September 21, 2022

Agthia Group Launches eZad, the World’s First Virtual Platform for Trading in Dates

It aims to put international wholesale date buyers in contact with sellers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, allowing their dates to reach regional and international markets. “We are proud to launch eZad, a unique and innovative platform that brings together date buyers and sellers from around the world. It is the easiest and most efficient way to trade dates electronically” – Mubarak Huthaili Al Mansoori

Mubarak Huthaili Al Mansoori, Chief Corporate Services Officer of Agthia Group,

ABU DHABI, Arab Emirates, Sept. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Agthia Group PJSC, one of the Middle East’s leading food and beverage companies, has launched its first-of-a-kind e-commerce marketplace eZad, www.ezad.ae. The B2B platform is the result of cooperation between Agthia subsidiary Al Foah and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), making it transparent, trusted, and credible.

The online auction platform was created to connect wholesale date buyers around the world with sellers in the UAE, KSA, and Jordan, guaranteeing that products from the region reach an international market. It is a comprehensive marketplace that includes full services and allows selling, purchasing and processing with the highest and fairest profit.

During eZad’s soft launch, it attracted 1,200 buyers and sold 120 tons of dates. Since the announcement of the cooperation with ADAFSA, eZad has seen a dramatic increase in interest, with the number of registered sellers rising to 2,400.

One benefit of using the platform is that it provides an internationally accredited certificate for the quality of dates, according to scientific standards, without the need for inspection and travel, and with additional after-sale services.

Mubarak Ali Al Qusaili Al Mansoori, Executive Director of the Agricultural Affairs Sector at ADAFSA, said: “We are happy with the launch of the eZad platform,” which he described as an innovative e-marketing channel that gives farmers and date producers an opportunity to buy and sell dates wholesale. He explained that opening unconventional marketing channels would enhance the competitiveness of UAE dates locally and globally, with the aim of transforming date farming to a strategic economic activity that promotes sustainable agricultural development.

He pointed out that the authority attaches special importance to palm trees and date production given their historical value and their position as a key driver of the nation’s food security system.

Mubarak Huthaili Al Mansoori, Chief Corporate Services Officer of Agthia Group, said: “We are proud to launch eZad, a unique and innovative platform that brings together date buyers and sellers from around the world. It is the easiest and most efficient way to trade in dates electronically, allowing date sellers to reach a global market and giving buyers around the world the chance to purchase the best dates on the market.”

He said there will be the addition of physical auctions on the ground in four locations at Al Foah receiving centers this season, allowing farmers to offer their dates for sale locally and internationally.

Al Mansoori said that it is possible to register online by filling out an electronic form and uploading the required documents. He added that dates on eZad are sold through six-hour online auctions, between 12 pm and 6 pm UAE time.

Buyers must fund their wallets ahead of auctions. Sellers will be able to list a minimum price. The highest bidder will win the auction, with 20% of the value of their bid debited at the time. The buyer will have five days to pay the remaining amount.

The platform’s checkout process allows buyers to select additional services and a preferred shipping option. eZad offers comprehensive services including fumigation, washing, storage, packaging, and delivery at an additional cost. For inquiries, please contact: +971 600587232.

About Agthia
Agthia is a leading Abu Dhabi-based food and beverage company. Established in 2004, the Company is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and has the symbol “AGTHIA”. Agthia Group PJSC is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.

Contact Information:
Eman Salem
press@30n.org
+201026611329

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Mubarak Huthaili Al Mansoori, Chief Corporate Services Officer of Agthia Group,

September 21, 2022

Sinch and Zapier expand partnership to deliver widest range of messaging to businesses — seamlessly

New integration enables Zapier customers to connect existing business apps and processes to messaging channels with Sinch’s Conversation API

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, and ATLANTA – September 21, 2022 – Sinch, a global leader in cloud communications and mobile customer engagement, today announced its latest integration with Zapier, an automation platform, to bring the widest range of messaging channels to the 5000+ business apps that Zapier supports through Sinch’s Conversation API (https://zapier.com/apps/sinch/integrations).

Small and medium sized business already use Sinch’s MessageMedia, SimpleTexting and ClickSend products to send SMS messages. The extended integration increases the scope to businesses of all sizes to send messages via messaging channels like WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook Messenger.

Sinch’s Conversation API enables businesses to build, enrich and optimize omnichannel interactions with a single integration. With just a few clicks, Zapier’s millions of users — comprising sales and marketing teams, HR departments, and more — can now build simple, automated logic flows between their existing marketing apps and processes and Sinch’s Conversation API to send and receive messages via messaging channels like WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger or Instagram. This makes it much easier — and faster — for businesses to start using new messaging channels at scale.

Without Sinch and Zapier, integrating new messaging channels and creating automation triggers within a business’ existing processes would require considerable time and effort from a development team, drawing on company resources and slowing down momentum.

Example use cases for the integration include:

Sending WhatsApp messages to a list of opted in customers stored on Google Drive
Payment confirmation messages sent via SMS when a customer makes a purchase using a brand’s Shopify instance
Creation of a Zendesk ticket when a customer messages a brand via Instagram DMs

With the widest range of channels on the market, and more channels to come, Sinch’s Conversation API positions Zapier users to provide true omnichannel communications to their customers and internal teams, increasing engagement and conversions.

“Messaging channels are immensely important for today’s businesses — they’re where customers are most active, and where they want to connect with their preferred brands and service providers,” said Jon Campbell, Director of Rich Messaging at Sinch. “Our expanded partnership with Zapier provides users with easy access to those channels from a single integration point, reducing headaches for IT departments and laying the groundwork for a true omnichannel conversational messaging strategy.”

Sinch’s MessageMedia integrated with Zapier in 2018, so that users can easily connect with other apps and automate repetitive tasks, such as sending SMS calendar notifications. Users don’t need to be a developer and signup is free.

Learn more about the Conversation API integration, and try it for yourself, here: https://zapier.com/apps/sinch/integrations.

For more about the Sinch’s MessageMedia integration, see https://integrations.messagemedia.com.

About Sinch

Sinch’s leading cloud communications platform lets businesses reach everyone on the planet, in seconds or less, through mobile messaging, email, voice and video. More than 150,000 businesses, including many of the world’s largest companies and mobile operators, use Sinch’s advanced technology platform to engage with their customers. Sinch has been profitable and fast-growing since its foundation in 2008. It is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has local presence in more than 60 countries. Shares are traded at NASDAQ Stockholm: XSTO:SINCH. Visit us at sinch.com.

For further information, please contact

Jeff Hasen
Vice President, Communications
Email: jeff.hasen@sinch.com

September 21, 2022September 22, 2022

Sihanoukville Opens New Counter-COVID-19 Facilities

Sihanoukville has kick-started a COVID-19 medical centre, laboratory and oxygen production facility at Chamkar Chek referral hospital.
H.E. Mrs. Men Sam An, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection, presided over the inauguration of the counter-COVID-19 facilities on Sept. 20.
According to Preah Sihanouk Provincial Governor H.E. Kuoch Chamroeun, the COVID-19 medical centre of mainly 230 patient beds, services rooms and other health equipment cost US$1,742,830.
A laboratory building of US$270,000 was donated by Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and his spouse Samdech Kittiprittpundit Bun Rany Hun Sen, and equipped with primary facilities supported by the People’s Republic of China, he added.
H.E. Mrs. Men Sam An spoke highly of the new health facilities as well as Preah Sihanouk province’s hard work to contribute to the Royal Government of Cambodia in fighting against COVID-19.
She believed the facilities will make the province’s health intervention, especially against COVID-19, more effective and encouraged a good use of them.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

September 21, 2022September 22, 2022

Cambodia, UNFPA Satisfied with Good Cooperation

The Kingdom of Cambodia and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have expressed their satisfaction with their good cooperation and shared the same commitment to further strengthen it.
The remarks were made during a courtesy meeting here late last week between H.E. Rith Vuthy, Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CRDB/CDC) and Ms. Sandra Bernklau, newly appointed United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative to Cambodia.
According to a CDC’s press release made public yesterday, in the meeting, H.E. Rith Vuthy thanked UNFPA for its continued support to Cambodia and affirmed the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)’s commitment and support towards Ms. Sandra Bernklau and her team in carrying out the vital work of the UNFPA.
H.E. Rith Vuthy emphasised the value of the Country Programme Action Plan-equivalent 2019-2023 between the RGC and UNFPA Cambodia, which has assisted Cambodia in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and also thanked UNFPA Cambodia for its work in the human resource development area, including family planning, sexual education, and the reduction of violence against women, particularly in assisting vulnerable women and young girls.
Regarding the Millennium Development Goal 5 target to reduce the maternal death ratio by at least 75 percent between 1990 and 2015, H.E. Rith Vuthy appreciated all the help and support provided by UNFPA Cambodia in helping to reduce the maternal mortality rate by almost two-thirds, which was one of the biggest accomplishments by only nine countries, including Cambodia.
Ms. Sandra Bernklau expressed her pleasure to begin her mission in Cambodia and showed profound gratitude to the strong and close cooperation and partnership with the CDC and the RGC’s line ministries and agencies, and highly valued the RGC’s efforts in achieving progress in socio-economic development.
At the same time, Ms. Sandra Bernklau stated UNFPA’s commitment in continuing to support the RGC to achieve the priority works and assured that the new Country Programme (2024-2028), which is in preparation process, will be flexible and adaptive in order to align with the RGC’s priorities. She also requested CRDB/CDC’s guidance and support in the formulation of the new Country Programme.
The estimated budget required to implement UNFPA’s Country Programme (2019-2023) is US$ 13 million, which consists of UNFPA’s total planned own resources of around US$ 8.3 million. According to the Cambodia ODA Database, UNFPA has a total of 9 projects, of which 8 projects are on-going and 1 project is completed.
The UNFPA’s main implementing ministries include the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports; the Ministry of Women’s Affairs; the Ministry of Health; and the Ministry of Planning.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

September 21, 2022September 22, 2022

Garment Workers’ Minimum Wage Rise to US$200 in 2023

Workers/employees in the textile, garment, footwear, travel goods and bag industry in Cambodia will receive US$200 monthly as minimum wage, starting from January next year, according to the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training’s press release issued this morning.
The ministry said the Labour Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from the government, workers and employers, agreed on the minimum wage to be raised to US$198 a month and Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, decided to add US$2, inching up to US$200 a month.
With other existing benefits such as partial travel and accommodation expenses, work performance reward, meal allowance and seniority bonus, workers/employees will be able to get between US$217 to US$228 a month on average.
The 2022 monthly minimum wage is US$194, up from US$192 in 2021, US$190 in 2020, US$182 in 2019, and US$170 in 2018.
The Royal Government of Cambodia has set a policy to increase the minimum wage of garment workers every year.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press