Latest news with #Fata
Daily Express
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Chief Minister to officiate Asean Travel Exchange June 19
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 Text Size: Tan (standing at right) briefing Minister Liew (seated at left) on ATE 2025. Kota Kinabalu: Preparations are underway for Sabah to host the two-day Asean Travel Exchange (ATE) 2025 this month, says State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Basically, ATE 2025 is a premier Business 2 Business (B2B) networking event in Sabah, connecting travel trade sellers and regional buyers to foster partnerships and collaborations on June 19 and 20. The Minister said the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) will host this inaugural mega tourism event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has been invited to officiate at the opening ceremony on June 19. Liew said KePKAS supports the proposal for four organisations to establish strategic partnership with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) in organising ATE 2025. They are the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta), Federation of Asean Travel Associations (Fata), Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta), and AirAsia Group. Asean has 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For ATE 2025, the target audience will be made up of tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, homestay operators, product owners, and decision-makers from the industry stakeholders. 'As we gear up for the upcoming event, I have been informed by the President of Fata (Datuk Tan Kok Liang) that 354 delegates from 17 countries have already confirmed their participation. They comprise 125 sellers and 229 buyers,' said Liew after a courtesy call by a delegation from the organisers, recently. According to Tan, seller countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, and Cambodia, with Malaysia leading the list at 88 sellers. 'On the buyers' side, top participating countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Thailand. This strong regional presence underscores growing international interest in Malaysia's tourism offerings, particularly in Sabah, which continues to gain traction as a vibrant and strategic tourism hub in the region,' he said in his briefing for the Minister. Also present were the Ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai, President of Matta Nigel Wong, Chairman of Matta Sabah Mohd Azlan Saleh, and Immediate Past Chairman of Matta Sabah, Lawrence Chin. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nuvita Global Awarded as Business of the Year for Anti-Trafficking Efforts
Recognized for Its Mission-Driven Impact, the Female-Founded Wellness Brand Leads the Fight Against Human Trafficking Through Purpose-Driven Profits and Community Action. LANSING, Mich., May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvita Global, a female-founded wellness company based out of Lansing, Michigan, was recognized as Business of the Year for their anti-trafficking initiatives and survivor empowerment. "At Nuvita, our mission is simple yet powerful – to empower individuals through wellness while leading the fight to end human trafficking and child exploitation," said CEO and Founder Amanda Fata. Since their beginning in 2019, Nuvita has supported over 55 charitable organizations dedicated to supporting survivors and fighting to end human trafficking, with over $200,000 in donations. One notable organization is Leslie King's survivor-led program in Michigan, Sacred Beginnings. Fata and King have collaborated in the past, with Fata visiting the Sacred Beginnings home and King speaking at Nuvita's 2023 Lift Off Convention. This year, Nuvita was nominated for one of many prestigious awards at Sacred Beginnings's 2025 Freedom Takes Flight Gala. The Madam C.J. Walker Business of the Year Award celebrates businesses that actively integrate a mission to combat human trafficking and support survivors into their business model and practices. Nuvita was one of three finalists competing for this title. "Accepting the Madam C.J. Walker Business of the Year award was truly inspiring," Fata shared. "I would not be here without my team and everyone who supports Nuvita. This isn't an I won, it's a we won! Thank you to each and every one of you who helped make winning this award a reality; we're just getting started." Learn more about Nuvita's mission and how you can support human trafficking survivors by visiting their website, To make a bigger impact in their community, Nuvita has partnered with The House of Promise, a Lansing-based non-profit organization for survivors, as a Platinum Sponsor for the entirety of 2025. The House of Promise provides a safe house for survivors to heal, learn, and rebuild their lives. As part of Nuvita's partnership, their team has visited The House of Promise multiple times this year, met with founder Shari Montgomery, and brought Affiliates there to learn more about their mission during a recent spring leadership retreat. Nuvita not only supports the organization, but the individual survivors as well. Survivors at The House of Promise created the Bloom Shoppe; an online store of handcrafted home goods that provides safe and supported professional development for survivors gaining financial freedom. As Nuvita Affiliates complete their yearly renewal, Nuvita is gifting each one with a candle handmade by the survivors at The House of Promise. Their year-long partnership is a testament to Nuvita's dedication to supporting survivors and is intended to help Montgomery and The House of Promise team expand their housing, staff, and healing capabilities. To join their mission, visit Media Contact: For media inquiries, please contact marketing@ For general brand inquiries, please contact info@ Nuvita Global is a female-founded wellness company committed to redefining health through clean, organic supplements and plant-powered solutions. With a focus on nutrition, detox, and hemp-based products, including high-quality CBD, Nuvita offers consciously crafted formulas designed to restore balance, boost vitality, and support everyday wellness. Driven by a mission to empower women and help end human trafficking, Nuvita dedicates a portion of all proceeds to nonprofit partners that support survivors. Rooted in integrity, purpose, and possibility, Nuvita Global is more than a wellness brand; it's a movement for meaningful change. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Nuvita Global
The Star
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sabah to host Asean Travel Exchange 2025, gathering influential tourism players
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is set to host the Asean Travel Exchange (Atex) 2025 on June 19, which promises to spark fruitful collaborations among Asean tourism industry players. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was briefed on Atex 2025 by a delegation of influential tourism players at his office in Menara Kinabalu on Monday (May 26). Federation of Asean Travel Association (Fata) president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said Atex 2025 will be the first international business-to-business tourism event to be hosted. The event is expected to bring in 200 international buyers and 100 regional sellers for trade, dialogue and collaboration in the tourism sector. The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry and key tourism organisations are supporting the Atex 2025. Industry players expect Atex 2025 to be a game changer in positioning Sabah at the forefront of regional and international tourism markets. Among those in the delegation with Tan, who is Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president, were Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) president Eddy Krismeidi, Nigel Wong and Air Asia director for Global Policy and Government Relations Zamani Rafique. State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister and Chairman of Sabah Tourism, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was also present.
Business Recorder
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
World Bank wing rates $212.379m Fata TDPs project as ‘highly relevant'
ISLAMABAD: The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) of the World Bank has rated 'Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs) Emergency Recovery Project' of worth $212.379 million as highly relevant and satisfactory, as the project exceeded almost all the output targets. The Group in its 'Implementation Completion Report (ICR) Review' stated that the original project was financed by a $75 million credit, followed by additional financings of $114 million, $15 million, and $12 million (the latter two through Bank-administered Multi-Donor Trust Funds), bringing total planned financing to $216 million. $210.1 million was actually disbursed, with the difference due to exchange rate fluctuations. The original Project Development Objective (PDO) was to 'support the early recovery of families affected by the militancy crisis, promote child health, and strengthen emergency response safety net delivery systems in the affected areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).' Revision to the PDO was done in two stages via restructurings administered through additional financings. World Bank rates $118m KP project as 'moderately satisfactory' In 2019, in order to expand the project into the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and to increase the type of services delivered, the PDO was slightly revised to becomes as follows: 'to support the early recovery of families affected by the militancy crisis, promote child health, and enhance citizen-centered service delivery in the tribal districts of KP province'. In 2021, the PDO was again modified: 'to support the early recovery of families affected by the militancy crisis, promote child health, and enhance citizen-centered service delivery in the selected districts of KP.' The project's overall rating is satisfactory, which is consistent with minor shortcomings in project design and implementation. The project was highly relevant and aligned to both government and Bank priorities. There was substantial project efficiency. Efficacy of objectives was rated substantial. The project succeeded in reaching a large number of households and provided them with unconditional and conditional cash transfers. Equally, it managed to fully vaccinate a high number of children, the majority of whom were girls. It also expanded service delivery in terms of both geographical coverage and the types of services offered. However, given the lack of information regarding the number of TDPs that retuned to FATA, it is not possible to determine the extent to which the project was able to incentivize the return of TDPs. Furthermore, there is insufficient evidence regarding the extent to which the grants were able to smooth consumption given that over time they were not increased to reflect the higher cost of living. The project was highly relevant, as it addressed the development challenges faced by the government of Pakistan, namely: (1) high number of TDPs, (2) inadequate child health outcomes, and (3) lack of social services in the targeted areas. The project was aligned with the government's strategies and sectoral policies. Specifically, it was in line with the government's National Social Protection Strategy, including preventing households and individuals from falling into poverty due to shocks. Furthermore, the project contributed to the Fata Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy, which identified social protection as one of the top priority sectoral interventions, with cash transfers as an important tool for the emergency response and recovery. Initially, 306,471 displaced families (list provided by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority) fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were made part of the Livelihood Support Grant (LSG) caseload. An additional 144,591 families - constituting 32 per cent of the final caseload - were added based on the grievances that were lodged after the project was launched. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
MoF tells PD: Power sector subsidies tied to fiscal space
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has reportedly informed the Power Division (PD) that the allocation of power sector subsidies for the fiscal year 2025-26 will depend on the availability of fiscal space, well-informed sources in the Finance Division told Business Recorder. In a letter titled 'MEFP for EFF 2024-27 – Circular Debt (CD) Target for FY 2025-26,' the Power Division had sought indicative allocations for the upcoming fiscal year to bridge the circular debt gap. According to the Corporate Finance (CF) Wing of the Finance Division, budgetary allocations for the power sector in FY 2025-26 will be finalized through the standard budgetary process in consultation with the Budget and CF Wings of the Finance Division, keeping in view the prevailing fiscal constraints. Energy sector reforms: Govt makes new commitments to IMF Regarding the issue of advance subsidy, the Finance Division has already shared its stance with the Power Division to clarify its position. Sources revealed that the Finance Ministry did not endorse the Power Division's proposal to release an advance subsidy of Rs224 billion to address power sector cash flow and liquidity concerns, arguing that adequate funds have already been provided. On March 25, 2025, the Power Division shared a draft summary with the Finance Ministry for submission to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), requesting the release of the advance subsidy. However, the Finance Division responded that sufficient funds—amounting to Rs633 billion—had already been allocated under various budgetary heads in line with the Power Division's requirements. According to the Finance Ministry, a sum of Rs509 billion has also been allocated under Finance Division's Demand No 45 of CFY 2024-25 as per the requirement shared by Power Division during the budgetary process, as per the following break-up; (i) TDS-KE (arrears) Rs88 billion; (ii) Fata (arrears) Rs86 billion; (iii) additional subsidy Rs120 billion; and (iv) GPPs/IPPs (equity) Rs215 billion. The Finance Ministry further stated that as is clear, ample funds are available in the budget for the liquidity requirements of the power sector. The Finance Ministry, however, has recommended that the funds be utilised in the same manner as allocated in the budget. Therefore, the Finance Ministry has not supported release of funds of Rs171 billion in the form of either advance subsidy or equity as proposed in the summary. Alternatively, the sum of Rs174 billion could be released on account of 'arrears of subsidy in respect of TDS-KE (Rs88 billion) and Fata (Rs86 billion)' against verified claims. The sources said, the Finance Ministry's recommendation is based on the following factors: an amount of Rs264 billion, released as advance subsidy for TDS-Discos in the previous years, still remains to be adjusted against actual claims, as per the following details;(i) stimulus package Covid-19/TDS Discos: advance Rs106.890 billion - claims Rs91.107 billion- balance Rs15.783 billion;(ii) PM Relief Package/TDS-Discos: advance Rs69.225 billion- claims Rs60.437 billion- balance Rs8.788 billion;(iii) future claims FY 2021-22/TDS Discos- Rs100 billion – claims Rs o - balance Rs100 billion;(iv) future claims FY 2021-22/TDS Discos: advance Rs50 billion - claims 0- balance Rs50 billion;(v) flood relief package/TDS Discos: advance Rs24 billion- claims 0- balance Rs24 billion;(vi) flood relief package/TDS Discos: Rs10.340 billion- claims Rs 0 – balance Rs10.340 billion; and (v) revised claims for the period of November 2020 to October 2023/TDS Discos: Rs55.487 billion - claims Rs 0 – balance Rs55.487 billion. This shows that the amount of total advances were Rs415.942 billion, of which, claims were of Rs151.544 billion and balance of Rs264.398 billion. The Finance Ministry has further stated that advance subsidy amount to Rs170 billion, released on account of TDS-KE till December 2024, also remained to be adjusted. ECC in its decisions of October 15, 2020 and July 16, 2021 had directed that reconciliation of subsidy claims be carried out, which is still pending. During the audit of FY2023-24 the AGP has raised observations that the previous advances provided against KE-TDS have not been adjusted before authorizing new/fresh advances. The sources said, Finance Ministry has recently suggested to Power Division to consider reconciliation through third party to establish the exact payables/receivables position, which is also important in the context of the upcoming privatisation of certain entities. 'The relief extended to the protected categories for first three months of FY 2024-25 was required to be funded through savings of PSDP 2024-25 as per the Cabinet's decision, 'Finance Ministry said supporting Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for subsidy for subsidy from PSDP to Power Division. The Finance Ministry was also of the view that funds may be utilized against actual verified claims of Discos and K-Electric after completion of all codal formalities as provision of advance subsidy on that account is not required. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
