May 26, 2021

GMAC Launches Official GMAT™ Exam Chinese Microsite

New website aims to better serve prospective students from the region pursuing a graduate business degree

RESTON, Va., May 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Graduate Management Admission Council ™ (GMAC™), the leading global association of business schools and administrator of the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™), today announced the launch of the official GMAT^TM exam Chinese website, GMAT.com.cn. As the most widely used exam for graduate business school admissions and accepted by more than 7,000 graduate business programs worldwide, GMAT has been a leading assessment tool among the vast pool of talents in the greater China region for more than six decades.

Recognizing the growing interest in graduate management education (GME), GMAC established the microsite for prospective students from the region to access accurate, comprehensive, and authoritative information about the GMAT and GME in their native language more readily and comfortably. Through the localized and targeted content, the GMAT Chinese website, along with GMAT’s official WeChat account that went live earlier this year, provide the critical digital platforms to create and strengthen the connection between Chinese-speaking talents and the world’s leading business schools in the region and beyond, and filling an information gap in the market.

“China has over the years grown into the second largest region for GMAT, after only the United States,” said Sangeet Chowfla, president and CEO of GMAC. “As vaccines become more widely available and hope for economic recovery begins to take root, we expect to see more mobility and look forward to more Chinese students starting and returning to their journey of graduate business education in their own country or abroad, benefiting from the new Chinese-language platforms we are offering today.”

According to GMAC’s 2021 mba.com Prospective Students Survey Report published in March, the level of concern about the impact of COVID-19 has been declining over time. Specifically, the proportion of Chinese respondents reporting that they are extremely or very concerned has dropped from 71 percent in July 2020 to 48 percent in November last year. The report also found that the Chinese respondents planning to pursue an MBA outside their country are not changing their original plans despite the pandemic, with 89 percent planning to pursue their MBA in the United States and 55 percent in the United Kingdom, making these two countries their top destinations of consideration.

“The interest in and desire of Chinese business talents to pursue graduate management studies have not declined but only been put on hold,” said Yuan Ding, vice president and dean of CEIBS and a board director of GMAC. “The official GMAT Chinese website will help connect Chinese business talents all over the world with global business schools and leave no talents undiscovered.”

More than seven million candidates on their business master’s or MBA journey visited mba.com ― GMAC’s flagship graduate education resource and information portal ― to explore business school options, prepare and register for exams, and get advice on the admissions process. GMAC is committed to supporting the goals of Chinese prospective students who wish to prepare and register for the GMAT exam.

About GMAC™

The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC™) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. Founded in 1953, GMAC creates solutions and experiences that enable business schools and candidates to better discover, evaluate, and connect with each other.

GMAC™ provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry, as well as tools, resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment. GMAC™ also owns and administers the NMAT by GMAC™ (NMAT™) exam and the Executive Assessment (EA). BusinessBecause and The MBA Tour are subsidiaries of GMAC™, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:
Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
202-390-4180 (mobile)
thsu@gmac.com

May 26, 2021

Sea Electric Extends Worldwide Presence With Increased Global Management Team and Strong Showing at Brisbane Truck Show

First Public Viewing of Full Range of SEA Electric-branded Trucks Sets Framework for Company’s Growth in Global Electrification

SEA Electric at 2021 Brisbane Truck Show

The first-ever public appearance of the SEA Electric full range of operational-ready trucks was displayed at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show — with the entire suite ranging from 4.5-tonne car licence through to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigids.

LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The recent Brisbane Truck Show (May 13-16, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane, Australia) held a significant presence for global automotive technology company SEA Electric, showcasing the first-ever public appearance of a full range of operational-ready electric trucks utilizing proprietary SEA-Drive® power systems, new SEA Electric branding, and the announcement of senior global leadership taking the company’s helm throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The appointment of Bill Gillespie, president of Asia Pacific, and promotion of Glen Walker to vice president of Asia Pacific, bring a wealth of international transport industry and electric vehicle expertise to the region during a time of growth for SEA Electric worldwide. Following a recent US $42 million investment, SEA Electric is bringing electrification solutions and opportunities to nearly every corner of the globe, and in the United States it has added further assembly capacity, creating the current potential for approximately 60,000 units per annum. Further U.S. assembly, including in the area of batteries, is expected in the near future.

According to SEA Electric President and Founder Tony Fairweather, SEA Electric has not only created a low-cost delivery solution, but equally meaningful it has developed a medium voltage/lightweight power system with performance outcomes that exceed the internal combustion engine equivalent. “Our own SEA-badged trucks – including the SEA 300 and SEA 500 in Australia – are derived from OEM Semi Knock-Down kits, creating further efficiencies to pass on to our customer base whilst supporting rapid OEM expansion into this segment,” said Fairweather.

Gillespie’s new leadership role allows him to build upon the company’s momentum, which continues to expand on a worldwide basis. “The product showcased in Brisbane sets the framework for SEA Electric to seamlessly fold into OEM dealerships and fleets, bringing forth both new and repowered electrification options,” said Gillespie. The current three medium-size EV truck models are sold through a dozen authorized dealers in Australia, while more than 220 U.S. dealers are available to support the North American market needs.

SKD Assembly Provides Solutions Efficiency
Walker further explained the commercial arrangement as a Semi Knock Down (SKD) Assembly Operation – creating SKD ‘Glider’ kits – a first-of-its-kind three-way process that begins with the cab,

frame rails, wheels and axle components arriving in Australia, within containers from Japan, and upon arrival being assembled to provide a rolling chassis to support the appropriate proprietary SEA-Drive® power-system to create a completely assembled SEA Electric-branded vehicle. The vehicles are then ready for distribution.

But it is their SKD assembly operation’s efficiency that creates a real game-changer for SEA Electric and facilitates the solutions and productivity the company can provide. With consistency of assembly, and a process that provides multiple efficiencies, there becomes very little waste, often eliminating extra componentry that previously would have been discarded in other retrofitting processes.

“Our agreements in the U.S. go one step further,” said Walker. “We are utilizing SKD and local glider assembly to set the benchmark for ongoing programs in North America and other SEA Electric markets around the world.” As an example, when containers in the United States arrive for SKD assembly, all electrification is then performed by authorized upfitters, solely using SEA-Drive® power-system technology and branding. The process of building the trucks from SKD kits or glider chassis provides multiple advantages over the retrofit option, including lower cost, quicker build times, and less waste.

Bill Gillespie, President of SEA Electric Asia Pacific

Bill Gillespie joins SEA Electric as President, Asia Pacific, bringing a wealth of international transit industry and electric vehicle expertise to the region during a time of growth for SEA Electric worldwide.

The North American market, which recently became the new home for SEA Electric’s California-based headquarters, has the largest capability for upfitting capacity at 60,000 units annually. The addition of a Des Moines Technical Center and planned offices in Chicago, Brooklyn, and Miami before August this year represents SEA Electric’s commitment to the market.

With available volume and an ambitious capability to assemble the company’s SEA-Drive® technology, SEA Electric provides immediate and cost-efficient solutions that can be easily scaled to meet the needs for any fleet – whether new or existing delivery vehicles in need of new EV drive capabilities. The electrification of the yellow school bus industry is also in high demand in the United States.

Perhaps the most important business growth aspect of SKD kit and OEM glider assembly is the ability for the SEA Electric vehicle range to be available from a dealer network that provides complete sales, warranty, and service support.

SEA-Drive®

SEA Electric’s proprietary SEA-Drive® electrification technology adapts to a large range of OEM truck and commercial vehicle platforms and has been proven in the field with millions of real-driving miles to date.

SEA-Drive® Power-Systems
SEA Electric’s proprietary SEA-Drive® power-systems come in a variety of configurations for all-electric models with a GVM range of 4.5t through to 26t (i.e., 9,990 lbs. to 57,500 lbs. GVWR). Each are designed for 3,000 charge cycles based on a full overnight charge, if applied five days per week, and can result in optimum performance for 10 years.

The Brisbane Truck Show highlighted five new SEA-Electric-branded truck models, including the launch of the SEA 300-45 EV and the SEA 300-85 EV. Both models are fully ADR compliant and assembled in Melbourne for Australian distribution.

The Future for SEA Electric
While SEA Electric’s roots originate in Australia, along with various manufacturing and technology capabilities, the company’s North American growth brings a business model that can be replicated in Europe, as well. Current U.S. upfitting facility locations include Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Indiana, and California.

SEA Electric SEA M5 EV

The SEA M5 EV Vehicle chassis shown in this urban delivery truck utilizes SEA Electric’s proprietary SEA-Drive® powertrain platform for Class 5 vehicles. The unit carries a 5-year warranty on batteries and a system warranty of 3 years or 50,000 miles.

On the heels of its recent US $42 million equity financing announcement, SEA Electric also closed its latest purchase of 1,000 electric vehicle batteries from long-time technology partner Soundon New

Energy Technology. This important transaction supports SEA Electric’s proprietary SEA-Drive® 70, 100, and 120 major power-system models. While most of the initial units are slated for the United States, the balance will go to SEA Electric inventories in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, as well as the company’s first entry into the European market.

About SEA Electric
Global automotive technology company SEA Electric was founded in Australia in 2012, creating its proprietary electric power-system technology (known as SEA-Drive®) for the world’s urban delivery and distribution fleets, as well as front powered school bus applications.

Glen Walker, SEA Electric Vice President, Asia Pacific

As Vice President Asia Pacific for SEA Electric, Glen Walker leads the APAC operational activities for the company, with nearly two decades of experience within the automotive and transport sectors in Australia.

Widely recognized as a market leader in the electrification of commercial vehicles on a global basis, SEA Electric commands a global presence, deploying product in six countries including USA, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, and South Africa with collectively more than one million miles of independently OEM-tested and in-service international operation.

The company’s global sales, after-sales and engineering are represented in all subsidiaries, whilst North America, home to the company’s headquarters, has the largest upfitting capacity for SEA Electric at 60,000 units per year.

PRESS RELEASE DOWNLOADS
Please follow this link to download this press release and HIGH RESOLUTION versions of our accompanying SEA Electric images and other supporting editorial assets.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dqt5opk580rf4em/AAB2vfLr9s2UsePMwcKqSsMTa?dl=0

Contact: Deb Pollack/Strategic Communications

(t) 805.320.9248 (e) deb@debpollack.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77af3321-4ff7-4b80-b687-e2264e18e5db

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May 26, 2021

TRIBUNE : « La politisation des chaînes d’approvisionnement technologiques par les États-Unis est à la fois risquée et coûteuse »

PEKIN, 26 mai 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Tom Fowdy est un analyste britannique en politique et relations internationales, diplômé des universités de Durham et d’Oxford. Il écrit sur des sujets relatifs à la Chine, la RPDC, le Royaume-Uni et les États-Unis. Pour plus d’informations, veuillez consulter le site : http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm

Les articles d’opinion reflètent les opinions de leurs auteurs et pas nécessairement celles de China.org.cn.

En 2019, l’administration Trump a déclenché sa « guerre technologique » contre la Chine, dans le but de bloquer le développement de la Chine dans les secteurs de la haute technologie en empêchant les entreprises ciblées de se procurer des composants fabriqués aux États-Unis.

Au fur et à mesure que la Maison Blanche a renforcé son hostilité envers Beijing, elle a intensifié ses mesures. La cible la plus notable a été l’entreprise de télécommunications chinoise Huawei, qui a été placée pour la première fois sur la « Liste des entités » du département du Commerce, ce qui l’a placée sous contrôle des exportations. Plus tard, elle a également été soumise à la « règle du produit direct étranger », qui interdit unilatéralement aux entreprises étrangères qui utilisent des brevets américains dans leur propre production de semi-conducteurs d’approvisionner l’entreprise.

A staff member works at a workshop of a semiconductor company in Shanghai, east China, Feb. 10, 2020.

Même si le président Joe Biden a depuis pris ses fonctions, il n’a pas encore annulé ces décisions. Au lieu de cela, il a poursuivi une politique de « l’Amérique d’abord » en ce qui concerne les semi-conducteurs, dans le but de consolider le monopole américain dans ce secteur et de contrôler les « technologies du futur. »

Quelles ont été les conséquences de ces décisions ? En réalité, elles ont eu des effets négatifs pour les États-Unis et le monde en général.

La politisation agressive du secteur des semi-conducteurs à l’encontre de la deuxième plus grande économie du monde perturbe la chaîne d’approvisionnement mondiale, inversant la mondialisation et créant un effet de « localisation. »

La Chine a massivement augmenté ses investissements dans ses capacités en matière de semi-conducteurs à l’échelle de toute la société, tandis que les États-Unis ont créé des risques politiques pour les entreprises technologiques qui dépendent de leurs approvisionnements. Au niveau organisationnel, les entreprises ont acheté en gros des équipements de fabrication de semi-conducteurs et de lithographie aux Pays-Bas, au Japon et en Corée du Sud, ainsi que des semi-conducteurs en panique pour se prémunir contre d’éventuelles restrictions futures. Les entreprises ont perdu confiance dans les fournisseurs traditionnels.

Cette incertitude a créé une pénurie mondiale de semi-conducteurs, ce qui entraîne des risques pour l’économie mondiale. Cette pénurie a causé des retards dans la fabrication et la fourniture de biens de consommation électroniques et d’automobiles, ce qui a contraint de nombreuses usines dans le monde à reporter la production et à licencier des travailleurs. Par exemple, l’usine Nissan de Sunderland, au Royaume-Uni, a dû ralentir sa production pendant trois semaines en raison d’un manque de semi-conducteurs. Une autre conséquence a été la croissance de l’inflation, qui a sans aucun doute contribué à la hausse inattendue de l’indice des prix à la consommation aux États-Unis, ce qui a secoué les marchés mondiaux la semaine dernière.

Ces résultats négatifs montrent que l’armement des chaînes d’approvisionnement en technologie contre la Chine n’améliorera pas la situation des États-Unis. Les chaînes d’approvisionnement localisées sont plus coûteuses et feront perdre aux États-Unis des parts de marché considérables à mesure que Beijing développera sa propre industrie. Cette année, la Chine commencera à produire des nœuds de 7 nanomètres et stoppera rapidement sa dépendance à l’égard des nœuds inférieurs, la société Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) ayant investi dans une fonderie de puces de 2,35 milliards de dollars à Shenzhen, destinée à produire des circuits intégrés de 28 nm. Cela a permis à des entreprises telles que Huawei de continuer à développer leurs réseaux 5G malgré les sanctions américaines.

En Chine, les investissements publics dans le secteur se sont déjà élevés à 150 milliards de dollars, tandis que les investissements prévus pour la période du 14^e Plan quinquennal (2021-2025) s’élèvent à 1000 milliards de dollars. Bien que cela soit considéré comme une nécessité politique, rares sont ceux qui contestent le fait qu’une industrie mondiale ouverte reste préférentielle. Les grandes entreprises étrangères de semi-conducteurs cherchent toujours à être compétitives sur le marché chinois des semi-conducteurs en raison de la croissance de son économie et de l’augmentation de la demande, ce qui montre les dangers d’un bouleversement de ce marché.

Dans ce cas, il convient de noter qu’une chose est certaine en ce qui concerne la politique américaine actuelle : la militarisation des semi-conducteurs crée une situation « perdant-perdant », divisant une industrie mondiale en sphères localisées, créant un marché fracturé et augmentant les prix. Cela dit, elle ne bloquera pas pour autant les avancées technologiques de la Chine.

Pour toutes les parties concernées, il s’agit d’une voie coûteuse et imprévisible dont les effets se répercutent jusqu’au consommateur ordinaire.

Si vous souhaitez apporter votre contribution, veuillez nous contacter à l’adresse suivante opinion@china.org.cn.

Photo : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1517521/image1.jpg

May 26, 2021

LG Objet Collection Heralds Global Era of Tailored Home Appliances

Diverse Material and Color Choices to Match Any Décor; Comes with LG’s Renowned Performance and Quality

SEOUL, South Korea, May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics (LG) announces the commencement of the international launch of LG Objet Collection, designed to meet the growing consumer demand for personalized, stylish and functional home appliances. Debuting as Furniture Concept Appliances at CES 2021, the LG Objet Collection’s Fridge and Freezer pair will debut in China, a market with already robust demand for LG premium appliances. Availability in key markets of Asia and Europe will follow soon thereafter.

Blurring the line between state-of-the-art home appliances and designer furnishings, the LG Objet Collection boasts a modern, minimalist design language that elevates and blends in effortlessly in any indoor environment. With a range of luxurious materials and subtle, sophisticated colors that can be mixed and matched according to preference, the collection provides a compelling way for customers to express their unique personalities tailored to suit personal tastes and the existing décor.

The LG Objet Collection Fridge and Freezer offer a chic, understated aesthetic that complements any style of kitchen, as well as outstanding performance with LG’s industry-leading refrigeration technologies. The pair presents consumers with a selection of timeless, high-quality finishes, including stainless steel and glass.

The stainless steel option offers three color variations (green, silver and matte black) for a chic, modern look, while the glass finish comes in four elegant tints (mint, pink, beige and silver) that allow the appliances to fit in seamlessly with any kitchen design.^[1]With LG’s proven refrigeration system, LINEARCooling™, the Fridge guarantees outstanding cooling performance. LINEARCooling helps maintain a precise, even internal temperature with minimal fluctuations (±0.5 degrees Celsius), helping to keep food items, such as fruit and vegetables, fresh for up to seven days.^[2,3]

LG plans to expand its LG Objet Collection of premium kitchen appliances with more striking products such as InstaView™ refrigerator and Styler wardrobe management system to achieve a unified, visually-harmonious living environment.

“The launch of the LG Objet Collection in international markets marks the beginning of an era of the personalized appliance,” said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “Offering understated design and different options of materials and colors to choose from, LG’s stylish innovations help make it possible for consumers to create a space that truly reflects their unique sensibilities.”

^[1] Color and material options may vary by country and market.

^[2] Based on TÜV Rheinland test results using LG’s internal testing method measuring average peak to peak temperature fluctuation in fresh food compartment of LG refrigerator model GLT51PZGSZ. No load and normal temperature setting. Results may vary in actual usage.

^[3] Based on TÜV Rheinland test results using LG’s internal testing method measuring the time required for specific food stored in the fresh food compartment of LG refrigerator model GLT51PZGSZ to decrease in weight by five percent. Results may vary in actual usage.

About LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company

The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company is a global leader in home appliances, smart home solutions, air solutions as well as visionary products featuring LG ThinQ AI. The company is creating various solutions with its industry leading core technologies and is committed to making life better and healthier for consumers by developing thoughtfully designed kitchen appliances, living appliances, HVAC and air purification solutions. Together, these products deliver enhanced convenience, superb performance, efficient operation and compelling health benefits. For more news on LG, visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1518658/LG_Objet_Collection_01.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1518660/LG_Objet_Collection_02.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1518657/LG_Objet_Collection_Fridge___Freezer_03.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1518659/LG_Objet_Collection_Fridge___Freezer_04.jpg

May 26, 2021

Former South African President Zuma Pleads Not Guilty to Corruption Charges?

Former South African President Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Wednesday in a trial that began more than a quarter century ago after some of the alleged crimes were committed.

Zuma, 79, is being tried on multiple counts of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering charges linked to a 1999 $2 billion arms deal when he was deputy president.

Zuma, who faces a 25-year prison term if convicted, was president from 2009 until he was forced out of office in 2018 during multiple political corruption scandals.

He has maintained he is the target of a politically motivated witch hunt by a rival faction of the ruling African National Congress.

One of the charges accuses Zuma of accepting bribes from Thales, a French multinational company, to guarantee South Africa signed the arms deal with the company in 1999.

Prosecutors have also launched a separate probe into allegations that Zuma accepted $34,000 annually from Thales to protect the company from an investigation into the agreement.

Thales, known as Thomson-CSF when the deal was reached, said it was unaware of any offenses committed by any of its employees. A company representative pleaded not guilty to the racketeering, corruption and money laundering charges the company faces.

Prosecutors filed charges against Zuma more than a decade ago but decided just before his successful 2009 presidential campaign not to pursue them. Prosecutors reinstated the charges a month after Zuma stepped down in early 2018.

On Wednesday, Zuma’s lawyer filed papers in Pietermaritzburg High Court calling for the removal of chief prosecutor Billy Downer. They claimed Downer is biased and that Zuma’s right to a fair trial was at risk. The judge said he would consider the request.

Source: Voice of America

May 26, 2021

?Mali President, PM Resign After Arrest, Confirming 2nd Coup in 9 Months

Mali’s interim president and prime minister have resigned following their arrest by the military, in what amounts to a second coup for the troubled West African county in nine months.

President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned according to a statement Wednesday from Baba Cissé, an aide to the country’s vice president and de facto military leader Colonel Assimi Goita.

Cisse said negotiations are underway for the two politicians’ release and the formation of a new government.

N’Daw and Ouane have been held at the military’s headquarters in Kati since Monday, when they were arrested in the capital, Bamako. A delegation from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS was scheduled to meet with them on Wednesday.

Goita, who led the coup that toppled then-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last October, said Tuesday he removed N’Daw and Ouane because they neglected to advise him about a cabinet reshuffle that left out two members of the military, a move he said violated the agreement that created the civilian transitional government.

Mali’s defense minister, Souleymane Doucoure, was also detained along with N’Daw and Ouane.

Goita said the country was still on track to hold presidential and legislative elections set for next February.

The detentions of N’Daw and Ouane sparked outrage among the international community. A joint statement issued Tuesday by ECOWAS, the United Nations, the African Union and other international bodies called for their immediate release, while French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the move as a “coup d’etat.”

The U.S. State Department voiced support for the ECOWAS statement on Wednesday, and said it is “suspending all security assistance that benefits the Malian security and defense forces.”

Mali has been in turmoil since then-President Amadou Toumani Touré was toppled in a military coup in 2012 that led ethnic Tuareg rebels to seize control of several northern towns, which were then taken over by Islamist insurgents. France deployed forces to repel the insurgents the following year, but the rebels have continued to operate in rural areas.

Source: Voice of America

May 26, 2021

Biden Urges Cease-fire in Ethiopia’s Tigray, Says Rights Abuses ‘Must End’

U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the six-month conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region Wednesday, calling for a cease-fire and declaring that human rights abuses “must end.”

“I am deeply concerned by the escalating violence and the hardening of regional and ethnic divisions in multiple parts of Ethiopia,” Biden said in a White House statement. “The large-scale human rights abuses taking place in Tigray, including widespread sexual violence, are unacceptable and must end.”

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed initially sent troops into Tigray in November after accusing the once-dominant regional ruling party of orchestrating attacks on federal army camps.

Abiy, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, declared victory later that month when the army entered the regional capital, Mekele.

But fighting continues and the half-year conflict has sparked allegations of massacres and rape by Ethiopian forces and troops from neighboring Eritrea.

“Belligerents in the Tigray region should declare and adhere to a cease-fire, and Eritrean and Amhara forces should withdraw,” Biden said, referring to the Amhara region, which borders Tigray to the south.

Threat of famine

Earlier this week, U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock warned the Security Council that “there is a serious risk of famine if assistance is not scaled up in the next two months.”

Based on the warning, Biden said, “all parties, in particular the Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, must allow immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access to the region in order to prevent widespread famine.”

For the first time on Wednesday, Abiy’s government disclosed the toll of attacks by Tigrayan forces, who federal officials have long claimed would be unable to mount an effective insurgency.

Ethiopia said it had recorded 22 dead officials, 20 others who had been “kidnapped,” and four more who were “wounded and hospitalized.”

Some of the conflict’s worst atrocities, including mass rapes and massacres, are believed to have left hundreds dead.

“The government of Ethiopia and other stakeholders across the political spectrum should commit to an inclusive dialogue,” Biden said, urging the country’s leaders and institutions to “promote reconciliation, human rights and respect for pluralism.”

“The United States is committed to helping Ethiopia address these challenges,” Biden said, indicating that US special envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman would return to the region next week.

Source: Voice of America