumer desire in China. Chow Tai Fook and De Beers are both passionate about consumer trust. We are committed to protect and promote the enduring value of natural diamonds.“

Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, added: “The Desert Rose collection celebrates the resilience and individuality of today’s women, with designs inspired by the beauty and vitality of desert life. Through our joint effortswith De Beers Group, we are confident in bringing the distinctive character of Desert diamonds to more consumers and inspiring a deeper appreciation of their lasting value.”

Over the past few years, De Beers Group and Chow Tai Fook have worked closely on natural diamond campaigns, staff training, and in-store activations across China. Looking ahead, the two parties will build on their established ties with a new initiative focused on strengthening consumer confidence in the long-term value of natural diamonds. This initiative also aligns with the Chinese government’s advocacy for consumption upgrading, reinforcing the positive role of natural diamonds in the country’s broader economic and lifestyle evolution.

Beyond the Desert Rose collection, De Beers Group’s immersive JGW exhibition space showcases Desert diamond loose stones and jewellery against bamboo-weave showcases created by artist Xu Mingyu. Recognised as a Chinese intangible cultural heritage, the bamboo installation draws inspiration from desert dunes and diamond facets, embodying the Building Forever commitment by bridging traditional craftsmanship with natural diamonds. The space also features Tracr, diamond verification technologies, and rhino conservation initiatives.

Together, these initiatives reaffirm the significance of natural diamonds in contemporary life and culture—and stand as a powerful testament to the deep-rooted ties between De Beers Group and Chow Tai Fook. United by a shared vision, the two companies continue to champion the heritage, artistry, and timeless value of natural diamonds, carrying forward a message that resonates across generations: A Diamond Is Forever.

Please follow the official accounts to find more information regarding natural diamonds.

Hashtag: #Naturaldiamonds #Diamonds #Desertdiamonds #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondisForever

About De Beers Group

The Beijing Declaration recognises the global nature of the diamond industry and acknowledges the connection from the positive socioeconomic impact felt in diamond-producing countries to China’s consumers of diamond jewellery, who are increasingly looking for authenticity and individuality in their jewellery choices.

Hosted by the Shanghai Diamond Exchange, the event and signing ceremony in Beijing brought together government representatives of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, with senior figures from China’s jewellery industry and the global natural diamond industry. In the spirit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, participants held in-depth exchanges on the current state of the global natural diamond industry, including consumer and retail trends in China, the socioeconomic impact of the natural diamond industry across diamond-producing countries in Africa and future industry cooperation priorities.

Natural diamonds are born of the earth, and behind their value they deliver tangible socioeconomic returns for African diamond-producing nations: driving economic growth, providing jobs, livelihoods and skills development, and supporting conservation and biodiversity. The Beijing Declaration acknowledges natural diamonds’ unique geological origin, rarity and enduring value, as well as their deep-rooted cultural meaning within Chinese traditions as symbols of purity, beauty and eternal commitment. Through the Beijing Declaration, the industry acknowledges that these positive impacts deserve to be better understood by more Chinese consumers.

Rooted in the long-term friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa, the Beijing Declaration sets forth a shared vision for advancing sustainable development of the natural diamond industry, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The Beijing Declaration builds a shared vision for deepening exchange and cooperation across the natural diamond value chain. It proposes support for African diamond-producing countries in enhancing local value creation capacity, strengthening skills training and promoting economic diversification; further enhancing transparent and objective consumer communication on the origin of natural diamonds and their socioeconomic impact; deepening market links between African diamond-producing countries and Chinese consumers; and, relying on existing bilateral and multilateral China-Africa cooperation mechanisms, further expanding exchange and cooperation to jointly promote more inclusive and sustainable economic development.

As an important element of the global natural diamond industry, China’s consumer market is steadily maturing. As a State Council-approved national diamond trading platform, the Shanghai Diamond Exchange plays an important role in connecting the global natural diamond supply chain with Chinese consumers, providing integrated customs, tax and certification services, and serving as a permanent member of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB). Chinese consumers are extending their attention to natural diamonds to authenticity, traceable provenance, cultural meaning and enduring value.

The key advocates of the Beijing Declaration were:

• Mr. Lin Qiang, President of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange
• H.E. Prof. Lekoko S. Kenosi, Ambassador of Botswana to the People’s Republic of China
• Ms. Nosiphiwo Mzamo, Chief Executive Officer, South African State Diamond Trader
• H.E. Ms. Tonata Itenge-Emvula, Ambassador of Namibia to the People’s Republic of China

The signing was witnessed by global industry representatives including Mr. Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, Ms. Amber Pepper, CEO of the Natural Diamond Council and Ms. Emma Wade-Smith on behalf of the World Diamond Council.

Major Chinese jewellery retail brands were also represented at the signing ceremony, including Chow Tai Fook, Lao Feng Xiang, Chow Sang Sang, Lukfook Jewellery, CHJ Jewelry, Chow Tai Seng, Sino Gem and Kimberlite.

Mr. Lin Qiang, President of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange, said:

“We are delighted to welcome delegations from leading African diamond-producing countries to Beijing. Natural diamonds deliver profound socioeconomic benefits to these nations. As China continues its evolution as a major player in the global diamond industry, we are thrilled to lay important foundations for enhanced collaboration between China and African diamond-producing nations. Today represents a meaningful new beginning: for closer connections, deeper mutual understanding and expanded partnerships. The Shanghai Diamond Exchange will keep fulfilling its role as a platform and bridge. We look forward to future interactions that unlock opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, and to bringing the authentic stories and genuine value of natural diamonds to growing numbers of Chinese consumers.”

Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said:

“‘Building Forever’ lies at the heart of De Beers’ approach in Africa. We want every diamond discovered to bring real, positive impact for the people and the land where we find these precious stones. We welcome the Beijing Declaration as a new framework to help us better link African diamond-producing countries with Chinese consumers. We are committed to working across the global diamond industry so that natural diamonds can continue to support jobs and livelihoods and protect the natural environment.”

H.E. Prof. Lekoko S. Kenosi, Ambassador of Botswana to the People’s Republic of China, said:

“For Botswana, diamonds represent far more than luxury gemstones; they are an important resource for national development. Discovered shortly after our independence, diamond resources have financed broad access to quality education, healthcare, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities for generations of Batswana people. We have built local industrial capabilities across sorting, cutting and polishing, and our ambition stretches further: to embed greater technology, expertise and economic value within our borders, diversifying our national economy while safeguarding our precious natural heritage through conservation initiatives such as the Okavango Eternal partnership. A diamond may leave Botswana’s soil, yet the human capital, enterprise development capacity and environmental stewardship its revenue creates remain at home. When Chinese consumers select a diamond to mark marriage, family milestones or personal celebration, their choice connects directly to livelihoods, youth opportunity and national development ambitions within producing nations. We do not ask consumers to bear responsibility for our development, but we urge that this full human story of origin be made visible through informed consumer understanding. The signing of the Beijing Declaration opens a promising new chapter for our bilateral ties, enabling diamonds to serve as a bridge of shared progress between our peoples.”

H.E. Ms. Dipuo Bertha Letsatsi-Duba, Ambassador of South Africa to the People’s Republic of China, said:

“I am very honoured to witness this historic moment of the Beijing Declaration. The Declaration establishes a positive and constructive cooperation framework for signatory countries, provides an open basis for dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding, and enables African producers and relevant parties in China’s natural diamond industry to further recognize the value of natural diamonds in economic growth, employment and sustainable development. Consumer confidence is crucial, especially for natural diamond products with emotional value. We are deeply proud that natural diamonds can lay the foundation for this cooperation and hope the Beijing Declaration will become one of the best multilateral interactions between China and African diamond production partners.”

Signatory governments to the Beijing Declaration, together with industry representatives from natural diamond trading, manufacturing and retail, will continue follow-up exchange and cooperation to further translate the vision set out in the Declaration into concrete actions. Future cooperation directions include promoting industry market data cooperation, carrying out consumer-facing education programmes on the origin and industry impact of natural diamonds, conducting cross-border exchange on global best practices, and exploring more cooperation opportunities through existing China-Africa sustainable development cooperation mechanisms.

Hashtag: #Naturaldiamonds #Diamonds #SustainableDevelopment #BeijingDeclaration

About Shanghai Diamond Exchange

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

17 Septemeber 2026 – As healthcare and nutrition services close across Mudug region in central Somalia, and children arrive at hospital in critical condition after treatment closer to home has failed them, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is calling on donors, UN agencies and health authorities to restore and scale up nutrition treatment at primary healthcare level across the region.

The inpatient malnutrition ward MSF supports at Mudug Regional Hospital in Galkayo has 28 beds. Since early April 2026 it has been running beyond capacity. Due to the overwhelming need for care, the team has continued to admit children despite the ward being full, and at its peak in late May almost twice that number of children were being treated in it.

Between January and July, MSF admitted 1,389 children for inpatient treatment of acute malnutrition and medical complications, 809 of them severely malnourished. Between May and July, 1,322 children were admitted to outpatient malnutrition treatment, compared with 788 over the same three months in 2025—an increase of nearly 60 per cent.

The caregivers of most of these children have already sought care somewhere else first. Of eleven children newly admitted over one week in June, ten had already attended a health facility closer to home. Their caregivers brought them to the MSF-supported hospital because there was no medication or therapeutic milk, or because their child was not getting better.

Sabrin Ahmed travelled 12 hours by car from Abudwak, around 270 kilometres away, after a doctor in a local hospital there told her he could not treat her 11-month-old, and after she learned that the therapeutic milk the child needed was out of stock in the town.

“By the time these children reach us, they are not only malnourished. They have pneumonia, or measles, or diphtheria on top of it, which is much harder to treat and increases the risk of death, ” says Emmanuel Omale, MSF project coordinator in Somalia.

“They are not arriving late because their families waited. They are arriving late because there was nothing left closer to home. An inpatient ward is the last step in a chain. It cannot replace the rest of it, and it is already full.”

Somalia’s humanitarian response plan was reduced to US$852 million for 2026 and was still less than one third funded by July, according to UNOCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has cut emergency food assistance from more than two million people to just over 600,000, and more than 70 health facilities in Puntland, one of Somalia’s federal member states, which covers the northern part of Mudug region have closed. Rainfall has been substantially below average across Mudug through 2026, and pastoral families have moved in search of water and pasture, taking them further from facilities that are still functioning.

MSF calls on donors, UN agencies and health authorities to restore and scale up nutrition treatment at primary healthcare level across Mudug. That means functioning inpatient and outpatient treatment for acute malnutrition close to where families live, and uninterrupted supplies of ready-to-use therapeutic food and essential medicines that enable that. Children treated early for acute malnutrition, in their own district, can avoid getting sicker, and the need for a hospital bed.

MSF will continue to admit and treat every acutely malnourished child who reaches Mudug Regional Hospital and will keep looking for ways to add capacity. But an emergency ward cannot substitute for a health system, and the severely sick children arriving now are the measure of what significant access to care has already been lost.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au.

Source: ClawCon Nairobi

NAIROBI, Kenya — September 16, 2026: More than 400 developers, entrepreneurs, technology professionals, students and innovators attended ClawCon Nairobi, Africa’s first community-led personal AI conference, held at Strathmore University.

The huge turnout for the inaugural event reflects a growing interest in a new generation of artificial intelligence that is moving beyond simply answering questions to helping people get things done.

Much of the discussion centred on OpenClaw, an open-source personal AI assistant that can run on a user’s computer, server or cloud environment and, with the necessary permissions, connect to selected communication channels, applications and digital services.

The technology is part of a broader shift in artificial intelligence towards AI agents that can carry out tasks, automate repetitive work and coordinate activities across different digital platforms.

For users, this represents a move away from the traditional chatbot model. Personal AI systems can be configured to individual or organisational needs, supporting specific workflows rather than providing generic responses. Potential applications range from research and information management to administrative tasks, software development, content preparation and the coordination of recurring business activities.

Developer and OpenClaw community member Frank Odongkara said the technology could be particularly useful to African entrepreneurs, professionals and students looking for affordable ways to increase their productivity.

“OpenClaw is an exciting technology leap for African entrepreneurs, professionals, and students. It’s now possible to have an intelligent, personal assistant in your WhatsApp DM that is just yours alone. And it costs next to nothing,” he said.

Hosted by First Circle Capital Partner Agnes Aistleitner, ClawCon Nairobi brought together people from across Kenya’s technology ecosystem, including developers, founders, researchers, creators and business operators.

Through demonstrations and discussions, participants explored how personal AI agents could be applied to everyday work, business operations and the development of new technology products.

The turnout also points to a changing conversation around artificial intelligence in Kenya, and by extension, across Africa.

“Interest is no longer limited to using AI products developed elsewhere. Increasingly, developers and businesses are looking at how these technologies can be built, adapted and applied to local needs,” Ms. Aistleitner said.

OpenClaw was created by Austrian software developer and entrepreneur Peter Steinberger, who previously founded PSPDFKit, a document technology company. What began as a personal project has since developed into an international open-source community of developers, entrepreneurs, researchers and users interested in the possibilities of personal AI.

For Africa’s entrepreneurs and small businesses, the potential is significant. Affordable, customisable AI assistants could take on routine administrative work, support research and information management, and help individuals and small teams access capabilities that might otherwise require additional employees or more sophisticated technology infrastructure.

“ClawCon Nairobi highlighted a fundamental change in the way people are thinking about AI. The question is increasingly shifting from what artificial intelligence can generate to what it can actually do,” Ms. Aistleitner added.

As personal AI continues to develop, it could become a new interface between people and the digital tools they rely on every day – with implications for how individuals work, how businesses operate, and how entrepreneurs build new products and services.

About OpenClaw

OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI assistant designed to enable users to configure AI around their individual workflows, tools and communication channels. The platform forms part of the broader emerging personal AI ecosystem focused on automation, personalised assistance and user-controlled AI.

For more information on documentation and installation guidance, please visit https://www.openclaw.ai