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Umrah and Ziyarah Forum Returns Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region

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1 year ago

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Umrah

The Kingdom’s impressive milestone of welcoming over 14 million visitors to Madinah in 2023 underscores the growing importance of a seamless and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience

MADINAH, Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2025/APO Group/ —

  • City of Madinah to host forum with spotlight on elevating ​every step of the ​​​​​ Umrah​ journey​​     ​ 
  • Presented by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the three-day event will welcome over 150 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors  
  • Content sector focus includes technology, healthcare, airlines, mobility, and transport 
  • Event organisers Tahaluf to bring award-winning organisational expertise to expand the forum’s reach 

The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum (UZF) (https://Umrah-Ziyarah.com/) is returning for its second edition from April 14 to 16, 2025 (16 – 18 Shawwal 1446H), at the King Salman International Convention Center in Madinah, Saudi Arabia with an expanded profile, renewed content focus and new organisers.

Held under the esteemed patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region, and presented by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, UZF 2025 will set new benchmarks for ​the Umrah journey ​, building upon the remarkable success of its inaugural edition. The event will bring together Umrah service providers, business leaders, policymakers, and innovators ​worldwide​, reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enriching the journey of the Guests of Allah while driving investment and transformation in the sector.

UZF 2025 is more than a forum, it is a movement dedicated to elevating the Umrah and Ziyarah journey through collaboration, investment, and innovation

The event​ ​​is​ the largest and only of its kind, with the 2025 edition organised for the first time by Tahaluf, the strategic joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund.

The event will see an expanded global presence, welcoming attendees and exhibitors from more than 70 countries and introducing new content sectors, including technology, healthcare, airlines, mobility, and transport, to explore how cross-industry advancements can streamline the ​Umrah​ experience. The event will be a dynamic mix of a world-class conference, ​an ​immersive exhibition, and insightful workshops.

“UZF 2025 is more than a forum; it is a movement dedicated to elevating the Umrah and Ziyarah journey through collaboration, investment, and innovation. We are privileged to be ​responsible for organising this unique and important global gathering that will shape the future of pilgrimage services and enhance the experience for millions of visitors,” said ​​Faariss ​​​  ​Khalil, ​Exhibition​​ ​Director​, Tahaluf​

With the tagline ‘Enriching Every Step of the Umrah Journey,’ UZF 2025​, sponsored by the Saudi Tourism Authority,​ aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 developmental blueprint by serving as a catalyst for development and cultural awareness, in Makkah and Madinah, fostering collaboration, digital innovation, and service excellence. The Kingdom’s impressive milestone of welcoming over 14 million visitors to Madinah in 2023 underscores the growing importance of a seamless and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience.

Among the UZF 2025 line-up of sponsors, Rua Al Madinah Holding (Official Partner), Al Rajhi for Umrah (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Tasheer (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Knowledge Economic City (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠SAR (Platinum Sponsor), ⁠Taibah Investments (Makarem) (Platinum Sponsor), Tawuniya Insurance (Official Insurance Partner), Movenpick (Gold Sponsor) and ⁠Mansky (Bronze Sponsor) who will showcase pioneering solutions to enhance Umrah services and foster long-term industry collaborations. The event is also expected to attract more than 25,000 visitors, including business leaders, investors, Umrah travel experts and professionals, decision makers, diplomatic representatives, non-profit organisations, media, entrepreneurs and innovators, ​and Umrah ​sector operators.

Attendees will gain exclusive insights from high-level decision-makers, thought leaders, and global stakeholders through a dynamic conference program. The conference will feature deep discussions on the future of Umrah services, digital transformation, and operational excellence. Additionally, the accompanying exhibition will showcase innovations across hospitality, transport, sustainable practices, and smart pilgrimage services, setting a new benchmark for ​Umrah ​​​​​ experiences worldwide.

Tahaluf, which is behind some of Saudi Arabia’s biggest events, including the Kingdom’s award-winning technology event LEAP, is leveraging its strong organisational and marketing capabilities to expand the forum’s content and global reach and solidify UZF as the premier global platform dedicated to enhancing the Umrah and Ziyarah experience.

For more information, visit: https://Umrah-Ziyarah.com/.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Umrah and Ziyarah Forum.

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Via Licensing Alliance Expands Voice Codec Program with New Licensee, New Licensors, Publishes Comprehensive Pool Rate Structure

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1 hour ago

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May 22, 2026

By

Via Licensing Alliance

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced continued momentum for its Voice Codec patent pool, including the addition of a new unnamed licensee and new licensors, NovaVoice Limited and Cordial IP, further growing the program’s patent stack and market penetration from its initial five, large global licensors.

The addition of the new licensee, unnamed at this time, reflects growing industry adoption of the collaborative licensing pathway Via’s Voice Codec program creates for accessing IP rights to critical voice technologies. This addition reflects a growing market uptake of advanced voice technologies, including EVS and IVAS, driven by rising demand as 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies are adopted worldwide.

Additionally, Via continues to prioritize transparency and has published its full rate structure for the Voice Codec pool, providing further clarity and predictability for implementers and to the broader market. For implementers, the full rate structure allows for complete visibility as they consider the appropriate royalty structure to choose from to meet their product level costs, evaluate future growth paths for their product lines, or plan their geographical expansion plan needs. This level of disclosure not only reduces uncertainty in licensing decisions but also enables more consistent benchmarking, reinforcing confidence in fair, market-aligned SEP licensing practices. The program’s royalty rates are listed on Via’s website at https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#license-fees.

The addition of the new licensors indicates increased interest from patent holders in licensing their voice technology SEPs through highly efficient, aggregated licensing vehicles such as patent pools. Future growth in both the licensor list and the number of patents consolidated through the pool license will continue to enhance the value of the Voice Codec License for implementers. Via’s Voice Codec program licensors are listed here: https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#licensors.

Via’s Voice Codec pool covers Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), which supports voice communications across more than one billion and growing active devices globally, as well as Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), which will play a central role in next-generation voice and spatial audio applications.

“We are pleased to welcome these new entrants to our pool, which signal continued growth and momentum our Voice Codec program,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via Licensing Alliance. “This pool license offers strong value relative to other market options and represents the only collaborative licensing solution for EVS and IVAS technologies, making it a smart and efficient pathway for companies seeking to license critical voice capabilities.”

EVS remains a foundational technology for high-quality voice communications in 5G and 5G-Advanced networks, with adoption continuing to expand as 5G, 5G-Advanced and future network iterations reach global scale. As spatial audio and advanced voice technologies expand into 6G and a broader range of non-cellular devices, the importance of IVAS technologies is expected to increase, with Via’s pool offering an early and effective licensing pathway.

For more information about the Voice Codec patent pool, including information for prospective licensees, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

 

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Joint statement welcoming the Republic of Togo’s announcement on Visa facilitation for African nationals

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3 hours ago

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May 22, 2026

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Togo

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda

LOMÉ, Togo, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcome the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Togo, under the leadership of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, regarding measures to facilitate visa-free entry for all nationals of African States holding valid passports, as announced by the Minister of Security on 18 May 2026.

The announcement was made in Lomé on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the continent’s premier trade and business platform, which has brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, investors, and stakeholders from across Africa to advance dialogue on intra-African trade, investment, and regional integration.

Throughout the engagements, participants underscored the importance of facilitating the movement of African citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors as an important enabler of intra-African trade and economic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the announcement reflects the growing continental momentum towards strengthening connectivity and deepening African integration.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, to which Togo is a State Party and a Member State, envision a continent where goods, services, capital, and people move more freely across borders in support of an integrated African market. Measures that facilitate mobility and connectivity continue to contribute towards advancing the broader mandate of both institutions; the attainment of the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Morocco: African Development Bank commits €200 Million to boost employability and develop future skills

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3 hours ago

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May 22, 2026

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Morocco

This results-based financing is designed to strengthen the relevance, quality, and diversity of vocational training through the digitalisation of services, the large-scale rollout of learning systems, and stronger labour market integration mechanisms

RABAT, Morocco, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved €200 million in financing for the implementation of the “Cap Compétences 2030” programme, aimed at improving employment opportunities for young people and women.

 

This results-based financing is designed to strengthen the relevance, quality, and diversity of vocational training through the digitalisation of services, the large-scale rollout of learning systems, and stronger labour market integration mechanisms.

 

Cap Compétences 2030 is built around three pillars: skills development and strategic partnerships; inclusive training aligned with business needs; and digital transformation, supported by stronger institutional and operational capacity. The programme will also consolidate existing mechanisms while improving both their efficiency and reach.

 

Through the initiative, the African Development Bank seeks to expand access to diversified training opportunities and enhance the professional integration of beneficiaries into the labour market.

Our shared objective is to harness the demographic dividend to support value creation and promote employment, particularly for young people and women

 

Achraf Tarsim, Country Manager of the African Development Bank Group in Morocco, said Cap Compétences 2030 aligns with the priorities of the country’s National Employment Roadmap 2025–2030 and the Bank’s strategic vision under its Four Cardinal Points (https://apo-opa.co/3PDHMHn). “Our shared objective is to harness the demographic dividend to support value creation and promote employment, particularly for young people and women,” he said.

 

The Bank’s intervention is being implemented in close coordination with technical and financial partners to strengthen coherence and complementarity in support of public policy reforms.

 

This programme reflects the Bank’s long-term engagement in Morocco in the areas of human development, employment, and social inclusion. It also builds on a broader portfolio of results-based operations that contribute to structural reforms of the labour market and vocational training system.

 

Since its establishment, the African Development Bank Group has mobilised more than €15 billion across strategic sectors in Morocco, including education, health, employment, infrastructure, energy, and governance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

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