November 29, 2022

World Health Organization Updates Emergency Use Listing for Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 Vaccine as a Primary Series in Adolescents and as a Booster in Adults

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an updated Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for Nuvaxovid (NVX-CoV2373) COVID-19 vaccine for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a primary series of two doses in adolescents aged 12 through 17 and as a booster in adults aged 18 and older.

“Today’s updated Emergency Use Listing from the WHO allows us to offer our protein-based vaccine as a primary series to adolescents and as a booster for adults around the world,” said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. “WHO member countries now have a vaccine option for these indications developed using an innovative approach to traditional technology that can also be stored in standard refrigeration, making it easy to transport.”

Primary Series in Adolescents
The updated EUL for Nuvaxovid as a primary series in adolescents aged 12 through 17 was based on data from the ongoing pediatric expansion of the Phase 3 PREVENT-19 trial of 2,232 adolescents aged 12 through 17 years across 75 sites in the U.S., to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Nuvaxovid. In the pediatric expansion, Nuvaxovid achieved its primary effectiveness endpoint and demonstrated 80% clinical efficacy overall at a time when the Delta variant was the predominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain in the U.S.

Preliminary safety data from the pediatric expansion showed the vaccine to be generally well-tolerated. Serious and severe adverse events were low in number and balanced between vaccine and placebo groups, and not considered related to the vaccine. Local and systemic reactogenicity was generally lower than or similar to adults, after the first and second dose. The most common adverse reactions observed were injection site tenderness/pain, headache, myalgia, fatigue, and malaise. There was no increase in reactogenicity in younger (12 to <15 years old) adolescents compared to older (15 to <18 years old) adolescents. No new safety signal was observed through the placebo-controlled portion of the pediatric expansion.

Booster in Adults
The updated EUL for Nuvaxovid as a booster in adults aged 18 and older is supported by data from Novavax’ Phase 2 trial conducted in Australia, from a separate Phase 2 trial conducted in South Africa, and from the United Kingdom (U.K.)-sponsored COV-BOOST trial. As part of the Novavax Phase 2 trials, a single booster dose of Nuvaxovid was administered to healthy adult participants approximately six months after their primary two-dose vaccination series of Nuvaxovid. The third dose produced increased immune responses comparable to or exceeding levels associated with protection in Phase 3 clinical trials. In the COV-BOOST trial, Nuvaxovid induced a meaningful antibody response when used as a heterologous third booster dose.

In the Novavax-sponsored trials, following the booster, local and systemic reactions had a median duration of approximately two days. The incidence of Grade 3 or higher events remained relatively low. Safety reporting of reactogenicity events showed an increasing incidence across all three doses of Nuvaxovid, often seen with increased immunogenicity. Medically attended adverse events (AE), potentially immune-mediated medical conditions, and severe AEs occurred infrequently following the booster dose and were balanced between vaccine and placebo groups.

In the 12 through 17-year-old population, Novavax’ vaccine has been authorized in more than 10 markets including the U.S., the European Union (EU), and the U.K. The vaccine has also been authorized as a booster in the U.S., EU, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland, and a number of other countries have policy recommendations allowing use of the vaccine as a heterologous or homologous booster dose. Novavax’ vaccine is actively under review in other markets for both indications and has ongoing trials to further explore its efficacy and safety as a booster.

The WHO previously granted EUL for Nuvaxovid in adults aged 18 and older in December 2021.

Trade Name in the U.S.
The trade name Nuvaxovid has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Important Safety Information: WHO

Nuvaxovid is contraindicated in persons who have a hypersensitivity to the active substance, or to any of the excipients.
Events of anaphylaxis have been reported with administration of Nuvaxovid. Appropriate medical treatment and supervision should be available in case of an anaphylactic reaction following the administration of the vaccine. Close observation for at least 15 minutes is recommended and a second dose of the vaccine should not be given to those who have experienced anaphylaxis to the first dose of Nuvaxovid.
Anxiety-related reactions, including vasovagal reactions (syncope), hyperventilation, or stress‐related reactions may occur in association with vaccination as a psychogenic response to the needle injection. It is important that precautions are in place to avoid injury from fainting.
Vaccination should be postponed in individuals suffering from an acute severe febrile illness or acute infection. The presence of a minor infection and/or low-grade fever should not delay vaccination.
Nuvaxovid should be given with caution in individuals receiving anticoagulant therapy or those with thrombocytopenia or any coagulation disorder (such as haemophilia) because bleeding or bruising may occur following an intramuscular administration in these individuals.
The efficacy of Nuvaxovid may be lower in immunosuppressed individuals.
Administration of Nuvaxovid in pregnancy should only be considered when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks for the mother and foetus.
The effects with Nuvaxovid may temporarily affect the ability to drive or use machines.
Individuals may not be fully protected until 7 days after their second dose. As with all vaccines, vaccination with Nuvaxovid may not protect all vaccine recipients.
The most frequent adverse reactions in clinical trials in individuals 12 years of age and older were headache, nausea or vomiting myalgia, arthralgia, injection site tenderness, injection site pain, fatigue, and malaise.

For more information on Nuvaxovid, including the Summary of Product Characteristics with Package Leaflet, adverse event reporting instructions, or to request additional information, please visit the following websites:

About Nuvaxovid (NVX-CoV2373)
Nuvaxovid (NVX-CoV2373) is a protein-based vaccine engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. The vaccine was created using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is formulated with Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Nuvaxovid contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19.

Nuvaxovid is packaged as a ready-to-use liquid formulation in a vial containing ten doses. The vaccination regimen calls for two 0.5 ml doses (5 mcg antigen and 50 mcg Matrix-M adjuvant) given intramuscularly 21 days apart. The vaccine is stored at 2°- 8° Celsius, enabling the use of existing vaccine supply and cold chain channels. Use of the vaccine should be in accordance with official recommendations.

Novavax has established partnerships for the manufacture, commercialization, and distribution of Nuvaxovid worldwide. Existing authorizations leverage Novavax’ manufacturing partnership with Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume. They will later be supplemented with data from additional manufacturing sites throughout Novavax’ global supply chain.

About the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2373) Phase 3 Trials
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2373) continues being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 trials.

PREVENT-19 (the PRE-fusion protein subunit Vaccine Efficacy Novavax Trial | COVID-19) is a 2:1 randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine with Matrix-M adjuvant in 29,960 participants 18 years of age and over in 119 locations in the U.S. and Mexico. The primary endpoint for PREVENT-19 was the first occurrence of PCR-confirmed symptomatic (mild, moderate or severe) COVID-19 with onset at least seven days after the second dose in serologically negative (to SARS-CoV-2) adult participants at baseline. The statistical success criterion included a lower bound of 95% CI >30%. A secondary endpoint was the prevention of PCR-confirmed, symptomatic moderate or severe COVID-19. Both endpoints were assessed at least seven days after the second study vaccination in volunteers who had not been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. In the trial, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine achieved 90.4% efficacy overall. It was generally well-tolerated and elicited a robust antibody response after the second dose in both studies. Full results of the trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

The pediatric expansion of PREVENT-19 is a 2:1 randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded trial to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and efficacy of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine with Matrix-M adjuvant in 2,247 adolescent participants 12 to 17 years of age in 73 locations in the U.S., compared with placebo. In the pediatric trial, the vaccine achieved its primary effectiveness endpoint (non-inferiority of the neutralizing antibody response compared to young adult participants 18 through 25 years of age from PREVENT-19) and demonstrated 80% efficacy overall at a time when the Delta variant of concern was the predominant circulating strain in the U.S. Additionally, immune responses were about two-to-three-fold higher in adolescents than in adults against all variants studied.

Additionally, a trial conducted in the U.K. with 14,039 participants aged 18 years and over was designed as a randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study and achieved overall efficacy of 89.7%. The primary endpoint was based on the first occurrence of PCR-confirmed symptomatic (mild, moderate, or severe) COVID-19 with onset at least seven days after the second study vaccination in serologically negative (to SARS-CoV-2) adult participants at baseline. Full results of the trial were published in NEJM.

About Matrix-M Adjuvant
Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant has demonstrated a potent and well-tolerated effect by stimulating the entry of antigen-presenting cells into the injection site and enhancing antigen presentation in local lymph nodes, boosting immune response.

About Novavax
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. The company’s proprietary recombinant technology platform harnesses the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles designed to address urgent global health needs. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, has received authorization from multiple regulatory authorities globally, including the U.S. FDA, the European Commission, and the WHO. The vaccine is currently under review by multiple regulatory agencies worldwide, including for additional indications and populations such as adolescents and as a booster. In addition to its COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax is also currently evaluating its COVID-19-Influenza Combination (CIC) vaccine candidate in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, its quadrivalent influenza investigational vaccine candidate, and an Omicron strain-based vaccine (NVX-CoV2515) as well as a bivalent format Omicron-based / original strain-based vaccine. These vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax’ proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

For more information, visit www.novavax.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax, its operating plans and prospects, its partnerships, the timing of clinical trial results, the ongoing development of NVX-CoV2373, NVX-CoV2515 and a bivalent Omicron-based / original strain based vaccine, the CIC investigational vaccine candidate, a quadrivalent influenza investigational vaccine candidate, the scope, timing and outcome of future regulatory filings and actions, including Novavax’ plans to supplement existing authorizations with data from the additional manufacturing sites in Novavax’ global supply chain, additional worldwide authorizations of NVX-CoV2373 for use in adults and adolescents, and as a booster, the potential impact and reach of Novavax and NVX-CoV2373 in addressing vaccine access, controlling the pandemic and protecting populations, the efficacy, safety, intended utilization, and expected administration of NVX-CoV2373, and the expected administration of NVX-CoV2373 are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, challenges satisfying, alone or together with partners, various safety, efficacy, and product characterization requirements, including those related to process qualification and assay validation, necessary to satisfy applicable regulatory authorities; difficulty obtaining scarce raw materials and supplies; resource constraints, including human capital and manufacturing capacity, on the ability of Novavax to pursue planned regulatory pathways; unanticipated challenges or delays in conducting clinical trials; challenges meeting contractual requirements under agreements with multiple commercial, governmental, and other entities; and those other risk factors identified in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Novavax’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov and www.novavax.com, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:
Investors
Erika Schultz | 240-268-2022
ir@novavax.com

Media
Ali Chartan or Giovanna Chandler | 202-709-5563
media@novavax.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1506866/Novavax_High_Res_Logo.jpg

November 29, 2022

EYES ON IRAN ART ACTIVATION FACES THE U.N. IN NEW YORK

AN EVENT MARKED THE OPENING FEATURING HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, GISSOU NIA,SHEIDA SOLEIMANI, SHIRIN NESHAT with SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY JON BATISTE

NEW YORK, Nov. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Iranian artists Sheida Soleimani, Aphrodite Désirée Navab, Z, Icy and Sot, Shirin Neshat, Mahvash Mostala, Sepideh Mehraban, and Shirin Towfiq, alongside artists Hank Willis Thomas and JR, activate New York’s FDR Four Freedoms State Park with a provocative multi-day and multi-media art installation facing the United Nations entitled Eyes on Iran, November 28, 2022 – January 1, 2023.

Timed for the U.N. initiative, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the installations are focused on the power of collective sight, with eyes facing the U.N., signifying the world’s eyes on Iran. ‘Eyes in the Sky’ flying billboards featuring artworks by Thomas and Mostala will fly on December 3 in New York City and on November 28 and 30 in Miami. An interactive installation by artist JR will take place on December 4. Eyes on Iran aims to amplify the mission of Woman, Life, Freedom, a campaign demanding that the Islamic Republic of Iran is removed from the Commission on the Status of Women.

The New York installation was unveiled at an event featuring former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Human Rights Lawyer and Director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council Gissou Nia, artists Sheida Soleimani and Shirin Neshat, actor and singer Sepideh Moafi and more at FDR Four Freedoms State Park with a performance by Grammy award-winner Jon Batiste.

“We are calling on the world to take more action, starting at the United Nations. We must remove Iran from the U.N.’s Commission on the Status of Women. The fact that Iran is a member is a bitter irony,” said Clinton. “What we are seeing is a revolution led by young women who are just not willing to live with the loss of freedom being imposed upon them.”

November 28 is significant because it is the anniversary of the 1943 Tehran Conference where Allied leaders, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met in Tehran to coordinate the Allied military strategy and also stated a shared desire for the maintenance of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Iran. Today, Woman, Life, Freedom shares the call for human rights for the people of Iran.

“The world’s eyes have been focused on the courage of Iranian citizens in their quest for freedom, in the face of increasingly grave danger,” said human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam Mackay. “The Islamic Republic has censored them and attempted to blind the world to the potential of this movement. ‘Eyes on Iran’ is our response to their call for a free Iran.”

“When we say that we must keep our ‘Eyes on Iran,’ we mean that what is happening deserves not only our attention but our vision. In solidarity with the courageous Iranians who are risking their lives to express their human rights, many artists throughout the diaspora and beyond are bringing our vision to bear to ensure international audiences and institutions remain aware of what is happening in Iran, in their eyes and in their hearts, and feel moved to respond,” says artist Shirin Neshat.

An interactive installation by artist JR will take place on December 4 at FDR Four Freedoms State Park. Eyes on Iran aims to amplify the mission of Woman, Life, Freedom, a campaign demanding that the Islamic Republic of Iran is removed from the Commission on the Status of Women. Additional artists featured online including Emily Elise, Mahdis Nikou, Priscillia Kounkou Hoveydam, Ernesto Yerena, Hourdad, Golnar Adili, and Anonymous Artists.

In October, the campaign published a two-page ad in The New York Times with a petition signed by women leaders from more than 14 countries, including Clinton, demanding the U.N. Member States remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women. Within days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, along with nearly 100,000 others, signed the petition.

The Woman, Life, Freedom campaign is a partnership between artist collective For Freedoms, a coalition of Iranian women leaders and Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit elevating women leaders.

Key Links:

Press Images

Woman Life Freedom Website

Press Release: Open Letter Calling for the Immediate Expulsion of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women

About Our Partners:

For Freedoms is an artist collective that centers art and creativity as a catalyst for transformative connection and collective liberation. By wielding the power of art, we aim to deepen and expand our capacity to interrogate what is and imagine what could be. Together, we seek infinite expansion.
www.forfreedoms.com

Vital Voices Global Partnership celebrates 25 years of directly investing in more than 20,000 women leaders across 184 countries since 1997. Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and nations cannot move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, prime ministers, award-winning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders, and breakthrough social entrepreneurs.
www.vitalvoices.org

Four Freedoms Park Conservancy (FFPC), founded in 2011, operates under a Friends Agreement with New York State Parks to produce and curate public programs at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park. The park, designed by American modernist architect Louis Kahn, is among the greatest architectural masterpieces in New York City. By leveraging this spectacular architecture and the unique location of the park, the Conservancy produces events, installations,public art, and partners with local organizations that, together, serve a singular purpose: igniting the conversation around the Four Freedoms and the legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by more than 78 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit www.parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer mobile app or call 518.474.0456. Also, connect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Attachments

Sarah Brown McLeod
DEPARTMENT PR
sarah@department-pr.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8704529

November 29, 2022

President highlights handball team commitment

Luanda – Angolan head of State João Lourenço highlighted Tuesday the commitment of the senior women’s handball team for winning the fifteenth title of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), played this month in Dakar, Senegal.

Speaking at the homage ceremony paid to the athletes, coaching staff and members of the Angolan Handball Federation, the Head of State said that the victory means that across the continent the national team are the one that make the most effort and deserves the most.

“We are committed to continuing to provide all the necessary support, with a view to guaranteeing future victories that we are sure will come”, he expressed.

João Lourenço stated that the investment made in the sport has had a good return, a fact that will lead the Government to continue investing.

“We would like other sports to follow your example, because it is possible, as long as there is work”, concluded the president.

Angola won for the fifteenth time and fourth consecutively, the title of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), in senior women’s handball, by defeating Cameroon 29-19, in a match played at the Dakar Pavilion (Senegal).

With this achievement, Angola qualified for the 26th edition of the World Cup, taking place from 30 November to 17 December 2023, to be co-organised by Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

At the level of the African continent, the teams of Senegal, Cameroon and Congo are also qualified.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

November 29, 2022

Mediation: Heads of State highlight João Lourenço’s efforts for peace in DRC

Luanda – African Heads of State recognised last Monday in Nairobi, Kenya, the mediation efforts of the Angolan President, João Lourenço, mandated by the African Union, focused on the restoration of peace and security in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes in general.

They are the Presidents of Burundi and chairperson of the Community of East African Countries Evariste Ndayishimiye, the DRC Antoine Thisekedi Tshilombo, Uganda Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda Paul Kagame, and Tanzania Samia Suluhu.

The statesmen participated, in person or virtually, in the launch of the third round of consultations of the Nairobi process for peace in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The statesmen welcomed the Luanda mini-summit, held on the 23rd of the current month, which decided on the declaration of a ceasefire and a set of actions to be carried out to restore peace and security in the region.

On behalf of Angola, Ambassador Sianga Abílio participated in the event, promoted by the former President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, as a facilitator of the Community of East African Countries (EAC), to discuss actions aimed at the restoration of peace in this region of the DRC and the alignment of the Luanda process with that of Nairobi.

The opening session of the event, also called Nairobi III, was chaired by the President of Kenya, William Ruto, who appealed to the need to restore peace in the DRC, a condition that will allow for a framework of peace for all countries in the Great Lakes.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

November 29, 2022

Twitter Rolls Back COVID Misinformation Policy

Twitter has rolled back a policy that was aimed at tackling misinformation related to COVID-19 on the social media platform, lending itself to the risk of a potential surge in false claims even as cases rise in China and some parts of the world.

The move also comes amid concerns of Twitter’s ability to fight misinformation after it let go about half of its staff, including those involved in content moderation, under new boss Elon Musk.

“Effective November 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the COVID-19 misleading information policy,” according to an update on its blog page. The update was first reported by CNN on Tuesday.

The specific measures that Twitter will drop were not immediately clear, and the company did not immediately respond to a request to share more information.

At the onset of COVID in 2020, Twitter instated a number of measures including labels and warning messages on tweets with disputed information about the health crisis and a framework to have users remove tweets that advanced harmfully false claims related to vaccines.

Meta Platforms Inc-owned META.O Facebook and Alphabet Inc’s GOOGL.O YouTube services employed similar measures, which are currently in place.

Early this year, Twitter said that since March 2021 it had stopped enforcing a “civic integrity policy” related to lies about the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Billionaire Musk took over Twitter on Oct. 27, paying $44 billion for the company, and has moved quickly to initiate a number of changes to product and staff. Musk said on Oct. 29 he would set up a content moderation council with “widely diverse viewpoints.

Source: Voice of America

November 29, 2022

China Owns 400 Nuclear Warheads, According to Pentagon Report

A Pentagon report warns that China now has more than 400 nuclear warheads, approximately doubling its nuclear arsenal in just two years, while its military has increased “unsafe” and “unprofessional” military behavior toward the United States and its allies in the region, especially Taiwan.

The pace of China’s accelerating nuclear expansion may enable Beijing to field a stockpile of about 1,500 warheads by 2035, according to the Pentagon’s annual “China Military Power” report to Congress that was released Tuesday.

The United States’ nuclear arsenal, with an estimated 3,800 warheads in active status, would still dwarf China’s.

The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) launched approximately 135 ballistic missiles for testing and training in 2021, “more than the rest of the world combined, excluding ballistic missile employment in conflict zones,” according to the report. It also continued to construct three intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silo fields, which will contain at least 300 new ICBM silos.

The Pentagon report was based on information about China’s military capabilities that was collected through December 2021, but it also accounted for some major events in 2022, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August, according to a senior defense official.

Bradley Bowman, a veteran and senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the “quantity and quality” of Chinese missiles is “particularly concerning.”

“If one looks at the capability and capacity of China’s missile arsenal, it’s breathtaking,” Bowman said, adding that China’s military modernization has “methodically and deliberately gone after capabilities specifically designed to defeat the United States.”

South China Sea

China also has increased the number of “unsafe and unprofessional” encounters with the U.S. military and its allies and partners in the region, including Australia.

“We’ve seen more coercive and aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region, including some of which we would highlight as being dangerous,” the senior defense official said, citing aircraft aerobatics, lasing and discharging objects as examples.

On Tuesday, China said it had “tracked and dispelled” a U.S. warship from waters near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Beijing considers much of the resource-rich sea its territory — despite the territorial claims of other nations — and has created hundreds of hectares of artificial islands to bolster its claims.

The U.S. Navy confirmed to VOA the USS Chancellorsville guided-missile cruiser conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near the Spratly Islands Tuesday but described China’s statement about the mission as “false.”

“USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in waters where high seas freedoms apply,” the Navy said in a statement.

“The United States is defending every nation’s right to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as USS Chancellorsville did here. Nothing the PRC says otherwise will deter us,” the Navy added, describing China’s claims to the Spratly Islands as “excessive” and “illegitimate.”

The U.S. frequently conducts these operations in the South China Sea to challenge the territorial claims of China and others and to promote free passage through international waters that carry half the world’s merchant fleet tonnage, worth trillions of dollars each year.

An international court ruling in The Hague held that China had no historic title over the South China Sea, but Beijing has ignored the decision.

‘New normal’ around Taiwan

China has stated it wants to have the ability to control Taiwan, by force if necessary, by 2027, and officials have seen an “elevated level of new, intimidating and coercive activity” around the island. China considers Taiwan a wayward province.

“I don’t see an imminent invasion. I think what we do see is sort of the PRC (People’s Republic of China) establishing kind of a new normal in terms of the level of military activity around Taiwan following the speaker’s visit,” a senior defense official told reporters at the Pentagon.

China executed a high number of missile launches and military demonstrations around the Taiwan Strait during and immediately after Pelosi’s trip, which the speaker said was made to “stand by” the democratic island and honor the U.S. commitment made to Taiwan under a 1979 law.

Since then, China has lowered the number of aggressive actions around Taiwan but has not reduced its aggressive behavior to the level it was prior to her visit.

“Strait centerline crossings have become increasingly, you know, sort of routinized. In contrast, those used to be something that the PRC reserved for relatively rare occasions where they wanted to send sort of more of a political signal,” the senior defense official said.

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Cambodia last week that Beijing considers Taiwan to be a “red line,” according to a statement provided by the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

“Taiwan is China’s. Taiwan and the resolution of the Taiwan issue is China’s own affair in which no outside force has the right to intervene,” Wei said, according to the statement.

Russia and beyond

China has continued its military cooperation with Russia. In 2021, a large-scale joint exercise with Russia’s army was conducted on Chinese soil for the first time. The drills were known as Zapad/Interaction.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, a senior defense official said Beijing has not provided direct military assistance to Moscow but has supported Russia by amplifying Russian disinformation and propaganda.

“Russia’s value as a partner to the PRC remains high,” the official said.

China has the world’s largest navy in terms of ship numbers, with a battle force of about 340 ships and submarines. China’s army, according to the report, has 975,000 active duty members, and Beijing’s aviation force is the largest in the region and third-largest in the world, with more than 2,800 aircraft.

The report added that in addition to China’s base in the small African nation of Djibouti, Beijing has considered several other nations for future Chinese military facilities ranging from Cambodia to Tajikistan to Kenya.

Cyber-enabled espionage by China also remains a “sophisticated, persistent threat,” according to the report. The Pentagon accuses China’s military of attempting to take radiation hardened integrated circuits, gyroscopes, syntactic foam trade secrets, military communication jamming equipment, aviation technologies, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and other technologies.

Responding to VOA at the Pentagon earlier in November, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said, “China is the one country out there that geopolitically has the power potential to be a significant challenge to the United States.”

He added that China wants to have the top military in the world by 2049 and has made gains in cyber, space, land, sea and air, but stressed that the United States’ military will not let the Chinese military surpass it.

“And as long as we remain No. 1, then we will deter the war that people worry about, a great power war between China and the United States,” Milley said.

Source: Voice of America

November 29, 2022

Diplomat highlights Angola’s role in Palestinian cause

Luanda – The Palestinian ambassador to Angola Jubrael Alshomali highlighted Tuesday in Luanda the continuous support of the Angolan government for liberation and self-determination of the Palestinian people, having considered Angola a friend.

The diplomat was speaking to ANGOP, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, established by the United Nations (UN).

The date marks the anniversary of United Nations Resolution 181, passed by UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947, which calls for the partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Jubrael Alshomali saluted Angolan diplomacy for the vote of confidence and solidarity shown to Palestine during the UN General Assembly, held on November 11 in Bali, Indonesia.

“Palestine and Angola are friendly countries whose relations are very credible and historical”, expressed the ambassador.

He underlined that the relationship between the parties dates back to the struggle for Angola’s Independence, through leaders Agostinho Neto and Yasser Arafat, when the African country received aid from Palestine.

Palestine recognised Angola’s independence moments after its proclamation, having installed its diplomatic representation in Luanda.

It has a community in Angola made up of more than 200 citizens, who mostly work in the commercial sector.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

November 29, 2022

Angola calls for more US investment in private sector

Luanda – Angolan President João Lourenço defended a greater commitment of US private investment in the country, as part of the existing strategic partnership, focusing on the diversification of the economy and the industrialisation of Angola.

The president was speaking during an interview granted to the Public Television of Angola (TPA) and released Monday, within the framework of the United States/Africa Summit, set for 13 – 15 December in Washington.

In the interview, relayed Tuesday by Jornal de Angola (State-run news paper), President João Lourenço highlighted the fact that US investments directed towards Angola and the continent favour more the defence sector and, above all, energy security dedicated to production and exploration of oil and gas.

“The message that we will take to the Washington Summit for President Biden is that we would like to see greater US private investment in the country, to help us industrialise and diversify the economy”, said the Head of State, recognising that Angola and other States on the African continent are still poorly industrialised.

The Head of State considered the relations with the United States to be “excellent” and assured that Angola is already carrying out “quite seriously” investments in energy infrastructure, to guarantee the country’s industrialisation.

He underlined that with the contribution of the US Government, the Angolan Government is working to cover the country with electricity from clean sources, with emphasis on photovoltaics. He also mentioned the effort to build more infrastructure in Education and Health, as a priority for his second term.

Meanwhile, the president he made it known that the Executive will carry out more actions in the field of roads.

Mid-term results at the Washington Summit

The Head of State said he hoped that the United States/Africa Summit, which next December will discuss the future of the African continent, in a face-to-face meeting between President Joe Biden and several African statesmen, will bring results in the medium and long term and not be just another event.

At the international event, President João Lourenço promises to persuade the US Government to invest more and more in Africa, bearing in mind the great potential of the continent, in the most varied sectors.

“What we are going to say to President Biden is that America must bet more on our continent, because Africa has a very large economic potential”, said the Head of State, adding that with the situation of the war in Ukraine, it is an ideal time to start to look at the continent with different eyes.

João Lourenço reiterated that Angola is against any war on the planet, not only because it is a member and knowledgeable of the Charter of the United Nations, but, above all, because it has already been the victim of an armed conflict that destroyed the country.

“We are well aware of the consequences of the war, we had our country destroyed, with a lot of human losses, displaced people, refugees. For that reason, we do not wish this on anyone. Wars only bring misfortunes. We have always defended the immediate end of the war that is currently taking place in Europe between Russia and Ukraine”, said the Head of State.

To the President of the Republic, the authorities of both sides must sit down at the negotiating table so that the conflict is resolved, as soon as possible, “before it is too late”.

Still on the war in Ukraine, the Head of State said that Angola’s position has already been publicly expressed several times in various international forums, and the same will be, once again, reiterated at the Washington Summit.

For the international event, which will foresee a better future for the cradle continent, the Head of State said that Angola will take up themes such as its position in relation to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the world food crisis and climate change.

João Lourenço defended greater investments in different environmentally friendly sources of electricity, in addition to the traditional ones that consume carbon.

To combat the global food crisis, the President of the Republic defended greater investments in agriculture on the continent, and in particular in the country. He recalled, by the way, that Angola has “abundant” arable land, good climate, water, but needs capital and technological knowledge to, like Brazil, be able to export agricultural products to the largest consumer markets in the world.

Combating corruption had to do with the need to do justice

João Lourenço highlighted, during the interview, that the need to do justice and repair Angola’s image in the international community was what motivated him to move forward with the fight against corruption and impunity.

He recalled, by the way, that Angola was known for two negative issues, specifically the war that, fortunately, was left behind and, now, is working to eliminate corruption and impunity. “The war was resolved. Now, little by little, we are solving the problem of corruption and impunity”, stressed João Lourenço.

In his one-hour interview, President João Lourenço admitted that the courage to carry out the fight against corruption has its consequences. “There are those who came to interpret that I created a division within the party, but that is not what happened”, he said, stating that people involved in corruption do not represent a “big slice” in the party.

João Lourenço continued, adding that there were those who saw in this fight against corruption the predictable defeat of the MPLA, which also did not happen, as you can see. “The MPLA won the elections and we will continue to work”, he stressed. “We cannot say that corruption no longer exists, because it still exists, but on a smaller scale. However, the challenge is great”.

“I could have opted for a comfortable position, and continued the situation I found, but if I did, I would be doing a very bad service to the country, since, the money from corruption would serve for development, taking into account that resources are always scarce”, he stressed.

He referred, in this line of thought, that, no matter how much riches a country has, above all to attend to social issues, such as Education and Health, or to invest in infrastructure, money is never enough.

By way of example, he indicated that of the recovered assets, financial and not only, it was possible to start with the Integrated Plan of Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM), with a value of 2 billion dollars. With this amount, the State has made important investments, which allow giving another life to the municipalities.

Best business environment

President João Lourenço reaffirmed that the Executive, under his leadership, is creating policies to create a better business environment to strengthen the private sector.

He said, in this regard, that he believes that the solution to the high unemployment rate that afflicts the country lies in the private sector of the local economy, “where we will definitely find the solution to this problem”.

He referred that the State continues to provide employment, in the Civil Service, especially in the Social, Education and Health sectors. The State has carried out public tenders, with high numbers, but even so, employment cannot be found only in these two sectors. “It somehow reduces unemployment, but it doesn’t solve it”, said João Lourenço.

The solution is to have more and more companies in the private sector, more industry and factories, he said.

“We need to industrialize the country. But it is the private sector that makes the industry, and the other way of contributing to the increase in employability is to attract foreign direct investment”, he said, adding that with foreign direct investment, “we will diversify the economy and, consequently, give jobs to citizens”.

Local Authorities

Regarding the August 24 elections, President João Lourenço said, once again, that they were not local or municipal, but general. This means, he said, that either you win the general elections or you lose, the results in each province or municipality do not count. “This only contributes to, ultimately, determine your victory or not”, he stressed.

“We didn’t lose, maybe we won fewer MPs than has been the habit in these provinces. If we are afraid that when local authorities are instituted, we will have bad results, no. The party will have to fight to have good results in all the municipalities where local authorities take place”, he promised.

The President of the Republic recalled that it has not yet been defined whether the autarchies will take place in the 164 municipalities or will be phased. He explained, by the way, that, when it is defined, “the party has to fight to win with as many numbers as possible”.

He referred that due to the fact that the party lost Luanda, it doesn’t worry his party so much, because they are different elections. “When the municipal elections are held, it will be the party’s obligation to be concerned with all municipal elections, regardless of whether they are in the capital or not”, concluded President João Lourenço.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

November 29, 2022

Natural gas to support steel, petrochemical industry – President

Luanda – Angolan head of state João Lourenço Tuesday in Luanda said the Executive is implementing natural gas projects aimed at supporting the implementation of steel and petrochemical industries, as well as fertilizer companies, among others, to ensure the country’s sustainable development.

The statesman announced the ongoing process on completion of a master plan for natural gas to set basis for achieving potential of resources over the next 30 years, in order to guarantee the creation of jobs and the generation of revenue for the State.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Angola Oil and Gas Conference, João Lourenço pointed to the 2018 Presidential Legislative Decree as the document that establishes the legal and fiscal regime applicable to exploration, production and sale of non-associated petroleum gas.

He explained that based on this legal diploma that natural gas structuring projects are being implemented, with particular emphasis on the new consortium to ensure the permanent supply of this product to the Angola LNG factory and to the Soyo combined cycle thermal power plant.

Petroleum

João Lourenço announced that the Executive adopted measures for the period 2020-2025 with a view to bidding new oil concessions, aimed at awarding 59 new blocks, of which 20 have already been delivered.

Angola, stated the president, is implementing a refining strategy and a programme to improve oil by-products that includes an increase in onshore storage and the construction of fueling stations in all municipal capitals.

The President recalled that the refining strategy includes the expansion of the Luanda Refinery with the installation of a new catalytic reform unit, already completed, which quadrupled gasoline production and the construction of three new refineries, namely in Cabinda (60,000 arrels/day), Soyo (100,000) and Lobito (200,000).

Environmental measures

On the other hand, the Head of State reaffirmed that Angola is working with its partners to decarbonize the oil industry, reduce polluting gas emissions and other recent techniques, such as capturing and storing carbon at safe depths in the ocean.

“In view of the growing environmental concerns, the energy transition to a low-carbon economy is a theme in the current strategy of the oil sector, which is perfectly aligned with the Executive”, he referred.

He announced that those involved in prospecting, exploration and production of oil and gas have been instructed to adopt measures to mitigate and offset greenhouse gas emissions.

To this purpose, the Statesman highlighted the elimination or reduction of gas flaring, the adoption of less polluting operational equipment, the protection and conservation of flora and fauna and reforestation.

The president called for the promotion of sustainable exploitation of fossil energy resources and to use part of its profits and technical capacity to gradually encourage and strengthen the emergence of an industry of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and others.

João Lourenço said that Sonangol and partners such as ENI and TOTAL Energies are engaged in the construction of photovoltaic power plants in Caramulo and Quilemba, in the provinces of Namibe and Huíla, respectively, to contribute with clean energy to the national energy matrix.

He mentioned that the aforementioned Angolan company has established partnerships with German industries to develop green hydrogen production projects at its development and research center in Sumbe, Cuanza Sul, which will guarantee its business portfolio and promote the country’s development in the field of renewable energy.

The Holder of Executive Power appealed to the oil industry to pay special attention to young graduates, creating conditions for their insertion in the labour market or, at least, guaranteeing the conditions for curricular and professional internships.

The President of the Republic reaffirmed that Angola is open to national and foreign private investment with contractual and tax terms and conditions for all who intend to invest in the country.

Source: Angola Press News Agency