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Pre-feasibility Study Looking to Progress CO2 Capture

REGINA, Saskatchewan, June 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amplifying the impact of emission reductions through carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the focus of a new pre-feasibility study exploring the potential application of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture on 750-megawatt coal-fired power plants. This project is part of a broad study examining the viability of a regional commercial-scale geologic CO2 storage hub in the Southeastern U.S. The International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre), based in Regina, SK Canada, is collaborating with an international team on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project to develop the conceptual designs and capital cost estimates evaluating the installation of post combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture on a Southern Company electrical generating station.

The project would represent a significant scale-up and is a natural progression in the maturation of carbon capture technology. By bringing leadership, vision and experience based on its substantive learnings from both the fully integrated Boundary Dam 3 CCS Facility and its comprehensive second-generation CCS study (Shand CCS Feasibility Study), the Knowledge Centre is performing the carbon capture pre-feasibility study of the scenario. This study is being conducted through a cooperative agreement with the project manager, Southern States Energy Board, and a team that includes Southern Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, and Stantec Consulting Ltd.

This study is part of the project, Establishing An Early Carbon Dioxide Storage: Project ECO2S, under a broad DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory initiative, Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE). CarbonSAFE addresses key gaps on the critical path toward CCUS deployment by reducing technical risk, uncertainty, and cost of a geologic storage complex for more than 50 million metric tons of CO2 over a 30-year time frame from industrial sources.

The pre-feasibility study will look at carbon capture design and cost. It will include details such as an analysis on steam integration options between the generating unit and the capture plant, as well as the identification of potential impacts of the new processes on existing plant environmental permitting. The theoretical installation of carbon capture systems at power plants would not only ensure reliable baseload electricity, it would preserve the value of the existing facility, while also actively making significant strides in reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

Quote

“With the megatonne potential in CO2 reduction, we are excited to work with a great team on this important and next step project for large-scale carbon capture and storage. We applaud both the US Department of Energy and the Southern States Energy Board for their commitment to taking significant strides toward climate action.”

– Conway Nelson, VP, Project Development & Advisory Services, International CCS Knowledge Centre

“Stantec is proud to play a role in the first-of-its kind carbon capture and storage work in Saskatchewan as the Engineer of Record on this project. Stantec’s team of experts will provide engineering expertise alongside our partners to execute the pre-feasibility study stage of this project.”

– Mark Griffiths, Senior Principal, Energy & Resources, Stantec, Saskatchewan

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Climate Change Links

  • CCS is considered essential in three of the four pathways to keep global warming within 1.5°C – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees Celsius
  • Most of the world cannot meet emissions targets without CCS – and for those that can, the median increase in mitigation cost is 138% – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: IPCC AR5 2014

About CarbonSAFE & Project ECO2S

  • CarbonSAFE – Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise Initiative – is a DOE-led program designed to accelerate commercial-scale use of CCS technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere from industrial and power generation sources by focusing on the development of permanent and safe geologic CO2 storage sites capable of several decades of usage.
  • Project ECO2S – Establishing an Early CO2 Storage Complex – is one of five selected projects for Phase 3 of CarbonSAFE.
    • Project ECO2S lead by Southern States Energy Board is working with collaborators to explore establishing a commercial-scale, regional, secure geologic area capable of securely storing over 900 million metric tons of CO2.
    • The current pre-feasibility study to install post combustion CO2 capture on a Southern Company generating unit is part of the assessment required to confirm one of several point source emitters of CO2 for the storage site.

MEDIA CONTACTS

International CCS Knowledge Centre
Jodi Woollam
Head of Communications & Media Relations
jwoollam@ccsknowledge.com
T: +1-306-565-5956 / M: +1-306-520-3710
ccsknowledge.com
@CCSKnowledge

About the International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre): with a mandate to advance the global understanding and deployment of large-scale CCS to reduce global GHG emissions, the Knowledge Centre provides the know-how to implement large-scale CCS projects as well as CCS optimization through the base learnings from both the fully-integrated Boundary Dam 3 CCS Facility and the comprehensive second-generation CCS study, known as the Shand CCS Feasibility Study. Operating since 2016 under the direction of an independent board, the Knowledge Centre was established by BHP and SaskPower. For more info: https://ccsknowledge.com/

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Zoom Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2022

  • First quarter total revenue of $956.2 million, up 191% year over year
  • Number of customers contributing more than $100,000 in TTM revenue up 160% year over year
  • Approximately 497,000 customers with more than 10 employees, up 87% year over year

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2021.

“We kicked off the fiscal year with a very strong first quarter, posting 191% total year-over-year revenue growth combined with strong profitability and cash flow. Our steadfast commitment to empowering customers to work and learn from anywhere with our expansive, innovative, and frictionless video communications platform continued to drive our results. With this solid start, we are pleased to raise our total guidance range to $3.975 billion to $3.990 billion for the full fiscal year,” said Zoom founder and CEO, Eric S. Yuan. “We have also opened our technology portfolio to developers through our powerful video SDK and to businesses to expand their reach through Zoom Events. Work is no longer a place, it’s a space where Zoom serves to empower your teams to connect and bring their best ideas to life. We are energized to help lead the evolution to hybrid work that allows greater flexibility, productivity, and happiness to both in-person and virtual connections.”

First Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 Financial Highlights:

  • Revenue: Total revenue for the first quarter was $956.2 million, up 191% year over year.
  • Income from Operations and Operating Margin: GAAP income from operations for the first quarter was $226.3 million, up from $23.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. After adjusting for stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, acquisition-related expenses, and litigation settlements, net, non-GAAP income from operations for the first quarter was $400.9 million, up from $54.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. For the first quarter, GAAP operating margin was 23.7% and non-GAAP operating margin was 41.9%.
  • Net Income and Net Income Per Share: GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders for the first quarter was $227.4 million, or $0.74 per share, up from $27.0 million, or $0.09 per share in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021.

    Non-GAAP net income for the quarter was $402.1 million, after adjusting for stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, acquisition-related expenses, litigation settlements, net, and undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities. Non-GAAP net income per share was $1.32. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, non-GAAP net income was $58.3 million, or $0.20 per share.

  • Cash and Marketable Securities: Total cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, excluding restricted cash, as of April 30, 2021 was $4.7 billion.
  • Cash Flow: Net cash provided by operating activities was $533.3 million for the first quarter, compared to $259.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. Free cash flow, which is net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment, was $454.2 million, compared to $251.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021.

Customer Metrics: Drivers of total revenue included acquiring new customers and expanding across existing customers. At the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2022, Zoom had:

  • Approximately 497,000 customers with more than 10 employees, up approximately 87% from the same quarter last fiscal year.
  • 1,999 customers contributing more than $100,000 in trailing 12 months revenue, up approximately 160% from the same quarter last fiscal year.
  • A trailing 12-month net dollar expansion rate in customers with more than 10 employees above 130% for the 12th consecutive quarter.

Financial Outlook: Zoom is providing the following guidance for its second quarter fiscal year 2022 and its full fiscal year 2022.

  • Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2022: Total revenue is expected to be between $985.0 million and $990.0 million and non-GAAP income from operations is expected to be between $355.0 million and $360.0 million. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be between $1.14 and $1.15 with approximately 311 million non-GAAP weighted average shares outstanding.
  • Full Fiscal Year 2022: Total revenue is expected to be between $3.975 billion and $3.990 billion. Non-GAAP income from operations is expected to be between $1.425 billion and $1.440 billion. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be between $4.56 and $4.61 with approximately 311 million non-GAAP weighted average shares outstanding.

Additional information on Zoom’s reported results, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP results to their most comparable GAAP measures, is included in the financial tables below. A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to the uncertainty of expenses that may be incurred in the future, although it is important to note that these factors could be material to Zoom’s results computed in accordance with GAAP.

A supplemental financial presentation and other information can be accessed through Zoom’s investor relations website at investors.zoom.us.

Zoom Video Earnings Call

Zoom will host a Zoom Video Webinar for investors on June 1, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the company’s financial results and business highlights. Investors are invited to join the Zoom Video Webinar by visiting: https://investors.zoom.us/

About Zoom

Zoom is for you. We help you express ideas, connect to others, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for large enterprises, small businesses, and individuals alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains express and implied “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our financial outlook for the second quarter of fiscal year 2022 and full fiscal year 2022, Zoom’s growth strategy and business aspirations to lead the evolution to hybrid work. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “predict,” “potential,” “target,” “explore,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, these statements are subject to numerous uncertainties and risks, including factors beyond our control, that could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the statements, including: declines in new customers and hosts, renewals or upgrades, difficulties in evaluating our prospects and future results of operations given our limited operating history, competition from other providers of communications platforms, continued uncertainty regarding the extent and duration of the impact of COVID-19 and the responses of government and private industry thereto, including the potential effect on our user growth rate once the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic tapers, particularly as a vaccine becomes widely available, and users return to work or school or are otherwise no longer subject to shelter-in-place mandates, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on the overall economic environment, any or all of which will have an impact on demand for remote work solutions for businesses as well as overall distributed, face-to-face interactions and collaboration using Zoom, delays or outages in services from our co-located data centers, and failures in internet infrastructure or interference with broadband access which could cause current or potential users to believe that our systems are unreliable. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2021. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Zoom at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. Zoom assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Zoom has provided in this press release financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Zoom uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and believes that use of these non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing Zoom’s financial results with other companies in its industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures.

Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP financial measures and should be read only in conjunction with Zoom’s condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of Zoom’s historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation.

Non-GAAP Income From Operations and Non-GAAP Operating Margins. Zoom defines non-GAAP income from operations as income from operations excluding stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, expenses related to charitable donation of common stock, acquisition-related expenses, and litigation settlements, net. Zoom excludes stock-based compensation expense and expenses related to charitable donation of common stock because they are non-cash in nature and excluding these expenses provides meaningful supplemental information regarding Zoom’s operational performance and allows investors the ability to make more meaningful comparisons between Zoom’s operating results and those of other companies. Zoom excludes the amount of employer payroll taxes related to employee stock plans, which is a cash expense, in order for investors to see the full effect that excluding stock-based compensation expense had on Zoom’s operating results. In particular, this expense is dependent on the price of our common stock and other factors that are beyond our control and do not correlate to the operation of the business. Zoom views acquisition-related expenses when applicable, such as amortization of acquired intangible assets, transaction costs, and acquisition-related retention payments that are directly related to business combinations as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. Zoom excludes significant litigation settlements, net of amounts covered by insurance, that we deem not to be in the ordinary course of our business. In particular, Zoom believes the consideration of measures that exclude such expenses can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such expenses and assist in the comparison with the results of other companies in the industry.

Non-GAAP Net Income and Non-GAAP Net Income Per Share, Basic and Diluted. Zoom defines non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share, basic and diluted, as GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders and GAAP net income per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted, respectively, adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, expenses related to charitable donation of common stock, acquisition-related expenses, litigation settlements, net, and undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities. Zoom excludes undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities because they are considered by management to be outside of Zoom’s core operating results, and excluding them provides investors and management with greater visibility to the underlying performance of Zoom’s business operations, facilitates comparison of its results with other periods and may also facilitate comparison with the results of other companies in the industry.

In order to calculate non-GAAP net income per share, basic and diluted, Zoom uses a non-GAAP weighted-average share count. Zoom defines non-GAAP weighted-average shares used to compute non-GAAP net income per share, basic and diluted, as GAAP weighted average shares used to compute net income per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted, adjusted to reflect the common stock issued in connection with the IPO, including the concurrent private placement, that are outstanding as of the end of the period as if they were outstanding as of the beginning of the period for comparability.

Free Cash Flow. Zoom defines free cash flow as GAAP net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. Zoom considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors regarding net cash provided by operating activities and cash used for investments in property and equipment required to maintain and grow the business.

Customer Metrics

Zoom defines a customer as a separate and distinct buying entity, which can be a single paid host or an organization of any size (including a distinct unit of an organization) that has multiple paid hosts.

Zoom calculates net dollar expansion rate as of a period end by starting with the annual recurring revenue (“ARR”) from all customers with more than 10 employees as of 12 months prior (“Prior Period ARR”). Zoom defines ARR as the annualized revenue run rate of subscription agreements from all customers at a point in time. We then calculate the ARR from these customers as of the current period end (“Current Period ARR”), which includes any upsells, contraction, and attrition. Zoom divides the Current Period ARR by the Prior Period ARR to arrive at the net dollar expansion rate. For the trailing 12 months calculation, Zoom takes an average of the net dollar expansion rate over the trailing 12 months.

Press Relations

Colleen Rodriguez
Global Public Relations Lead for Zoom
press@zoom.us

Investor Relations

Tom McCallum
Head of Investor Relations for Zoom
investors@zoom.us

Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited, in thousands)

As of
April 30,
2021		 January 31,
2021
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,557,270 $ 2,240,303
Marketable securities 3,132,309 2,004,410
Accounts receivable, net 366,346 294,703
Deferred contract acquisition costs, current 148,645 136,630
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 136,326 116,819
Total current assets 5,340,896 4,792,865
Deferred contract acquisition costs, noncurrent 155,295 157,262
Property and equipment, net 192,410 149,924
Operating lease right-of-use assets 93,780 97,649
Goodwill 24,340 24,340
Other assets, noncurrent 81,890 75,953
Total assets $ 5,888,611 $ 5,297,993
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 8,324 $ 8,664
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 450,678 393,018
Deferred revenue, current 1,069,334 858,284
Total current liabilities 1,528,336 1,259,966
Deferred revenue, noncurrent 25,089 25,211
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent 86,433 90,415
Other liabilities, noncurrent 56,020 61,634
Total liabilities 1,695,878 1,437,226
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock — —
Common stock 293 292
Additional paid-in capital 3,292,241 3,187,168
Accumulated other comprehensive income 200 839
Retained earnings 899,999 672,468
Total stockholders’ equity 4,192,733 3,860,767
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 5,888,611 $ 5,297,993

Note: The amount of unbilled accounts receivable included within accounts receivable, net on the condensed consolidated balance sheets was $28.8 million and $24.6 million as of April 30, 2021 and January 31, 2021, respectively.

Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

Three Months Ended April 30,
2021 2020
Revenue $ 956,237 $ 328,167
Cost of revenue 264,994 103,707
Gross profit 691,243 224,460
Operating expenses:
Research and development 65,175 26,389
Sales and marketing 245,667 121,556
General and administrative 154,089 53,130
Total operating expenses 464,931 201,075
Income from operations 226,312 23,385
Interest income and other, net 2,619 5,790
Income before provision for income taxes 228,931 29,175
Provision for income taxes 1,400 2,100
Net income 227,531 27,075
Undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities (148 ) (39 )
Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 227,383 $ 27,036
Net income per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic $ 0.77 $ 0.10
Diluted $ 0.74 $ 0.09
Weighted-average shares used in computing net income per share attributable to common stockholders:
Basic 293,794,778 279,891,111
Diluted 305,412,419 295,184,958

Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited, in thousands)

Three Months Ended April 30,
2021 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 227,531 $ 27,075
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation expense 98,969 28,777
Amortization of deferred contract acquisition costs 37,766 16,287
Charitable donation of common stock — 1,000
Provision for accounts receivable allowances 4,055 3,868
Depreciation and amortization 10,663 5,339
Non-cash operating lease cost 4,274 2,248
Other 5,866 (1,421 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (75,665 ) (142,501 )
Prepaid expenses and other assets (29,975 ) (49,080 )
Deferred contract acquisition costs (47,813 ) (124,854 )
Accounts payable 1,592 1,756
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 88,656 167,322
Deferred revenue 210,896 322,862
Operating lease liabilities, net (3,513 ) 287
Net cash provided by operating activities 533,302 258,965
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable securities (1,425,451 ) (207,546 )
Maturities of marketable securities 291,047 137,014
Sales of marketable securities — 26,613
Purchases of property and equipment (79,074 ) (7,272 )
Purchase of equity investment — (8,000 )
Purchase of convertible promissory note (6,500 ) (5,000 )
Purchase of intangible assets — (162 )
Other — 1,319
Net cash used in investing activities (1,219,978 ) (63,034 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from employee equity transactions (remitted) to be remitted to employees and tax authorities, net (9,984 ) 218,540
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 3,368 9,586
Other 337 —
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (6,279 ) 228,126
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (692,955 ) 424,057
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash – beginning of period 2,293,116 334,082
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash – end of period $ 1,600,161 $ 758,139

Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures
(Unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

Three Months Ended April 30,
2021 2020
GAAP income from operations $ 226,312 $ 23,385
Add:
Stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes 104,375 30,246
Litigation settlements, net 66,916 —
Acquisition-related expenses 3,284 —
Charitable donation of common stock — 1,000
Non-GAAP income from operations $ 400,887 $ 54,631
GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders $ 227,383 $ 27,036
Add:
Stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes 104,375 30,246
Litigation settlements, net 66,916 —
Acquisition-related expenses 3,284 —
Charitable donation of common stock — 1,000
Undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities 148 39
Non-GAAP net income $ 402,106 $ 58,321
Net income per share – basic and diluted:
GAAP net income per share – basic $ 0.77 $ 0.10
Non-GAAP net income per share – basic $ 1.37 $ 0.21
GAAP net income per share – diluted $ 0.74 $ 0.09
Non-GAAP net income per share – diluted $ 1.32 $ 0.20
GAAP and non-GAAP weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share – basic 293,794,778 279,891,111
GAAP and non-GAAP weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share – diluted 305,412,419 295,184,958
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 533,302 $ 258,965
Less:
Purchases of property and equipment (79,074 ) (7,272 )
Free cash flow (non-GAAP) $ 454,228 $ 251,693
Net cash used in investing activities $ (1,219,978 ) $ (63,034 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities $ (6,279 ) $ 228,126

 

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Ethiopia Ally or a USA Colony

USA’s recent action has put many politicians in disarray and for some questioning if Ethiopia is an ally or a colony of the USA. The USA State Department has told the Ethiopian government to pull out its army out of the Tigraye province of Ethiopia and sanction its top leaders. Unheard of!

Ethiopia has had a long history of cooperation with the USA and a staunch ally. If one looks at the history of partnership it goes back hundreds of years. Ethiopia was one of the country that contributed its army to the Korean War, The Mutual Defense Treaty that awarded the USA: a base in Massawa on the Red Sea, radio navy communication center, bequeathed the Kagnew Station in Asmara that served the USA with intelligence gathering and monitoring capacities. From Kagnew base, the US monitored the communication and activities of the former Soviet Union. Kagnew was the base that the USA kept open ears and eyes on Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Ethiopia’s recent roll in Somalia and South Sudan. Serving as a hub for the US and European interest in Africa. All forgotten.

Ethiopia is a rising giant with 110,000,000 people the richest country in water resources; high culture of Independence and with history of proud people. That has rich population in Diaspora that can send remittance to their mother land. Minimizing foreign aid.

Looking back at US role in Africa there is much to be said. Remembering Obama hitting the drum, preaching African leaders. As it was the first such visit by a sitting American president to Africa one can say it was a historic opportunity at least for Obama. His leadership in seven years of his presidency gave little attention to Africa. President Biden; then vice president is back as president; will his policy be better for Africa. Biden’s foreign minister statement and imposing sanction on Ethiopia is an indication that his leadership is more intrusive than Obama and doesn’t seem to respect a nation’s Sovereignty. Meddling in the internal affairs of Ethiopia.

Mr. Obama’s passivity, ignoring Africa being less personally engaged in foreign policy matters and avoiding US foreign entanglement and his retreat had little influence. Half a century before Obama, J F Kennedy remembered as one of the great leaders of his time had a much better accomplishment and implementation of an economic model tailored for Africa “The Five Stages of Development” and The Peace Corps. Clinton and Gorge Bush Jr had done more for African than an African blooded president Obama. President Trump even stated that he saved a country and someone else was awarded the Noble price for peace. Meaning Dr. Abeye Ahmed the Prime Minster of Ethiopia. During his presidency what can J. Biden offer Africa “Tough Love” and good governance? Will he repeat the Obama policy of supporting bad governance and rent seekers?

The US State department has ordered the Ethiopian government to pull out its Amhara Special Forces troop and Eritrean army from Tigraye province and negotiate with the fallen TPLF. An organization that is benumbed, obsolete and deceased.

How can the Ethiopian people forget what happened to its Northern Front Army? The army that was hands and gloves with the people of Tigraye. Weyane took the first offensive while the army was asleep. Killed their own army comrades. Run over some of them with heavy trucks. Left the dead rotten to be eaten by wild animals. How could one be so vicious, hateful, evil, belligerent and self-destructive? TPLF had planned after dismantling the Northern Front army to take over the Amhara region from there advance to Addis Ababa to recuperate power. To the North March to Eritrea and capture Asmara over throw the government. President Biden wants to revive the criminal junta TPLF from dead. Mr. President: Only Jesus can rise from death.

Mulugetta W/Gebreale a former TPLF fighter in his book The Respected Criminals States that: The Tigraye People Liberation Front (TPLF) top echelon that dominated the Ethiopian ruling party facilitated “land grab.” Many multinational companies and foreign private speculators leased millions of acres of the country’s most fertile territory from the government at bargain basement price. Engendered numerous human rights violations, poverty and drastic inequalities. Around 90 percent of the population suffers from numerous deprivations, ranging from insufficient access to education to inadequate health care; and more than 30 million people facing chronic food shortages all accounted to the greed of TPLF leaders. The TPLF while in power looted the country and become rich; it’s estimated that the TPLF leadership looted 11 billion US dollars. Indebted the country with 24.7 billion US dollars. 70% of the countries’ economy was owned by TPLF’s company EFFORT. An endowment. They imprisoned oppositions, they promoted theft and dishonesty, corruption was rampant, divided the country on ethnic lines. They destroyed the value and norms of what being an Ethiopian meant a country with rich culture.

In summing up; Ethiopia is a rising giant with 110,000,000 people the richest country in water resources numerous nations desiring to have tight relation with it. President Biden needs to rectify his wrong policy towards Ethiopia and come with constructive African policy, become engaged in the welfare of Africans. Advocating for failed leaders that had committed crimes is not to the interest of USA. Avoiding confrontation and formulating positive relationship with African leaders that are serving the interest of their people should be the surmount policy towards Africa.

African people’s needs are good governance, beneficial use of national wealth, respect of nation’s sovereignty, partnership in investments and trade that are the unseen arbiters of power.

Source: Dehai Eritrea Online

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Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker (A/HRC/47/21)

Human Rights Council

Forty-seventh session

21 June–9 July 2021

Agenda item 2

Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner

for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the

High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

Summary

The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 44/1, in which the Council extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea and requested the mandate holder to present a report on the implementation of the mandate to the Council at its forty-seventh session.

The report is based upon the observations of the Special Rapporteur and information gathered from a variety of other sources. In the report, the Special Rapporteur provides an overview of the human rights concerns in Eritrea, and outlines recent developments and some of the human rights challenges in the country, including incommunicado detention, arbitrary arrest and detention, inhumane prison conditions, indefinite national/military service, lack of freedom of expression, opinion, association, religious belief and movement, lack of the rule of law and the serious human rights violations in the Tigray region of Ethiopia committed by Eritrean troops. In the light of the five benchmarks for progress set out in the report of his predecessor, the Special Rapporteur addresses a number of recommendations to the Government of Eritrea and to the international community with a view to improving the situation of human rights in the country.

I. Introduction

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 44/1, in which the Council extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for one year and requested the mandate holder to present a report on the implementation of the mandate to the Council at its forty-seventh session.

2. The report covers the period from 5 May 2020 to 28 April 2021. Owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the related restrictions of movement, and to the lack of cooperation of the Government of Eritrea, the Special Rapporteur was unable to conduct a field visit to Eritrea during the period under review.

3. The report is based on information gathered by the Special Rapporteur by monitoring the human rights situation remotely and on information provided by other sources, including civil society organizations, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, and the donor community. In compliance with the Code of Conduct for Special Procedure Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council, a draft report was shared with the Government of Eritrea in order to provide it with an opportunity to comment on the observations and findings of the Special Rapporteur.

4. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the previous mandate holder, Daniela Kravetz, for her invaluable support and the exchanges held with her on the implementation of the mandate.

Source: UN Human Rights Council

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New schools constructed in Kerkebet

New schools in the administrative areas of Agmait and Akaide, Kerkebet sub-zone, constructed in cooperation with the office of Construction Development in Gash Barka region, the Ministry of Education, Border Patrol Units as well as the public have been inaugurated on 27 May.

The inauguration ceremony of the schools was conducted in the presence of Ambassador Mohammed Ali Hiruy, Governor of the region, Col. Yonas Bitsuamlak, Commander of North-West Command and Border Patrol as well as other officials in the region.

Pointing out that the construction of the new schools attests to the attention the Government is giving to remote areas, Sheik Omar Mohammed-Tahir, a village elder in Agmait, said that signals the bright future of the area.

Ambassador Mohammed Ali Hiruy on his part said that developmental activities being conducted in Agmait attest to the progress being made in terms of ensuring social justice and called on the residents to take advantage of the opportunity provided and send their children to school.

At the event, prizes were handed over to outstanding students by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare branch in the region.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Cameroon Clears Illegal Miners from Border Village after Landslide Kills 27

Cameroonian authorities say they are deporting more than 1,000 illegal gold miners on the country’s eastern border with the Central African Republic after 27 miners died in May due to landslides. Those being expelled include 400 Central Africans and Senegalese in the village of Kambele.

At least 300 illegal miners were forced by Cameroonian police and military to sit on the floor at the Kambele market square on Tuesday night this week. Among them are Cameroonians, Central Africans and Senegalese.

Alfred Kamoun is a 31-year-old father of two from the neighboring Central African Republic. He says he was forced out of a mining site called Boukarou in Kambele village.

He says he and his two brothers will no longer be able to raise $50 each night from digging and selling gold. He says while at the mining site they could dig at least 7 grams of gold each night. Kamoun says his son will no longer be paid $4 every night for supplying water to wash gold.

Kambele is a village in Batouri, an administrative unit located about 700 kilometers from Cameroon’s eastern neighbor, CAR.

On Monday local authorities at Batouri said 27 illegal gold miners died in Kambele village in May. Auberlin Mbelessa, mayor of Batouri says an emergency crisis meeting recommended the deportation of at least 1,000 civilians from the risky mining area.

He says no one can be indifferent when civilians are dying in gold mines, yet thousands of people continue to rush to mining sites which from every indication are dangerous. He says while deporting the illegal gold miners, rescue workers and Cameroon military will also search to remove corpses and save the lives of people who may still be trapped in the collapsing mines.

Cameroon said it deployed its rescue workers, military and police to Kambele to clear the area of illegal miners and make sure foreign illegal miners either obtain their residence and mining permits or leave.

The military is prohibiting miners from visiting risk zones where trenches dug to harvest gold are collapsing. Baba Bell, traditional ruler of Kambele says some civilians may have drown in trenches filled with water from heavy rains.

He says every year during the rainy season as from the months of April, so many gold mines collapse leaving many people severely wounded or dead. He says a majority of the victims are unemployed Cameroonian youths who flood his village in search of opportunities. He says several hundred foreigners from Congo Brazzaville, Central African Republic, China and Senegal are in his village.

Hilaire Kembe is a Cameroon illegal gold miner at Kembele village. He says it is impossible to know the exact number of dead or wounded people in May in Kambele.

He says miners do not report when they discover fresh corpses and human bones at mining sites because of fear that they will be held for several weeks at police posts for interrogations. He says several hundred villagers and foreign miners whose identities are unknown prefer digging for gold at night when Cameroon police and military retire to their barracks. He says it is difficult to know when the night miners are buried by collapsing soils.

Cameroon says some of the illegal miners are displaced persons fleeing the conflict in CAR and fleeing from Boko Haram terrorist groups on its northern border with Nigeria. Some are escaping from the Anglophone separatist fighters in the country’s English-speaking western regions.

The government has always prohibited unauthorized people from digging in the area. But many youths ignore the order saying that they are unemployed.

Source: Voice of America

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Zimbabweans Protest COVID-19 Vaccine Shortages

Hundreds of Zimbabweans protested Wednesday about a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines as the country awaits more doses from China. The government wants to inoculate at least 60% of Zimbabwe’s more than 14 million people by the end of the year but has struggled to get the necessary supplies.

Claudina Maneni brought her 60-year-old mother to get her second vaccine dose Wednesday at Wilkins Hospital, Zimbabwe’s main COVID-19 vaccination center.

She was among people who arrived at 4 a.m. but waited in vain for hours.

The crowd demanded to see authorities and began to protest but dispersed upon hearing police were on their way.

Maneni says she wonders why Zimbabwe’s finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, has not imported more vaccines to avert shortages.

“That’s the problem with freebies. Shortages must affect those who want their first jabs,” she said. “I hear some private points are selling it. I will pass through to check. It must be them — government officials — taking vaccines to those places. They are not ashamed at all. There will be chaos here. Why did they call us to come for vaccination?”

On Wednesday, Dr. John Mangwiro, Zimbabwe’s junior health minister, refused to comment. Tuesday, he told state-controlled media that government would redistribute COVID-19 vaccines from areas with lower demand to those where uptake has been high to avert current shortages.

He said Zimbabwe still had more than 400,000 doses from the 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccines it got from China, Russia and India since February.

Updating media Tuesday about Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 situation, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa was mum about the shortages.

“As of 31st May, 2021, a total of 675,678 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and about 344,400 their second dose — this is across the country. Priority is being given to second doses,” she said.

After speaking, she did not field questions from reporters.

Calvin Fambirai, executive director of Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, says his organization is worried about the COVID-19 vaccine shortages with winter season approaching the region.

“The vaccine shortages could have been avoided if there was proper planning on part of the government,” he said. “Although we understand the limited availability of vaccines on the market, we have some countries like South Africa, which entered into bilateral deals with manufacturers. We cannot afford to rely on donations, government must be proactive and secure the vaccines for all Zimbabweans.”

Last week, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s director for Africa, appealed for at least 20 million vaccines of second doses for everyone who received their first shots on the continent to curtail a potential third wave of COVID-19.

Zimbabwe has 38,998 confirmed coronavirus infections and just under 1,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, which tracks the global outbreak.

Source: Voice of America