The 4th Industry Revolution has begun. Unlike the steam that power our factories in the first revolution or the mass production model that dominating the second or the emergence of the computer driven system from the third revolution that we are living today, Industry 4.0 is about CONNECTIVITY.

Agriculture, Food and Horticulture are key sectors throughout Southeast Asia, accounting for a substantial share of the region’s GDP and employing an important part of the workforce. With the increasing populations, climate change, rising level of urbanisation and workforce challenges due to rural depopulation in most of the ASEAN countries, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions for the agriculture sector.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted final licenses to 3 Payment Service Banks (PSBs) to start operation.

International Finance Corporation (IFC) has announced a loan to FirstRand Bank to enable increased financial and advisory support to energy-efficient and water-smart projects in South Africa, helping the country meet decarbonisation goals and other environmental targets.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread throughout the world, governments and leading financial institutions across the South and Southeast region continue to issue various initiatives, stimulus measures and relief efforts within their respective countries in an attempt to shore up the hardest hit sectors and vulnerable groups directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare facilities, laboratories and other institutions operating in the Dubai healthcare sector will be pleased to note the issuance of Decision No. 17 of 2020 (amending the previous Decision 21/8 of 2020) (the “Decision”) that will further suspend any legal proceedings issued against certain named entities for a period of six months.

The resumption of tourism is off to a good start for the tropical paradise of the Seychelles Islands once again as the destination opened their International airport for chartered and private flights in June 2020 and reopened to scheduled flights on August 1, 2020.

Tourism investors in the region are challenged by the ongoing airspace tension between Kenya and Tanzania, now damaging the East African tourism and travel sector in the region.

The Guyana Tourism Authority has created and launched a digital SAVE Travel Guide, a first for Guyana’s tourism product aimed at the scientific, academic, volunteer, and educational travel sector.

As the Stans recover from a troublesome summer, they shift focus on promising projects and an ambitious year end.