Month: October 2022

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Speakers Stress Combating Illicit Trade in Natural Resources that Fuels Conflict, at Security Council Briefing on Democratic Republic of Congo, Great Lakes

The deteriorating security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to stymie favourable developments in the wider Great Lakes region, the Security Council heard today, as members stressed the need to strengthen regional cooperation and dialogue on countering common threats and working towards shared goals, including combating the illicit trade of natural resources that fuels conflict.

Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, briefing the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of the peace, security and cooperation framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the wider region (document S/2022/735), said that the resumption of hostilities by the 23 March Movement (M23) a few days ago had claimed victims and displaced thousands.Their activities, as well as those of other armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Résistance pour un État de droit au Burundi (RED Tabara), have amplified insecurities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and given rise to tension between countries of the region, in particular the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, threatening accomplishments in cooperation over recent years, he said.

Such instability, as well as climate-related events, have given rise to a concerning humanitarian situation, with 4.9 million refugees and asylum-seekers, and 12 million internally displaced in the region, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), he continued.

Against this backdrop, he called for greater mobilization among regional actors, welcoming in this regard the work of Kenya in the East African Community peace process, noting that talks within the framework will resume in Nairobi in the coming weeks. Reiterating his Office’s commitment to providing technical support to such efforts, he recalled the remarks made a month ago in the Council by his colleague Bintou Keita, Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), stressing the vital importance of coordination between all forces deployed on Congolese territory on security.Such coordination should also extend to mediation efforts, he added.

Despite such challenges, he welcomed progress enabled by the work of Angola in building a road map for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while stressing the need to forge progress through tangible actions, including confidence-building measures.He went on to outline efforts he will prioritize in the coming months, including strengthened bilateral coordination, including in matters of security, tackling the illicit extraction of natural resources, and promoting the participation of women in election processes and bodies.

In the ensuing debate, Council members expressed concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the country and called for a strengthened focus on non-military as well as military solutions to tackle the root causes of the conflict.Many members stressed the need to counter the illicit trade in natural resources that fuels tensions and funds armed groups, while also taking note of encouraging progress in diplomatic relations between regional States following the accession of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the East African Community.

The representative of Kenya, also speaking for Gabon and Ghana, called for the swift implementation of the Action Plan for the 2021-2023 United Nations Strategy for Peace, Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes as well as the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region.Condemning the illegal and inhumane activities of groups such as M23 and ADF, he pointed out that some of them have links to terrorist networks including Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh). Also concerning, he said, was the heightened levels of mistrust between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and the use of hate speech as well as disinformation and misinformation by some leaders.

The representative of the United States expressed concern about the “deeply troubling” humanitarian and security situation in the Great Lakes and called on armed groups to discontinue their assaults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and for States to stop supporting such groups.Expressing concern over the calls for MONUSCO’s immediate withdrawal, he urged Kinshasa to work with the Mission towards a gradual, responsible conditions-based withdrawal guided by benchmarks in the joint transition plan.

China’s delegate was among several delegates calling for a multi-pronged approach to address security threats, including through strengthened support to be lent to disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation efforts. The root causes of regional instability, including the unlawful exploitation of natural resources, must be addressed, he said, calling for the implementation of the recommendations of the workshop held in Khartoum to help advance the lawful trade in such resources.

Meanwhile, the representative of Norway called forviolations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be investigated and those responsible held accountable. She welcomed steps taken to promote the involvement of women in peacebuilding efforts. She went on to express concern over rising tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and welcomed the region’s political and diplomatic efforts to address security challenges.

The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stated that the town of Bunagana has been occupied for M23 for more than four months and asked the Council to demand that “Rwanda and its M23 immediately withdraw”.He went on to dismiss the assertion by Rwanda’s delegate about the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) being a main cause of the conflict in the eastern part of his country, stating that the group is used as a pretext to plunder his country’s natural resources. Outlining progress made in the implementation of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement, he highlighted the decision to deploy the operational unit of the Contact and Coordination Group in Goma from November, following the meeting of the heads of security and intelligence services in the region in September.The aim was to garner the support and involvement of all stakeholders in the non-military efforts to achieve the surrender of armed groups, he said.To this end, he urged the Special Envoy and the Council to assist his country in securing financing for the Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Recovery and Stabilization Programme.

Source: UN Security Council

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Protester Killed as Sudanese Rally Against Military on Coup Anniversary

A doctor’s group said one protester was killed during demonstrations marking one year of military rule in Sudan as security forces used tear gas on the crowds.

Thousands protested in cities across the country Tuesday under yet another internet blackout.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said one protester was killed in Omdurman, a city across the Nile River from Khartoum, after being hit by a tank, and three others were wounded.

Since army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan seized power, Sudan has seen near-weekly anti-coup rallies and crackdowns by security. The doctors committee said the death toll from rallies over the past year stood at 119.

In Khartoum, scores of youths marched toward the presidential palace, listening to revolutionary songs and poems. Police used tear gas and water trucks to disperse them as they tried to enter the palace.

Protester Abdulhaleem al-Sheikh said life under military rule had crippled Sudan’s development.

He said the economy, health and education had all deteriorated. Sudan also lost a lot of money from the International Monetary Fund, he said.

Sudan was to receive nearly $50 billion in debt relief from Western creditors and billions more in funding. But the U.S., the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other lenders suspended those plans after last October’s coup.

Al-Burhan took power from the transitional shared-power government headed by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, who was detained along with other civilian ministers. They were released after Hamdok signed a political agreement with the military in November. He resigned in January.

Still hopeful

Protester Ahmed Abdulwahab said he was still hopeful that democratic change would come to Sudan.

He said the country was promised a democratic transition and that citizens hoped God would support them. “We need to see development in our country,” he said, “and we should complete what our former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok started.”

Human Rights Watch released a statement on the anniversary, calling on Sudan’s military leaders to respect peaceful protest and restore democratic rule.

Mohammed Osman, a Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said security forces had committed a range of abuses, from killings to arbitrary detentions of hundreds of people.

“Over the last year, Sudan’s military leaders have faced no consequences for their repression of the protest movement,” Osman said. “As protesters once again bravely take to the streets in the coming days, the world should stand behind their demands for a rights-respecting future and make clear that impunity for the ongoing serious crimes, including at the highest level, will not be accepted.”

Sudanese police issued a statement Tuesday night accusing some protesters of being armed but providing no evidence.

Despite the force against them, a Khartoum protester who identified herself as Rania said they would keep demonstrating.

She said a year had passed and the country had achieved nothing, “but we are still hopeful that good days are coming, and we should not give up. We need to see that justice is achieved for our martyrs.”

U.N. independent rights experts on Tuesday called for justice for protesters against the coup. They said unlawful tactics by security forces had left an estimated 7,700 people seriously injured, thousands of them children.

Source: Voice of America

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Remarks to the Press by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths on his Recent Visit to Burkina Faso, New York, 26 October 2022

As prepared for delivery

Good morning.

I went on a quick visit to Burkina Faso last week to meet the new leadership – you will have seen that Ibrahim Traoré was sworn in as the Transitional President on Friday – and, importantly, to get a better understanding of the humanitarian situation in the country.

Allow me to share a few thoughts about this trip.

We flew to Djibo, in the north of Burkina Faso, hours away from Mali and Niger. Close to 90,000 people had lived in Djibo, safely and kindly, for generations.

Then, a few years ago, three times their number descended on their town and stayed.

They stayed out of fear of the many armed groups nearby, who had decided to wage war on the Government. The people of Djibo welcomed them into their sparse township.

For Djibo, food comes down the road from the big cities of Burkina Faso, lying to the south. Trucks have, forever, brought in what the people of Djibo need for their survival. And Djibo has repaid this service with the money they earn from the great cattle market that is their reason for being.

But this year, the trucks stopped.

In September, a convoy of trucks was destroyed in attacks by armed groups. Since then, not a single truck has arrived.

There were no goods in the market, and it has not been possible to grow much food in the area. The cattle were driven out. Mothers were forced to feed their children with leaves and salt.

By the time we visited Djibo, the leaves were also running out. The women told us that they go out at night, in the cover of darkness, to the villages nearby where they might still find leaves for their hungry and sick children. To do this, they break out of their encirclement and risk attacks, rape and death.

A 19-year-old boy wept as he told me how hungry he and his friends were.

Sadly, the situation in Djibo is not unique. Dozens of other parts of Burkina Faso are witnessing a similar plight: Road closures due to the presence of armed groups, leaving people without food, medicine and other vital services.

The families I spoke with told me this themselves: Reopen roads and supply routes. Provide aid not just to the displaced people but also to the host communities. And end the conflict so that people can return to their homes and so that their children can finally have a future.

I relayed this message to Transitional President Traoré.

I told him that we need roads to reopen so that humanitarians can move cargo by road without military escorts.

I renewed the commitment by the UN and our NGO partners to stay in Burkina Faso and carry on our work.

I stressed the need to work in partnership with the humanitarian partners in addressing the access issues, and why it is crucial to respect the principles of humanitarian action.

I also raised the need to protect civilians.

I believe in what the humanitarian system can achieve, but I am very aware that access alone is not enough. We also need more money so that we have more supplies and capacity to deliver.

With the funding we have received so far this year, we brought food aid to 1.8 million people. We helped 740,000 people access health care in areas where medical facilities have shut down. And we provided access to water, hygiene and sanitation to 550,000 people and nutritional support to 421,000 children and new and expecting mothers.

However, we have much, much more to do.

Nearly 4.9 million men, women and children in Burkina Faso – that’s more than one in five of the country’s people – need urgent assistance. In addition, nearly one in 10 people has been forced to flee their homes. And Burkina Faso is facing one of the world’s fastest growing displacement crises, along with Mozambique and Ukraine.

We are grateful for the funds we have received. But the $805 million response plan for Burkina Faso is only one-third funded, while people’s needs have soared 40 per cent since the start of this year.

Before I take your questions, let me zoom out a bit: The situation in Burkina Faso is illustrative of what’s going on in the wider Sahel region, including in Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria.

In communities in Burkina Faso battered by the crisis, I saw how dialogue has created pathways to gain access to basic necessities. I hope this shining example of non-violent methods can be replicated across the Sahel to make a real difference in the lives of millions of people caught up in the crossfires of conflict.

These people have shown tremendous resilience, bravery and dignity, but they face an increasingly uphill battle wrought by violence, the climate crisis, political turmoil, hunger and loss of opportunity for young people.

They, too, deserve our support and your attention.

Thank you.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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La Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates annonce un soutien supplémentaire pour promouvoir la R&D locale. Appels à propositions

BRUXELLES, 25 octobre 2022 /PRNewswire/ — La Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates a annoncé aujourd’hui une série d’initiatives et un appel à propositions en vue de faire progresser l’innovation locale qui soutient les travaux de scientifiques et de chercheurs dans les économies en développement. L’annonce a été faite lors de la réunion annuelle de Grand Challenges plus tôt aujourd’hui.

La réunion de cette année se concentre sur les enseignements tirés de la pandémie de COVID-19, qui a mis en évidence la nécessité de plateformes de R&D à fort impact, de partenariats et de politiques qui comblent efficacement le fossé existant entre l’innovation et l’accès équitable. La réunion rapproche des chercheurs du monde entier pour partager leurs travaux, en apprendre davantage sur les avancées de pointe dans le domaine des soins de santé et permettre une collaboration avec d’autres chercheurs.

« L’équité en santé ne devrait pas uniquement être un énoncé de la raison pour laquelle nous faisons ce travail. Elle devrait guider la façon dont nous le réalisons », a déclaré Kedest Tesfagiorgis, directeur adjoint des Partenariats mondiaux et des grands défis à la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates. « Lorsque nous soutenons l’innovation locale, nous maximisons l’impact en mettant en lumière différents types de connaissances et de perspectives. »

Dans le cadre de l’Appel mondial à l’action de Grand Challenges, une initiative sur 10 ans annoncée lors de la réunion de l’année dernière pour aider à s’assurer que les scientifiques et les institutions des pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire (PRFI) jouent un rôle central dans l’élaboration du programme mondial de R&D, deux nouvelles initiatives Grand Challenges ont été annoncée par la fondation :

  • La surveillance génomique des agents pathogènes et l’immunologie en Asie : Il s’agit d’une invitation à soumission par les chercheurs en Asie du Sud et du Sud-Est pour concevoir et piloter un programme de surveillance génomique ou de développer des capacités en immunologie et séquençage immunitaire du SRAS-CoV-2 afin d’éclairer la réponse épidémique. Un montant allant jusqu’à 300 000 $ par année pour une période maximale de deux ans seront disponibles pour chaque projet, avec un financement supplémentaire potentiel pour les projets qui mettent l’accent sur la recherche d’anticorps monoclonaux.
  • Le renforcement des capacités de modélisation des données pour l’égalité des sexes  : Il s’agit d’un appel à propositions lancé aux chercheurs de pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire pour des projets visant à éliminer les disparités et les lacunes affectant les femmes et les filles dans le domaine de la santé. Cette initiative est axée sur des approches novatrices de modélisation pour faire progresser l’égalité des sexes. Chaque projet recevra jusqu’à 500 000 $ sur une période d’un à trois ans.

« Les sociétés mesurent ce qu’elles valorisent, et pour une grande partie de l’histoire, la société n’a pas valorisé les femmes. Cela signifie que nous essayons de relever des défis mondiaux en matière de santé et de développement sans disposer de toutes les informations nécessaires », a déclaré Anita Zaidi, présidente du département de l’Égalité des sexes à la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates. « Il est grand temps de placer les femmes et les filles au centre de la modélisation des données qui guide nos solutions. »

En partenariat avec l’Initiative Chan Zuckerberg (CZI), la fondation accordera également des subventions aux chercheurs qui étudient et détectent les agents pathogènes émergents dans les PRFI. Les chercheurs recevront jusqu’à 200 000 $ chacun, pour une période maximale de deux ans, ainsi que le soutien opérationnel et une formation technique du Biohub Chan Zuckerberg  (CZ Biohub). Cet engagement de financement s’appuie sur un partenariat de 2018 entre la fondation, CZI et le CZ Biohub, qui se concentre sur le renforcement des capacités métagénomiques dans les PRFI par le biais d’une Initiative mondiale Grand Challenges.

La réunion annuelle de Grand Challenges 2022 à Bruxelles est organisée par Global Grand Challenges et la Commission européenne, et est coparrainée par Grands Défis Canada, USAID, Wellcome et la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates.

L’événement de deux jours réunit des dizaines de leaders du paysage mondial de l’innovation en santé, ainsi que des dirigeants de la Fondation Gates, notamment Bill Gates (coprésident et administrateur), Anita Zaidi et Trevor Mundel (Président, Division de la santé mondiale). Les séances plénières seront publiées peu après la réunion sur le site grandchallenges.org/annual-meeting.

À propos de Grand Challenges

La Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates reconnaît que la résolution des défis les plus urgents en matière de santé et de développement mondiaux nécessite que davantage des esprits les plus brillants du monde y travaillent. La série d’initiatives Grand Challenges cherche à mobiliser des innovateurs du monde entier pour aider à résoudre ces défis. Les initiatives Grand Challenges sont unies par leur volonté de favoriser l’innovation, d’orienter la recherche là où elle aura le plus grand impact et d’aider ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Pour en savoir plus, visitez le site grandchallenges.org.

À propos de la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates

Guidée par la conviction que chaque vie a la même valeur, la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates s’efforce d’aider toutes les personnes à mener une vie saine et productive. Dans les pays en développement, elle vise à améliorer la santé des populations et à leur donner la possibilité de ne plus souffrir de la faim et de l’extrême pauvreté. Aux États-Unis, elle vise à faire en sorte que toutes les personnes, en particulier celles qui ont le moins de ressources, aient accès aux opportunités dont elles ont besoin pour réussir à l’école et dans la vie. Basée à Seattle, Washington, la fondation est dirigée par son PDG Mark Suzman, sous la direction des coprésidents Bill Gates et Melinda French Gates et du Conseil d’administration.

Contact pour les médias : media@gatesfoundation.org

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IAVI to Accelerate Promising Investigational Sudan Ebolavirus Vaccine Development for Potential Outbreak Research and Response

Merck will provide the investigational vaccine based on a proven platform technology

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 25, 2022 / IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, have entered into an agreement that could enable IAVI to accelerate the entry of a promising Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) vaccine candidate that IAVI is developing into clinical evaluation in response to the rapidly spreading outbreak of SUDV disease in Uganda.

Merck plans to produce and provide vials of candidate vaccine from existing investigational drug substance to IAVI to supplement IAVI’s ongoing SUDV vaccine development program. The investigational vaccine being produced is based on the same vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) viral vector platform that is used in ERVEBO®, Merck’s highly efficacious, single-dose Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) vaccine that has achieved regulatory approval by the U.S. FDA, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and a number of regulatory authorities in Africa.

IAVI and Merck have been in discussions with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and other stakeholders regarding the potential production and supply of doses of investigational SUDV vaccine to help support the WHO’s efforts to conduct a clinical trial of vaccine candidates in Uganda, in partnership with the Government of Uganda.

Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of IAVI, said, “We are grateful to Merck for supplying the vaccine material, and we look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate vaccine effectiveness and safety so that we are prepared for future outbreaks of SUDV, as well as the SUDV outbreak in Uganda should it not be promptly contained by public health measures alone. Outbreak response is more effective at containing disease spread when countermeasures work quickly, and we are hopeful that this one-dose vaccine, which is likely to generate a rapid immune response, will be a critical part of Sudan virus containment efforts in the future.”

“We are proud to work together with IAVI in support of the World Health Organization’s response to address the Sudan Ebola outbreak in Uganda,” said Beth-Ann Coller, executive director, Global Clinical Development Vaccines, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are moving with urgency to prepare these vials and donate them to IAVI as quickly as possible to help support the efforts of the WHO and the people of Uganda as they grapple with this outbreak.”

Production schedules and quantities are still being defined. Based on the quantities of available bulk drug substance and current plans, Merck hopes to be able to deliver approximately 55,000 doses by the end of the year. IAVI is actively working to accelerate the manufacture of additional doses of IAVI’s VSV-SUDV vaccine should they be needed. The number of doses provided by Merck should be sufficient for conducting Phase I and efficacy studies as well as for public health response if the outbreak in Uganda continues or spreads and should the vaccine be shown to be safe and efficacious.

IAVI will act as developer and regulatory sponsor and will be responsible for all aspects of future development of the vaccine candidate.

No SUDV vaccines have been approved to date, and existing EBOV vaccines and treatments are not effective against SUDV. In the midst of the ongoing SUDV disease outbreak, ensuring that all promising vaccine candidates are evaluated for safety and efficacy could enable vaccine stockpiles to be established for use in future outbreaks.

Vesicular stomatitis virus is the vector that underpins ERVEBO® as well as IAVI’s portfolio of emerging infectious disease vaccine candidates. These include the SUDV vaccine candidate supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; a Lassa fever virus vaccine candidate currently in a Phase I trial and supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP); a Marburg virus vaccine candidate supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and BARDA; and an intranasal SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate supported by the Japan Ministry of Finance. VSV is a harmless animal virus; in the vaccine platform, it is engineered to encode a surface protein from a target pathogen – in this case, SUDV – that stimulates an immune response.

IAVI holds a nonexclusive license to the VSV vaccine candidates from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The vector was developed by scientists at PHAC’s National Microbiology Laboratory.

About IAVI

IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges including HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. Its mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. Read more at iavi.org.

Funders who have made the development of IAVI’s VSV-vectored vaccine candidates possible include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the Government of Canada; the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Government of Japan; the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation; the U.K Department for International Development; the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH); and through the generous support of the American people from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Follow IAVI on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and subscribe to our news updates.

IAVI Media Contact

Karie Youngdahl
Head, Global Communications
kyoungdahl@iavi.org
+1 332-282-2890

SOURCE: IAVI

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 IAVI to Accelerate Promising Investigational Sudan Ebolavirus Vaccine Development for Potential Outbreak Research and Response

Merck will provide the investigational vaccine based on a proven platform technology

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 25, 2022 / IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, have entered into an agreement that could enable IAVI to accelerate the entry of a promising Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) vaccine candidate that IAVI is developing into clinical evaluation in response to the rapidly spreading outbreak of SUDV disease in Uganda.

Merck plans to produce and provide vials of candidate vaccine from existing investigational drug substance to IAVI to supplement IAVI’s ongoing SUDV vaccine development program. The investigational vaccine being produced is based on the same vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) viral vector platform that is used in ERVEBO®, Merck’s highly efficacious, single-dose Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) vaccine that has achieved regulatory approval by the U.S. FDA, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and a number of regulatory authorities in Africa.

IAVI and Merck have been in discussions with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and other stakeholders regarding the potential production and supply of doses of investigational SUDV vaccine to help support the WHO’s efforts to conduct a clinical trial of vaccine candidates in Uganda, in partnership with the Government of Uganda.

Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of IAVI, said, “We are grateful to Merck for supplying the vaccine material, and we look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate vaccine effectiveness and safety so that we are prepared for future outbreaks of SUDV, as well as the SUDV outbreak in Uganda should it not be promptly contained by public health measures alone. Outbreak response is more effective at containing disease spread when countermeasures work quickly, and we are hopeful that this one-dose vaccine, which is likely to generate a rapid immune response, will be a critical part of Sudan virus containment efforts in the future.”

“We are proud to work together with IAVI in support of the World Health Organization’s response to address the Sudan Ebola outbreak in Uganda,” said Beth-Ann Coller, executive director, Global Clinical Development Vaccines, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are moving with urgency to prepare these vials and donate them to IAVI as quickly as possible to help support the efforts of the WHO and the people of Uganda as they grapple with this outbreak.”

Production schedules and quantities are still being defined. Based on the quantities of available bulk drug substance and current plans, Merck hopes to be able to deliver approximately 55,000 doses by the end of the year. IAVI is actively working to accelerate the manufacture of additional doses of IAVI’s VSV-SUDV vaccine should they be needed. The number of doses provided by Merck should be sufficient for conducting Phase I and efficacy studies as well as for public health response if the outbreak in Uganda continues or spreads and should the vaccine be shown to be safe and efficacious.

IAVI will act as developer and regulatory sponsor and will be responsible for all aspects of future development of the vaccine candidate.

No SUDV vaccines have been approved to date, and existing EBOV vaccines and treatments are not effective against SUDV. In the midst of the ongoing SUDV disease outbreak, ensuring that all promising vaccine candidates are evaluated for safety and efficacy could enable vaccine stockpiles to be established for use in future outbreaks.

Vesicular stomatitis virus is the vector that underpins ERVEBO® as well as IAVI’s portfolio of emerging infectious disease vaccine candidates. These include the SUDV vaccine candidate supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; a Lassa fever virus vaccine candidate currently in a Phase I trial and supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP); a Marburg virus vaccine candidate supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and BARDA; and an intranasal SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate supported by the Japan Ministry of Finance. VSV is a harmless animal virus; in the vaccine platform, it is engineered to encode a surface protein from a target pathogen – in this case, SUDV – that stimulates an immune response.

IAVI holds a nonexclusive license to the VSV vaccine candidates from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The vector was developed by scientists at PHAC’s National Microbiology Laboratory.

About IAVI

IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges including HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. Its mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. Read more at iavi.org.

Funders who have made the development of IAVI’s VSV-vectored vaccine candidates possible include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the Government of Canada; the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Government of Japan; the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation; the U.K Department for International Development; the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH); and through the generous support of the American people from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Follow IAVI on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and subscribe to our news updates.

IAVI Media Contact

Karie Youngdahl
Head, Global Communications
kyoungdahl@iavi.org
+1 332-282-2890

SOURCE: IAVI

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Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM): Central African Republic, Monthly factsheet #9 (01 – 30 September 2022)

The Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) is designed to monitor humanitarian action, conduct multisector assessments (MSAs) of needs and to implement several types of emergency responses, including distributions of essential non-food items (NFIs) and high emergency biscuits (HEBs), emergency water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions, as well as cash transfer programming (CTP). Currently, the RRM is made possible through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/BHA), the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations ( DG ECHO), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). All RRM products are available on the Humanitarian Response portal.

Source: UN Children’s Fund

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Labour Minister: Bahrain keen on ensuring protection for all workers

Manama, Labour Minister, Board of Directors Chairman of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, today inaugurated the fifth regional “Social Protection for Domestic Workers” conference, organised by the General Federation OF Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) on October 25-26.

Labour Ministry’s Undersecretary, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, GFBTU Secretary-General, Abdulqader Abdulkarim Al-Shehabi, representatives of the domestic labour exporting and importing countries, in addition to the representatives of civil society organisations from 11 countries attended the conference.

The conference aims to shed light on national legislation and laws related to expatriate domestic workers in order to enhance cooperation mechanisms between labour organisations in Asia, Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and to ensure that domestic workers enjoy the same rights enjoyed by their counterparts in other sectors.

 The conference reviewed a research study on the reality of domestic workers in Bahrain, in addition to the legislation in the labour-hosting countries and the extent to which protection for domestic workers is achieved.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the conference, the Labour Minister affirmed Bahrain’s resolve to continue protecting the rights of all workers, based on the system of humanitarian values spearheaded by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The leadership’s support has resulted in strengthening the foundations and principles of improving working conditions for all workers and preserving their rights without discrimination, which contributed to placing Bahrain among developed countries in providing fair and equitable guarantees for workers, earning it a prestigious status at all international labour gatherings.

He affirmed that the that the Kingdom has issued innumerable laws, procedures and regulations that provide protection for all.

He also highlighted the measures taken by the LMRA to ensure protection for all expatriate workers, including domestic helpers.

GFBTU Secretary-General said that the conference will discuss a number of issues related to domestic labour and their impact on the living situation of citizens.

It will also review a number of studies that contribute to strengthening the preservation of the rights of workers and the employers, he added.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

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Security Forum Focuses on Stability Challenges in Africa

Policymakers from around the world met Monday and Tuesday in Senegal to discuss Africa’s most pressing security challenges. This year, attendees of an annual conference focused on redefining the role international partners play in promoting stability in Africa.

More than 1,000 people participated in the eighth edition of the International Forum of Dakar on Peace and Security.

Attendees included the heads of state from Cape Verde, Angola and Guinea-Bissau, as well as high-ranking officials from Japan, Saudi Arabia and France.

The event opened with a speech from Senegalese President and African Union Chairman Macky Sall, who spoke about the need to re-examine modern peace operations.

If U.N. peacekeepers are being attacked on their own bases, they can’t be expected to protect local populations, he said.

“Threats to peace and stability lie in the deep economic crisis that is shaking the world,” Sall said. “Millions of people can no longer bear the cost of living, and others fall into extreme poverty, with no hope of a better future.”

The solution, he said, is to educate and create employment for Africa’s growing youth population.

The conference took place in the wake of France’s withdrawal of military forces from Mali and ongoing criticism of U.N. missions throughout the region.

Militant Islamic violence in Africa has doubled since 2019, with a record 6,300 incidents in 2022 – a 21 percent increase over last year, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a U.S. Department of Defense research group. The Sahel has been the most impacted, with violent events quadrupling over the same period.

Across the continent close to 15,000 people have died this year from extremist-linked violence, a nearly 50 percent increase from 2019.

Aude Darnal, a fellow with the Stimson Center, a Washington research organization, said of the violence, “Solutions need to be defined by local actors. They also need to be implemented by local actors. International stakeholders should support, but the leadership needs to come from Africa.”

Nadia Adam, a Sahel analyst for the nonprofit Center for Civilians in Conflict, said solutions must be built from the inside. “Most African countries, especially the youth, now want to make decisions for themselves,” she said. “They want to be part of the change. And they have the capacity. More people are educated.”

Government officials attending the conference reiterated that message.

Chidi Blyden is the U.S. assistant secretary of defense for African affairs. In a speech, she quoted a Creole saying from Sierra Leone, which translates to “When and if there’s a problem, look exactly where you’re standing.”

“Some of the problems reside there, but more importantly, the solution probably resides there as well,” she said. “The continent is full of African solutions to global problems.”

The forum also addressed how to decrease Africa’s dependence on international food aid and become more resistant to external shocks, such as the war in Ukraine.

Source: Voice of America