Latest news with #NIP
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This ‘Strong Buy' Penny Stock Is Pivoting to Bitcoin Mining. Should You Buy Shares Here?
Bitcoin (BTCUSD) roared past $111,000 this year, reigniting the crypto gold rush and putting mining profitability back in the spotlight. In this high-stakes digital Wild West, progress is measured in exahashes (EHs). With the right hardware and hash rate, mining shifts from gamble to high-yield infrastructure play. That's where NIP Group (NIPG) steps in. Known for its digital entertainment and esports operations, NIP is making an audacious leap. It is acquiring 3.11 EH/s worth of active Bitcoin mining equipment via an all-stock deal with Fortune Peak and Apex Cyber Capital. This Analyst Just Raised His Broadcom Stock Price Target by 70%. Should You Buy AVGO Now? Why Alibaba Stock Looks Like a Screaming Buy After Falling 27% From Its 2025 Highs 2 ETFs Offering Juicy Dividend Yields of 20% or Higher Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. Not just a detour from its gaming roots, this is a calculated pivot into digital infrastructure. With a new Digital Computing Division in place and 60 BTC expected to roll in monthly, NIP's move straddles both immediate revenue and long-term AI-HPC ambitions. Should sharp investors snag shares now on this news? Or wait it out a bit longer? Born from the 2023 merger of Sweden's Ninjas in Pyjamas and China's esports force ESV5, NIP Group is crafting the next chapter of digital entertainment. With deep roots in competitive gaming and a bold eye on innovation, the company runs elite esports teams, talent management, event production, and game publishing across China, Sweden, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates. From arena spectacles to creator-driven content, NIP is shaping how gaming fits into daily life. And now, with a bold leap into Bitcoin mining, it is extending its reach into the future of digital infrastructure. Its market capitalization currently stands at $109 million. NIPG made its market debut on July 26, 2024, with an initial public offering (IPO) price of $9. The stock surged to a high of $17.76 just days later on July 30, 2024, before reality checked in. Since then, shares have tumbled 89% from those highs, although the tide seems to be turning. In the past month, NIPG has roared back, gaining 28%. June 30 alone saw a nearly 14% pop, capping a six-day rally with gains topping 66%. The most eye-popping intraday move was on June 26, when shares soared 20.5% — the sharpest move since March. The recent rally was sparked by buzz around its expansion into live entertainment. Add in rising excitement over its esports, talent management ventures, and Bitcoin mining entry, and investors have a penny stock reinventing itself across verticals — a high-risk, high-reward rebound story in the making. Priced at just 1.4 times sales, this penny stock also sits in classic bargain territory. NIP Group's fiscal 2024 results were a mixed bag, showing steady top-line progress but lingering profitability pain. Released on April 30, the report sent shares down nearly 12% as revenue came in at $85.3 million, just 1.9% higher year-over-year (YOY). But peel back the layers, and there's more to the story than just the miss. The revenue growth was led by a 147.5% surge in event production revenues, which almost doubled in the second half of the year thanks to tighter integration and a flurry of major events. Margins took a hit, but that was part of the plan — front-loading staff and marketing to lock in tier-one festivals for 2025. Meanwhile, Esports revenue fell 32% to $14.7 million and Talent Management declined 10% to $47.3 million. Still, NIP trimmed its net loss per share by 55% annually to $0.69, beating forecasts, although adjusted EBITDA slumped to -$9.9 million, reflecting profitability achievement challenges. Despite the profitability drag, NIP is clearly evolving. Backed by strategic capital from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Guangxi government, the group is morphing from a pure-play esports organization into a global digital entertainment platform. A new headquarters in Abu Dhabi now anchors its expansion efforts. The move comes with payroll subsidies, subsidized production facilities, and front-row access to one of the fastest-growing gaming regions. Looking ahead, NIP Group aims to scale its core businesses, launch new titles, and enter the game publishing and hospitality scene with its first S-tier complex. Backed by fresh funding, the company's Middle East expansion sets the stage for growth through 2025 and beyond. NIP Group's acquisition of 3.11 EH/s worth of Bitcoin mining equipment, set to close by Sept. 30, is more than just a headline grab. Paid entirely in equity through 119.5 million Class A shares, the deal provides near-term revenue without draining cash reserves. This places NIP in direct competition with mid-tier industrial miners. The machines are already running and are expected to yield around 60 BTC per month. For a company battling margin pressure and EBITDA losses, this new revenue stream offers instant top-line support and strategic optionality. Beyond crypto, the hardware unlocks compute capacity that could power AI models, gaming platforms, and more. With a new Digital Computing Division at the helm, NIP's mining pivot could very well become the engine behind its next growth chapter — and a pathway out of red ink. The Street may be quiet on NIPG stock, but the signal is still bullish. The stock carries a 'Strong Buy" rating from the sole analyst tracking shares. Maxim analyst Jack Vander Aarde set a price target of $6 in May, which implies potential upside of 210% from current levels. The analyst praised NIP's evolution into a diversified esports-tech player, though his trimmed target reflects recent share dilution and not wavering confidence. On the date of publication, Sristi Suman Jayaswal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Borneo Post
28-06-2025
- Health
- Borneo Post
Hepatitis B: A Silent illness that needs attention
Dr Lu Chee Men What Is Hepatitis B? Hepatitis B is a virus that attacks the liver and can cause both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) illness. A person with a chronic infection is referred to as a Hepatitis B carrier. The virus is spread through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids — such as during unprotected sex, sharing needles, or from mother to baby during childbirth. The younger a person is when they contract hepatitis B, the more likely they are to develop a chronic carrier state. In Malaysia, hepatitis B is considered an intermediate burden, meaning it's a significant health concern, and many people carry the virus without even knowing it. What Does It Mean to Be a Chronic Hepatitis B Carrier? If the virus remains in your body for more than six months, you are considered a chronic hepatitis B carrier. You may feel healthy and show no symptoms, but the virus could silently be causing long-term liver damage. Without regular medical follow-up, chronic hepatitis B can lead to liver cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver failure and liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). These complications can be life-threatening but they are preventable with proper care and monitoring. Why Is Regular Follow-up So Important? Even if you feel fine, regular follow-up is crucial to monitor liver function and viral activity, detect early signs of liver damage or cancer, determine when to start treatment and protect your loved ones from infection. By seeing your doctor every six to 12 months, you can stay ahead of the disease and reduce the risk of serious complications. What Does Follow-up Usually Involve? Blood tests – to check liver enzymes, HBV DNA levels, and overall liver function Ultrasound scan or FibroScan – to assess liver damage/scarring and to detect for early sign of liver cancer Tumour marker test (AFP) – to detect early signs of liver cancer Antiviral treatment, if necessary Routine follow-up will help doctor to decide when to start treatment and catch liver problems early — before symptoms appear. When Does Hepatitis B Need to Be Treated? Treatment for hepatitis B is not always necessary. Patient may need antiviral therapy if there is evidence of active liver damage, such as elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST), high levels of HBV DNA (viral load), inflammation or fibrosis shown on liver biopsy or elastography and signs of cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. In addition, treatment is required if the patient is immunocompromised or undergoing chemotherapy, to prevent reactivation. A pregnant woman has a high viral load — antiviral medication (usually tenofovir) is given during the third trimester to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission Prevention Is Better Than Cure The Hepatitis B vaccine is safe, effective and provides long-term protection. In Malaysia, the vaccine is part of the National Immunization Programme (NIP) and given to all infants since 1989. However, many adults borne before that remain unvaccinated. To prevent hepatitis B, here are things that can be done: Get vaccinated if you haven't already, practice safe sex (use condoms), avoid sharing needles, razors, or toothbrushes, ensure medical and dental procedures use sterilized equipment. All pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B Last but not least, here are some of the common myths and facts about Hepatitis B You can get hepatitis B from casual contact like hugging or sharing food. Hepatitis B is not spread through casual contact. It is spread through blood and bodily fluids. If I feel fine, I don't need to see a doctor. Hepatitis B can be silent for years. Regular monitoring is essential to detect liver damage early. There is no hope if I have chronic hepatitis B. Many people live long, healthy lives with proper medical care and follow-up. Your Health Is in Your Hands Living with chronic hepatitis B is not a death sentence. Dr Lu Chee Men, Resident Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Internal Medicine Physician of KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital advised the public that 'With regular check-ups and monitoring, many carriers live full, healthy lives. However, ignoring the condition increases the risk of serious liver disease.' Don't wait for symptoms. Don't assume you're fine just because you feel fine. Take control — get checked, follow up, and protect your liver.
Scoop
25-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Speech At 2025 Looking Ahead Infrastructure Symposium: Building Common Ground
Minister for Infrastructure Opening Good morning. It's great to be here today for the release of the draft National Infrastructure Plan – or the NIP. I'd like to thank Raveen Jaduram, Geoff Cooper, and the entire team at the Infrastructure Commission for hosting this Symposium and for their hard work on putting the NIP together. I'd also like to welcome you all to Parliament. Improving how we plan, fund, maintain and build our infrastructure is critical to lifting productivity, boosting economic growth, and increasing peoples' living standards. The government has made infrastructure a top priority. So, I welcome today's draft report by the independent Infrastructure Commission. We need a Plan, and action As Minister for Infrastructure, I hear regularly that – 'what New Zealand needs is a long-term infrastructure plan that transcends political cycles'. I agree – a plan will give the private sector more certainty so that they can invest in people and equipment. It will also help New Zealanders build consensus on what our future infrastructure system should look like. But a plan is only as good as it's execution. So, the NIP will only be successful if it is – at least in part – accepted and adopted across successive governments over the long term. As I'm sure most of you know, this isn't our first plan; we have been here before. New Zealand had infrastructure plans in 2010, 2011, and 2015. Some recommendations in these older plans are identical to those put forward in this Plan – over a decade later. I'm thinking of things like agencies completing 10-year capital plans and making better use of pricing tools. What differentiates this Plan is that it has been developed independently by the Infrastructure Commission – separate from the Government of the day. The NIP is not this Government's Plan, it is New Zealand's Plan. That is why each political party represented in Parliament was offered a briefing on the NIP last year. And I would like to thank the opposition spokespeople for infrastructure for being here today. Building greater consensus on infrastructure is, unfortunately, not as simple as different political parties getting in a room and convincing each other of the other's view. That's not realistic. Instead, consensus will be enabled by strong system and institutions, robust investment frameworks, high-quality evidence of our infrastructure needs, and advocacy for projects and policies from a better-informed public. That's what this Plan is about – independent experts advising New Zealand on the current state of infrastructure, what we need in the future, and the projects and policy reforms that will bridge this gap in the most effective and value for money way. People often say we need a bipartisan infrastructure pipeline, as if that will solve all problems. We do have a robust infrastructure pipeline. The Commission has been running it for over five years, and it's been progressively improved over that time. The Pipeline includes over 8,000 initiatives underway and in planning from 114 contributing organisations. It represents over $200 billion in investment value – with over $110 billion of the Pipeline having a funding source confirmed. I can't claim to speak for all the parties in Parliament, but I suspect that almost all of the projects underway right now are supported by everyone. It's the high profile and high-cost disagreements that make the headlines. But it's the low profile and often low-cost projects that actually make New Zealand. A lot of people don't know we have a pipeline. It's actually really cool – you can go online and search projects by region, timeline, project status, project value, provider, procurement type, and much more. The Commission is strengthening the Pipeline by aiming to cover all infrastructure providers. There are 14 laggard councils who aren't contributing, and I'll be writing to them to get them on board. Having visibility over everything that's happening, and going to happen, is very important. But I reckon we need to move away from the rhetoric of needing a bipartisan pipeline and instead build bipartisan consensus on the idea that governments of all flavours should use best-practice to plan, select, fund and finance, deliver, and look after infrastructure. That's not the case at the moment. We need change It is quite clear that our infrastructure system needs to change. It's one of my biggest takeaways from our first 18 months in government. I've been shocked at the near systemic neglect of the underlying institutional settings and policy frameworks. Contrary to many perceptions, New Zealand spends a lot on infrastructure. We are in the top 10 per cent of the OECD for infrastructure investment over the last decade – but in the bottom 10 per cent when it comes to getting quality and 'bang for buck' from our spending. The cause of our problem is not isolated – it is spread across every stage of a project's life, across different players in the system, and is perpetuated by decades of poor practice across successive governments. Over the last few years, New Zealanders have seen and felt the consequences of poor practice including: assets that are wearing out and failing, project cost blowouts, poor value for money investments, and a growing infrastructure deficit. If we keep doing things the way we are now, we won't be able to deal with 'business as usual', let alone get a grip on the challenges we are facing like: a significant backlog of maintenance and renewal activity, population change, natural hazards, and global inflation. To put this in perspective – over the next 30 years, every year, central government's existing infrastructure assets is expected to wear out by $9.3 billion. To keep up with this and other challenges, as the Commission says, we need to 'lift our game'. Taking action Over the last 18 months I've been focused on six priorities as Infrastructure Minister: Developing a 30-year National Infrastructure Plan, Establishing National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd (NIFFCo), Improving infrastructure funding and financing Improving the consenting framework Improving education and health infrastructure, and Strengthening asset management. I didn't pick these priorities randomly. They reflect findings and recommendations from the Infrastructure Commission's Infrastructure Strategy, developed in 2022, and are also based on a big programme of work we undertook in opposition engaging with experts from here and overseas. I am really pleased to see that many of the recommendations of the draft NIP reflect these priorities. This indicates that as a government we're heading in the right direction. I want to mention a few in particular as they pick up on a few themes coming through in the draft NIP. Improving infrastructure funding and financing Let's start with improving infrastructure funding and financing. Public infrastructure in New Zealand has historically been primarily funded by taxpayers or ratepayers. But our reliance on this blunt approach is not serving us well and has led to perverse outcomes including congestion, run-down assets, and the unresponsive provision of enabling infrastructure – contributing to unaffordable housing. Last year, we released a suite of new and improved frameworks and guidance including: Treasury's new Funding and Financing framework, The Government's refreshed PPP policy, Strategic Leasing Guidance, and Guideline for Market Led Proposals. The purpose of these documents is to help the Government use its balance sheet more strategically, apply good commercial disciplines to investment, and be a more sophisticated client of infrastructure. This year, I have focused on establishing new funding and financing tools. In February, I announced five specific changes to New Zealand's funding and financing toolkit to make it easier for councils and central government to provide infrastructure to support urban growth. I won't cover these in detail today, but the key takeaway is that we are moving to a system and to tools where councils can fully recover the costs of housing growth, and where infrastructure providers can recover costs of significant and city-shaping projects. I am happy to see the draft National Infrastructure Plan make recommendations that align with our Government's direction on funding and financing – such as making better use of pricing, user charging, and beneficiary pays. Improving the consenting framework Secondly, our consenting environment. As successive reports from the Commission have noted, our consenting system for infrastructure is broken. It takes too long and costs way too much. We are on track to replace the RMA with new legislation next year. Our new system will be effects based, embrace standardisation, and be far more permissive and enabling – while also protecting the environment. We also aren't willing to wait for a growth-enabling planning system, so in the meantime, last year we introduced the Fast Track Approvals Act. It's underway now. We're consulting right now on a big programme of National Direction changes under the RMA, including developing a National Policy Statement on Infrastructure. It's baffling that we haven't had one. We are also progressing our second RMA amendment Bill, which will pass into law in a matter of weeks. This Bill is a precursor to full replacement of the RMA and will make it quicker and simpler to consent renewable energy and boost housing supply. Strengthening asset management Lastly, before we move onto the draft Plan – I want to talk about my strengthening asset management. Asset management may not be the sexiest aspect of the infrastructure system – as it has to compete with new, big, and exciting projects – but everyone knows, if you don't paint the weatherboards on your house, the wood will rot. And billion-dollar infrastructure is fundamentally no different. Last year, I was shocked and quite frankly embarrassed to hear that New Zealand ranks fourth to last in the OECD for asset management, and dead last for the metric on Accountability and Professionalism. But this is not surprising when you look at the performance of our central government investment system. Over half of all capital-intensive government agencies do not have robust, comprehensive asset registers or asset management plans in place. Maintenance spending is also regularly diverted to building new infrastructure, resulting in costly catch-up spending later. Years of poor asset management has led to leaky hospitals and schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, service outages on commuter rail, and poor accommodation for Defence Force personnel and their families. This is not good enough. In May this year, Cabinet agreed to a comprehensive work programme that will improve asset management practice across central government. The aim of this work is to provide safer, longer lasting and more reliable and resilient infrastructure services; and to achieve better value for money by making the most of what we have. This work programme will take place across two phases and will be led by Treasury and the Infrastructure Commission. Phase 1 is about giving agencies better tools to help them succeed. This includes detailed guidance that agencies will need to follow on asset management; long-term planning; and related performance, assurance, and accountability indicators Phase 2 is about driving more fundamental changes to system settings and will actually be informed by the National Infrastructure Plan – particularly Chapters 4, Setting up Infrastructure for Success; and Chapter 5, Driving Excellence from the Core. Draft National Infrastructure Plan So, let's talk about the National Infrastructure Plan. I haven't had a chance to read the document in full as it was released today – but three things instantly stood out to me: The first is the Needs Analysis, or 'Forward Guidance', The second is the Infrastructure Priorities Programme, which InfraCom has put in Chapter 6, and The third is how we can change the Investment Management System to get better infrastructure outcomes. Forward guidance On the Forward Guidance, it was interesting to see how our investment mix will need to change to meet future demand. While total spend on infrastructure will increase, the relative priority between sectors will change overtime. This is due to long-term trends that boost demand for some infrastructure and reduce it for others. For example, an aging population will increase relative demand for healthcare and hospitals; and decrease relative demand for education services and schools. The Commission suggests that over the next 30 years hospitals, social housing, and electricity and gas sectors should all experience a rising share of infrastructure investment. I also found it helpful that the Commission's Forward Guidance outlines a rough indication of how much we should expect to be spending by sector. In my view, forward guidance would be significantly strengthened in future if all agencies had provided the Commission with 10-year capital investment plans and asset management plans. This way, the Commission could provide more detailed and specific guidance on what bundle of projects across all sectors governments should be prioritising. Moving on to the Infrastructure Priorities Programme, or the IPP – which is a structured independent review of unfunded infrastructure proposals. The IPP is just starting out and it will take some time to scale and provide a robust investment menu, but I am glad to see the Commission received 48 submissions for their first round of evaluations. 17 projects were positively endorsed, and three projects have been identified as being 'investment ready' – these are New Zealand Defence Forces' Accommodation, Messing, and Dining Modernisation Project; Defence Forces' Ohakea Base Project; and Hamilton City Council's Ruakura Eastern Transport Corridor. I encourage all government agencies to submit their significant projects and programmes to the IPP. A positive independent review will strengthen your case for investment. Improving the Investment Management System Lastly, there are a number of recommendations in the draft Plan that aim to improve the Government's investment system – which is made up of the rules and processes for how we plan, prioritise, fund and finance, delivered, and looked after investments – including infrastructure. For our Government to boost productivity, reduce the cost of living, and lift peoples' prosperity, we need to get better value for money from our new infrastructure and do a better job at looking after our existing assets. So, I am open to hearing about stronger rules such as legislative requirements for central government agencies and entities to prepare and publish long-term asset management plan, asset registers, and investment plans. I am also open to legislative requirements for performance reporting to keep central government infrastructure entities accountable – like we do for regulated utilities and local government, who both face much stronger regulations and information disclosures requirements compared to central government. We need to stop holding others to a higher standard than we do ourselves. Overall, I am pleased to see the draft Plan makes recommendations that align with existing Government priorities, such as: making better use of user pricing to fund investment, adopting spatial planning, relaxing land-use restrictions, transport system reform, prioritising infrastructure through the resource management system, and drastically improving asset management. The Government will continue to advance these policy priorities, and we will benefit from insights from the Plan. The final National Infrastructure Plan will be given to me by the end of 2025. As the Plan is an independent Strategy report, the Government will provide a formal response to the Plan in 2026. As part of that response, I will be engaging with other political parties in Parliament, and I intend to ask the Business Committee to hold a special Parliamentary debate on the final Plan early next year. Conclusion I'd like to finish by thanking the Infrastructure Commission for its hard work in delivering this draft National Infrastructure Plan. I encourage everyone including agencies, local government, opposition parties, the private sector, the public to have their say on the draft Plan through the consultation process – and I look forward to receiving the final Plan by the end of this year.
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Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India's cement production sees yearly gain, but monthly drop in April 2025
Cement production in India increased 6.66 per cent year-on-year to 39.88 million metric tonnes (MMT) in April 2025, up from 37.39 MMT in April 2024, according to data compiled from eight core infrastructure sectors by Thurro Research. These eight core industries—coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity—serve as barometers of industrial activity and contribute 40 per cent to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). Sharp monthly decline from March highs Despite the year-on-year growth, April output dropped sharply from March 2025, when cement production hit a record high of 47.87 MMT—the highest in the 13-month review period. The April figure marked a 16.7 per cent fall, attributed to the typical slowdown in construction activity following year-end fiscal completions in March. The data originates from Enterprise Application Integration's eight core industries report dated 21 May 2025, a critical indicator of India's economic activity. Seasonal trends and government push drive volatility Monthly production figures reveal cyclical volatility, particularly a slowdown during the July–November monsoon and post-monsoon period. Output remained around or below 36 MMT during these months, with July marking the lowest production at 33.95 MMT—likely impacted by widespread monsoon disruptions to construction. A recovery began in December 2024, with production jumping to 41.16 MMT—up 19.6 per cent from November's 34.41 MMT. The uptrend continued in January (42.72 MMT) and February (41.84 MMT), culminating in March's peak of 47.87 MMT. Analysts attribute this surge to fiscal-end disbursals and acceleration in infrastructure execution by central and state governments, particularly in roads, railways, and housing. Industry sources credit the demand spike to progress under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), housing initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and growing private sector real estate activity in urban areas. April resilience amid seasonal slowdown Though April 2025 output declined from March, the 39.88 MMT figure outperformed all months between April and November 2024, except June. Analysts suggest that residual Q4 demand and pre-monsoon construction timelines kept consumption elevated. Sector experts also point to the Union Budget 2025–26's continued capital expenditure focus as a supportive factor for April's healthy print. Monsoon outlook and second-half recovery
Arab Times
25-05-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
Hosting Stockholm Regional Centre enhances Kuwait's environmental leadership: KISR
KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) affirmed on Saturday that hosting the Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia underscores Kuwait's leading role in advancing global environmental initiatives and solidifies its status as a key regional hub for chemical and waste risk management. Dr. Mohammad Al-Otaibi, Coordinator of the Regional Centre and a scientific researcher at KISR, told KUNA that the center provides technical and training services to countries across West Asia. It serves as a vital link between three major environmental agreements—most notably the Stockholm Convention—and the member states, offering technical support, technology transfer, regular updates, and assistance in implementing national action plans and submitting periodic reports. Since its inception, the center has conducted numerous regional training workshops, Al-Otaibi noted. It is now preparing to host an expanded workshop in October 2025 at KISR's headquarters. The event will bring together participants from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, other West Asian nations, and international experts to address recent updates to the convention, including chemicals such as PFAS, UVA-328, and PCBs, as well as the latest testing and reporting mechanisms. He highlighted that the center recently completed an updated national survey of banned chemicals in Kuwait in coordination with relevant agencies, including the Environment Public Authority, which fully supported the effort. A comprehensive report was submitted to the Stockholm Convention Secretariat. The center is now working on a new inventory of newly added substances to be submitted according to the required timeline. Al-Otaibi outlined the center's strategic work plan for 2024–2027, which is built around eight key areas: organizing advanced training workshops, implementing national research projects, updating national implementation plans (NIP), building a regional chemical database, evaluating new chemicals, and facilitating regional coordination and periodic reporting. He stressed that collaboration with donors and international organizations — such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) — has strengthened the center's capabilities. These partnerships help facilitate technology transfer, expand regional influence, and enhance Kuwait's environmental commitments while creating valuable opportunities for national capacity-building. Al-Otaibi also emphasized the importance of KISR's participation in the recent Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9, 2025. Kuwait's involvement, he said, showcased the country's environmental efforts and contributed to key decisions, including the addition of new chemicals to the conventions, updates to technical guidelines, and the launch of joint environmental compliance programs. He added that the regional center provides strategic value for Kuwait, not only as a scientific and training hub but also as an essential mechanism for protecting public health and the environment. The center's success, he noted, has been made possible by the support of the Kuwaiti leadership and collaboration with national partners. Additionally, Al-Otaibi said the center plays a critical role in developing national human resources, proposing scientifically validated alternatives to banned substances, and reducing environmental pollution costs—ultimately supporting Kuwait's economy and promoting sustainable development. Kuwait ratified the Stockholm Convention in March 2006. In May 2009, during the Fourth Conference of the Parties in Geneva, KISR was officially approved as the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia, making it the first internationally accredited Arab center of its kind. Since its formal launch in 2011, the center has served as a scientific and technical cornerstone for advancing environmental policy and fostering coordinated regional efforts.
