Hosted by the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), the meeting brought together senior representatives and experts from all ACG member institutions. Participants reviewed progress on ongoing programs, explored new opportunities for collaboration, and agreed on key priorities to accelerate sustainable development across member and partner countries.

Discussions focused on enhancing joint financing mechanisms, promoting innovation in development cooperation, and advancing climate resilience and social programs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The group also followed up on prior engagements, including virtual meetings held on November 27 with the Green Climate Fund and the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, aimed at fostering new partnerships with potential partners to achieve shared objectives.

The meeting highlighted several key topics, including the Abdlatif Y. Al-Hamad Development Award in the Arab World, Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development,  the Group’s Advisory Report on future strategic directions, and outcomes from ACG’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration, held in October in Washington, D.C. Representatives emphasized the importance of solidarity, shared learning, and coordinated action to address emerging global challenges and strengthen the Group’s collective impact.

The outcomes of the meeting will help guide and reinforce the ACG’s commitment to effective partnerships, innovative financing, and sustainable development globally.

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The specific program reaches the local catchment youth, women, eDAB (persons with disabilities), defense personnel, and people of the transgender community, to improve their employability within the e-commerce sector.

Hemant Badri, Senior Vice President and Head of Supply Chain, Customer Experience, and Re-Commerce, stated, “Flipkart is firmly committed to aiding millions of local companies on their e-commerce journey and contributing to the country’s inclusive economic growth. The Supply Chain Operations Academy (SCOA) seeks to provide students and prospective professionals with useful skills relevant to professions in e-commerce, retail, and warehousing. The initiative is dedicated to providing India’s youth with the skills required for the rapidly developing e-commerce sector. This program not only changes people’s lives, but it also shapes the industry’s future by directly addressing the urgent demand for a qualified workforce.”

SCOA offers youth the option to upskill without financial obstacles, making professional development accessible to all. Flipkart manages the curriculum, which provides a thorough and intensive learning experience customized to the industry’s dynamic demands. SCOA provides participants with industry-relevant skills, allowing them to gain experience in diverse e-commerce domains that suit their interests. The curriculum now includes a Warehouse Associate Training Module, which prepares students for essential operational positions such as Picker, Putter, Packer, Segregator, Sorter, Quality Check Executive, Data Entry Operator (DEO), and Issue Resolution Executive. This holistic approach aims to ensure that trainees are prepared to handle the changing demands of the e-commerce supply chain sector while also increasing the talent pool for one of India’s fastest-growing businesses.

Over the years, Flipkart has trained thousands of its supply chain employees across the country, which has helped them upskill themselves and find meaningful employment opportunities.

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INDIA: Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) today announced that it is working to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Multi-Modal Intelligent Agent for Honeywell mobile devices powered by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The agent will allow workers and customers in the distribution center and retail industries to interact naturally with their handheld devices through voice, pictures, and barcodes.

This AI-powered solution is built to function as a digital resource for the modern labor force and is designed to enable today’s stretched workforce to quickly tap into answers and outcomes, helping result in time savings, greater accuracy, and interactive results. The design and development of the Multi-Modal Intelligent Agent also supports Honeywell’s alignment of its portfolio to three compelling megatrends, including automation.

Workers will be able to enter data into the technology and then receive practical answers to queries like, “Do we have the gluten-free variant of this product in stock?” or “Where can I find this particular item in the store?” Depending on the question, users will receive responses in the form of an image, video, spoken response, text answer, or a combination of several modalities. This functionality is designed to enable workers to more efficiently complete their work while simultaneously navigating other ongoing tasks, such as assisting customers in a retail setting or performing multi-step workflows in a distribution center. The solution will be available to users through a software development kit that can integrate with an organization’s existing applications and systems.

“Utilizing our strengths in on-device generative AI, high-performance and low power computing, this collaboration with Honeywell underscores our commitment to pioneering innovative solutions that will propel the expansion of the connected intelligent edge,” said Nakul Duggal, group general manager, of automotive, industrial and embedded IoT, and cloud computing, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Honeywell’s new Multi-Modal Intelligent Agent represents a significant step forward in utilizing advanced edge AI to streamline operations and elevate customer interactions across industries. This initiative enables us to drive digital transformation, enhancing how businesses interact with their environments through intelligent and responsive technology.”

“By pairing Honeywell’s easy-to-use mobile devices and intelligent software with Qualcomm Technologies’ industry-leading edge AI processors, Honeywell is creating solutions to make workers’ jobs easier while also helping businesses produce the stellar experience they want for their customers,” said Jason Urso, Honeywell Industrial Automation chief technology officer. “With AI, Honeywell is amplifying what’s possible for businesses with mobile workers today.”

The Multi-Modal Intelligent Agent is expected to be available in early 2025. To learn more about how Honeywell is leveraging AI across key industries, visit: https://automation.honeywell.com/us/en/solutions/productivity.

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PUNE: Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt. Ltd. is thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our journey of innovation and service excellence. Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt. Ltd. (DAIPL), the fully owned subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., Japan & the market leader in the air-conditioning market in India today inaugurated its new office at 704 & 705A, 7th Floor, Orville Business Port, West Avenue Road, Opposite Konark Epitome Viman Nagar, Pune.

This new office space mirrors our commitment to the potential of Maharashtra & its discerning customers. With gaining Daikin confidence across Maharashtra, we must reflect the commitment to quality & elegance in our operations. These new premises will house departments such as – all product Sales, Service, Technical Support & other Support functions, that will act as an enablers for both channel partners & customers. We see Maharashtra as our top potential market, so we will continue to invest in developing the market to dominate the overall AC market. Today, the Daikin products bring with them strong technology from Daikin Global that offers a lower cost of ownership and is topped with unmatched quality and durability.

On this occasion, Kanwal Jeet Jawa, Chairman & Managing Director, of Daikin India said, “As we celebrate this remarkable centenary, we reflect with pride on Daikin’s journey from its inception in 1924 to becoming a global leader in the HVAC industry. This milestone is not just a testament to our pioneering spirit and technological advancements but also the unwavering trust and support of our esteemed customers, partners, and dedicated employees.

In India, Daikin has established itself as a household name synonymous with quality and innovation. Our journey in India has been marked by significant achievements, including the establishment of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, the introduction of cutting-edge products, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. As we commemorate 100 years of excellence, we reaffirm our commitment to driving innovation and sustainability in the HVAC industry. Our future initiatives will focus on enhancing energy efficiency, reducing our environmental impact, and leveraging advanced technologies to meet the evolving needs of our customers in India. With India demonstrating a robust upward growth & business trajectory, we have plans to get aggressive in our approach across Maharashtra, and the new products remain a key step towards strengthening Daikin’s endeavor to capture significant market share.

With this new office, we are committed to providing an unmatched consumer experience with a network of highly trained sales, service, and maintenance through our strong dealer network & employees. Daikin India has grown over 28 % in the last year, and it aims to reach a revenue of INR 16,000 crores by 2025, prompting us to launch a host of new products & increase our dealer network extensively. With robust infrastructure & housing development, we are witnessing a high demand for smart & energy-efficient air-conditioning solutions. We are planning to invest in heavy marketing & promotions across Maharashtra to secure a 30 % market share end of FY 24-25.”

Daikin India operationalized its new facility at Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, spread across 75.5 acres to reaffirm its commitment to excellence and innovation; positioned to cater to the increasing demand for air conditioning products manufactured in India, for domestic and international consumption. Daikin is the principal investor in the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program in the AC category, implemented by the government to encourage domestic production of air conditioners.

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In his new role, Mr. Sundareswaran will spearhead the direction and monitoring of plant performance to support the organization’s objectives. His responsibilities will encompass leadership in production, quality assurance, supply chain management, and manufacturing engineering activities. Additionally, he will play a pivotal role in ensuring the implementation of manufacturing capacity augmentation strategies and instilling advanced processes aligned with business objectives, focusing on price, quality, and delivery targets.

Mr. Sundareswaran’s distinguished career includes senior positions at renowned companies such as Ashok Leyland Ltd., Switch Mobility Automotive Ltd., and TAFE Ltd. He holds a postgraduate degree in Senior Leadership from XLRI, Jamshedpur, a Master in Science (M.S) from BITS, Pilani, an MBA (Finance) from IGNOU, and a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Industrial Engineering.

Recognized for his ability to cultivate robust relationships with customers and suppliers, Mr. Sundareswaran has previously headed the successful creation of an electric vehicle plant capable of manufacturing 3000 chassis annually, complete with a 1000 MW Lithium ION battery manufacturing and charging facilities. Notably, he has demonstrated success in launching four new EV products.

Expressing her delight, Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder and CEO of Kinetic Green, said, “I am excited to welcome Mr. S. Sundareswaran to Kinetic Green. Sundareswaran is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the manufacturing, quality, and sourcing excellence process. We are confident that his expertise and leadership will be instrumental in driving our growth, help create advanced, high-quality yet affordable EVs, and spur innovation as we continue to expand our EV product portfolio.”

Sundareswaran also shared his enthusiasm about joining Kinetic Green, stating, “I am thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with Kinetic Green at a pivotal juncture in the company’s growth. Kinetic Green stands as a leader in the electric vehicle industry and I am honored to take on the role of Director of Manufacturing & Operations. My commitment is to lead a team of highly skilled and dedicated professionals towards achieving operational excellence and fostering innovation. Together with the talented team at Kinetic Green, I am confident that we will continue to set new benchmarks in the EV industry, driving not only operational success but also making meaningful strides towards a greener and more sustainable future.”

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The move follows the approval of amendments to the bank’s statutes to enable limited and incremental expansion of its operations to sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. The EBRD’s president, Odile Renaud-Basso, said that the bank is happy to welcome Benin and Cote d’Ivoire as its latest members and looks forward to them becoming countries of operation as well. This reflects the shareholders’ strategic objectives for sub-Saharan Africa and the value the bank can bring there.

The applications of Benin and Cote d’Ivoire also included requests to become recipients of EBRD financial and advisory services, which the bank will address once the statutory amendments are in force. The bank’s goal, together with other international partners, will be to help unleash the potential of the countries’ private sectors, create jobs, and support sustainable development.

Since its inception in 1991, the EBRD has invested almost EUR190 billion in 6,844 projects and supported policy reforms to develop the private sector in over 30 economies. Its investments span natural resources, financial institutions, agribusiness, manufacturing, and services, as well as infrastructure projects, such as power and renewable energy, and the upgrade of municipal services.

In conclusion, the EBRD’s approval of the membership of Benin and Cote d’Ivoire marks a significant step in the bank’s expansion to sub-Saharan Africa. The bank’s goal is to help unleash the potential of the countries’ private sectors, create jobs, and support sustainable development.

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