Connect with us

Technology

Riyadh Action Agenda Gathers Steam as Land Governance Takes Center Stage at UNCCD COP16

Published

on

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The role of governance in local, regional and international efforts to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification, dominated discussions during Governance Day at COP16 in Riyadh on Friday. Proceedings featured major events driving action on land degradation, including water scarcity, and desertification, as well as advancing women’s land rights and enhancing urban-rural linkages.

It comes amid the launch of the Riyadh Action Agenda, a landmark initiative of Saudia Arabia’s UNCCD COP16 Presidency, mobilizing state and non-state actors. It will enhance financing for land restoration and drought resilience and drive measurable progress towards the UNCCD target of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. The Riyadh Action Agenda further progressed on Governance Day, with a declaration calling for engagement between local and regional governments to develop a roadmap for tackling land degradation, drought and desertification.

Meanwhile, the Mayors Forum, featuring current and former mayors, policymakers and experts, sought to elevate the role of local and regional governments in addressing land degradation, desertification and drought. Participants called for enhanced cooperation and inclusive finance, amongst other key policy areas.

Uğur İbrahim Altay, Mayor of Konya, Turkey and Co-President of the United Cities and Local Governments, said: “Meaningful action requires meaningful resources. I am here, as head of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments delegation to make a strong Call for Engagement of local and subnational leaders to unite for combating Land Degradation and Drought, through mechanisms that prioritize investments in drought-resilient infrastructure and ecosystem restoration, while also ensuring direct access for all subnational governments, particularly in the Global South,”

Walid Al-Akrish, Deputy for Projects for Riyadh Municipality, Saudi Arabia, gave a keynote address, saying: “We must acknowledge that the challenges we face; population growth, rapid urbanization and unsustainable agricultural practices, have led to alarming rates of land degradation and biodiversity loss.”

Urbanization is intensifying the strain on hinterlands, water and food resources, and further accelerating land degradation. The growth of urbanized areas is only forecast to increase, with 68% of the worlds population expected to be residing in urban areas by 2050, according to the UN. Rapid urbanization is forecast to greatly impact surrounding rural areas, especially in developing countries. This trend is set to further heighten the importance of regional and local authorities, in managing resources for growing populations.

Alongside the Mayors Forum, an event on urban-rural linkages explored the governance frameworks and financing tools that can be used to strengthen the connections between rural producers and urban consumers.

“It is imperative we localize decision-making to combat land degradation, desertification and drought, and enhance the synergies between growing urban populations and rural producers,” said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency.

“The Riyadh Action Agenda is now up and running and already mobilizing a range of key stakeholders to accelerate action on land restoration and drought resilience. It will bring together international state and non-state actors to deliver tangible change for people around the world, during the remainder of COP16, and beyond.”

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia launched the Riyadh Action Agenda. It will encourage countries, the private sector, financial institutions, international organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen the convention by either joining existing initiatives that bolster global action on land degradation, desertification and drought, such as the Middles East Green Initiative, Africa Great Wall, Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, or champion new initiatives.

Already, COP16 in Riyadh has secured over $12 billion in funding pledges from major international organizations, amplifying the role of financial institutions and the private sector’s role in combating land degradation, desertification and drought, and launched the groundbreaking Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership.

About COP16 Riyadh: 

The UNCCD COP16 conference is taking place from December 2-13, 2024, at Boulevard Riyadh World, Saudi Arabia. The conference, themed Our Land. Our Future, will mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aims to secure multilateral action on critical issues such as drought resilience, land tenure, and sand and dust storms.   

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2575880/UNCCD_COP16_1.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2575881/UNCCD_COP16_2.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2556588/5066276/UNCCD_COP16__Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/riyadh-action-agenda-gathers-steam-as-land-governance-takes-center-stage-at-unccd-cop16-302325535.html

SOURCE UNCCD COP16 Presidency

Continue Reading

Technology

LianLian Global and PayPal Power Cross-Border Payouts for Social Commerce, Marketplace, and eCommerce Customers

Published

on

By

Social commerce, marketplaces and eCommerce players served by LianLian Global can now pay creators, influencers, developers, and independent contractors directly to their PayPal and Venmo wallets.

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LianLian Global  today announced it has partnered with PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) to enable its social commerce, marketplace and e-commerce clients to send payouts directly to PayPal accounts globally and to Venmo accounts in the U.S.

The creator and gig economy runs on fast, low-friction payouts. Brands are expected to spend $32.6 billion on creators in 2026 and roughly 50 million people worldwide create content professionally or semi-professionally (Gigapay Global Creator Economy Report 2026). Many of these recipients already hold a PayPal or Venmo account: PayPal had over 400 million active accounts across approximately 200 markets at the end of Q2 2026, and Venmo reached 67 million monthly active accounts in Q4 2025.

Paypal Payouts is live in 96 global markets and 24 currencies. It allows merchants to send to any email address, mobile number, or Venmo user handle, with or without an existing PayPal or Venmo account.

To support enterprises expanding globally, LianLian Global provides digital payment services including pay-in, pay-out, acquiring, foreign exchange, virtual cards and payment aggregation. To date, its parent company Lianlian DigiTech has served more than 13.3 million clients. Its services reach more than 200 countries and regions, support transactions and settlement in more than 140 currencies, and connect with more than 180 global e-commerce platforms.

The partnership combines LianLian Global’s cross-border collection, FX and compliance infrastructure with PayPal’s global wallet network. Key offerings include:

Pay to PayPal: Payouts from LianLian Global clients to PayPal account holders in 96 markets, using only the recipient’s email or phone numberPay to Venmo: Domestic U.S. payouts to Venmo users, including creators, influencers and independent contractorsPayPal Payouts for Platforms: Mass disbursements for social commerce, marketplaces and affiliate platforms paying large numbers of sellers, creators and contractorsSpeed to settle: Save time and money by eliminating check runs and postage; no need for routing numbers and bank accounts.

Sandra Lam, Deputy CEO of US at LianLian Global: “Social commerce is creating a new economy, where creators, influencers and independent sellers drive discovery and sales alongside the platforms they sell on. Paying these participants fast, across borders and in small amount is what powers the network effect of social commerce. We see our work with Paypal as a key step in building the payout rails for the global gig economy.”

The collaboration expands LianLian Global’s payout coverage and supports its growth in the U.S. and global markets as cross-border platforms scale their creator and contractor programs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lianlian-global-and-paypal-power-cross-border-payouts-for-social-commerce-marketplace-and-ecommerce-customers-302917635.html

SOURCE LianLian Global

Continue Reading

Technology

Crab2B Debuts as Hong Kong’s First Dedicated B2B Platform for Mobile Electronics

Published

on

By

HONG KONG, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With the global population surpassing 8 billion, mobile electronics have become essential to modern life, with smartphones now used by billions of people. Across approximately 13,861 cities worldwide, electronics wholesalers play a vital role in the supply chain. Among the world’s three major wholesale hubs for digital electronics, Dubai serves the Middle East and Africa, Miami connects markets across Latin America, and Hong Kong draws strength from its unique position linking mainland China with global markets. According to Hong Kong Customs data, re-exports of used mobile phones from Hong Kong reached 51.5 million units in 2025, while the total value of electronics exports hit HK$3.9216 trillion. Yet despite its value running into the trillions of Hong Kong dollars, it has long lacked a dedicated online platform.

Crab2B was created to fill this gap as Hong Kong’s first B2B platform dedicated to mobile electronics. Inspired by Alibaba’s online B2B marketplace model, the platform focuses on consumer electronics, bringing together hundreds of thousands of buyers and sellers worldwide and enabling them to connect directly.

Crab2B covers a broad range of products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and other smart devices. Listings span brand-new and used devices, as well as certified pre-owned (CPO) and as-is products. The platform also connects buyers and suppliers with service providers offering product inspection, international logistics and repair services. Users can search for products by brand and model, while all merchants undergo rigorous verification before joining the platform. With these safeguards in place, Crab2B is designed to meet the needs of businesses across the value chain, protect the interests of both buyers and sellers, and facilitate mutually beneficial transactions.

Building on Hong Kong’s established trading network, Crab2B made its debut at the HKICEC Global Mobile Exchange Pavilion during the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows, held at AsiaWorld-Expo from October 18 to 21, 2026, where it also launched the Crab2B app. Looking ahead, Crab2B will remain firmly rooted in Hong Kong while expanding its global reach, continuing to refine the platform to deliver a smarter, more comprehensive digital marketplace for mobile electronics. By helping international buyers identify suitable suppliers, simplifying cross-border sourcing and reducing transaction costs, Crab2B aims to support the continued growth of Hong Kong’s digital trade sector and contribute to the city’s long-term prosperity and stability.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/crab2b-debuts-as-hong-kongs-first-dedicated-b2b-platform-for-mobile-electronics-302917652.html

SOURCE CRAB 2B TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT CO., LIMITED

Continue Reading

Technology

AiMOGA Launches Global Robot Innovation: Mobo Debuts from Wuhu, Empowering Homes and Businesses

Published

on

By

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AiMOGA Robotics has officially launched Mobo, its first consumer-grade humanoid family companion robot, marking a new chapter in intelligent living for Malaysian households and enterprises. Unveiled globally from AiMOGA’s headquarters in Wuhu, China, during a joint international users summit with its sister brands, this groundbreaking product reflects the company’s commitment to worldwide innovation and technological excellence.

Standing 0.9 meters tall with 22 degrees of freedom, Mobo supports over 20 languages—including Bahasa Malaysia—and delivers rich, personalized interactions. Designed for family life, it offers children interactive learning, storytelling, and object recognition, while providing elders with conversational companionship and customizable reminders. Powered by MoAgent, AiMOGA’s embodied intelligence system, Mobo features a dual-brain architecture enabling real-time responses, multi-tasking capabilities, and adaptive learning through facial recognition and secure MogaCloud integration.

Peng Xia, AiMOGA Robotics Executive Vice President, said Mobo’s spatial perception, interaction, execution, decision-making, and cognition layers form a perception-decision-execution-feedback loop. Spatial memory enables object retrieval, while social navigation recognizes pedestrian paths and interaction zones. Multimodal technologies coordinate language, facial expressions, and movement for natural interaction.

Beyond home use, Mobo shows strong potential in professional settings—from customer service to logistics—supporting AiMOGA’s vision of integrating robotics into everyday workflows.

Since its debut in August 2026, Mobo has attracted over 10,000 prospective users. Thirty-five were selected as Global User Experience Officers, receiving one year of complimentary use to help shape future improvements.

At the event, Guibin Zhang, AiMOGA Robotics General Manager, outlined strategies in R&D, cost optimization, sales and leasing. The “Platform Institute + Scenario Institute” model drives validation for bipedal, quadruped, and wheeled robots. Plans include 300 global experience centers and “Jia Tian Xia”, a robot leasing brand launching in Wuhu. Leveraging Chery’s manufacturing and platform resources enhances cost efficiency and scalability.

Notably, AiMOGA’s impact in Malaysia is amplified through strategic collaboration with sister brands Chery, OMODA & JAECOO, iCAUR, and LEPAS. Their partnership extends far beyond vehicle showrooms and daily operations—jointly developing integrated smart ecosystems that span mobility, retail, smart offices, and connected living.

As part of a global rollout with over 3,000 units deployed across 60+ markets, this initiative aims to bring intelligent, accessible robotics to more Malaysian families and businesses—enhancing productivity, convenience, and quality of life.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/aimoga-launches-global-robot-innovation-mobo-debuts-from-wuhu-empowering-homes-and-businesses-302917658.html

SOURCE AiMOGA Robotics

Continue Reading

Trending