November 8, 2022

Zoomtopia 2022: New Innovations to Power Modern Work Experiences

Zoom Email and Calendar (beta) integrated into comprehensive Zoom communications platform
Zoom Spots will provide persistent, virtual co-working spaces to drive employee connection and collaboration
New innovations also include conversational AI features in Contact Center, additional benefits for developers, and more
Zoomtopia offered for the first time as hybrid experience powered by Zoom Events

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) kicked off Zoomtopia 2022, the company’s annual event to unveil new innovations to power modern work experiences and celebrate the future of communication and collaboration. For the first time ever, Zoomtopia 2022 is a hybrid experience powered by Zoom Events, Zoom’s all-in-one, virtual event management solution.

“As global organizations are adapting to how, when, and where work happens, it’s crucial that human connection remains a top priority to drive business strategies forward,” said Eric S. Yuan, CEO at Zoom. “Zoom is purpose-built to make all kinds of connections possible, effective, and meaningful. Our team has built and launched more than 1,500 features and enhancements on the Zoom platform this year, advancing the way people connect with each other, their organization, and their customers—ultimately, opening the doors wide for creativity and collaboration.”

“There has never been more uncertainty surrounding the future of work than there is today. Work from anywhere, hybrid offices and other trends have created a complex set of questions that business and IT leaders need to address. Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain and that is collaboration tools will be critical in keeping workers connected,” said Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research. “Zoom has rapidly evolved from being a niche meetings company to a broad collaboration platform that delivers unparalleled employee and customer experience, and helps organizations address the current and future needs of work.”

“Our team connects and collaborates on Zoom, allowing us to seamlessly work together no matter where we are located—so that we can continue delivering world-class content from our iconic brands like HBO, Warner Bros., CNN, and Food Network and beloved characters like Batman, Superman, Looney Tunes, and Harry Potter,” said Dave Duvall, CIO – Technology & Operations, Warner Bros. Discovery. “We’ve been able to evolve with Zoom, particularly beyond meetings, with products like Zoom Phone, Zoom Rooms, and Zoom Team Chat. The whole platform has really expanded our capabilities to collaborate and stay connected within the organization.”

Zoom Platform Innovations Announced at Zoomtopia
To further advance the next era of communications, Zoom unveiled several new offerings to empower businesses and individuals alike.

Some of the latest announcements include:

Zoom Mail and Calendar (beta): With the Zoom Mail and Calendar Clients, users no longer need to leave the Zoom platform to access their email and calendar. Popular email and calendar services will be integrated directly into Zoom, meaning users can quickly access their communications and scheduling, and get their work done more efficiently. For businesses who may not have dedicated IT services but are focused on privacy and security, Zoom also rolled out Zoom-hosted email and calendar service options, also directly integrated with the Zoom platform. Zoom Mail Service is end-to-end encrypted for emails sent directly between active Zoom Mail Service users. Zoom Mail and Calendar Clients and Zoom Mail and Calendar Services will launch in beta.
Zoom Spots: Welcome to Zoom’s virtual co-working space! Coming in early 2023, Zoom Spots is a video-enabled persistent space, integrated within the Zoom platform, to help foster inclusive discussions, keep colleagues connected, and bring the fluid interactions of in-person work to distributed, hybrid teams throughout their day.
Zoom Virtual Agent: Zoom Virtual Agent is an intelligent conversational AI and chatbot solution that uses natural language processing and machine learning to understand and quickly resolve issues for customers. Zoom Virtual Agent works around-the-clock on multiple support channels to deliver fast, personalized customer experiences, reduce call volumes to human agents, and drive significant operational efficiencies for businesses. Zoom Virtual Agent, available in early 2023, can be fully integrated with Zoom Contact Center and will also be offered as a standalone chatbot solution.
Continuous Collaboration across Zoom One: Connected workstreams across Zoom One, the all-in-one communication and collaboration offering that brings together Team Chat, Phone, Whiteboard, Meetings, and more, are enabling individuals and teams to do their best work. Among these new capabilities is the integration between Team Chat and In-Meeting Chat, creating an always-on functionality so users can flow between Team Chat and Meetings to reduce silos, keep projects moving, and continue the conversation after meetings.
Zoom IQ Virtual Coach: Coming soon as part of Zoom IQ for Sales, Zoom IQ Virtual Coach simulates a variety of selling situations to give sellers a practice environment to hone their pitch, obtain feedback, and receive real-time content tips during calls with prospects.

Learn more about these innovations and other new hybrid work features.

Build to Connect and Extend the Value of Zoom
Developers have the ability to use Zoom APIs, SDKs, and tools and resources to build apps and integrations with Zoom or use Zoom’s core technology to power innovative video-based solutions for any use case.

Developers can do more on Zoom with:

Zoom Developer Platform enhancements: It will soon be easier for developers to provision and manage apps that work with Zoom by enabling admin-authorized installed apps. This will allow Zoom account admins to pre-install apps for an organization at the account, group, or user level. Additionally, developers will soon be able to monetize their apps on the Zoom App Marketplace.
Extended availability with Zoom Apps: Zoom Apps, in-product apps seamlessly integrated into the Zoom Meeting and Webinar experience, is expanding across the platform to Team Chat, Zoom Rooms, and more, so developers can plug apps into all their workflows. Now, developers can build their integration once and extend it across the entire Zoom product line. Additionally, developers will benefit from increased distribution of their Zoom Apps with the upcoming release of Essential Apps. Essential Apps bundle Zoom Meetings paid plans and Zoom Apps with select app developers, servicing the needs of managing and growing a business, while helping to minimize manual drudgery.

Hear more about how developers can extend the power of Zoom with new updates to the Zoom Developer Platform and Zoom Apps at Developer Summit at Zoomtopia.

Tune In LIVE
Zoomtopia is a two-day hybrid experience hosted on the Zoom Events platform, featuring thought-provoking speakers, business leaders and celebrity appearances, and includes many opportunities to network, collaborate, and learn. Tune in live to catch all the exciting content.

About Zoom
Zoom is for you. Zoom is a space where you can connect to others, share ideas, make plans, 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.

Zoom Public Relations
Candace Dean
Corporate PR Lead
press@zoom.us

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8692032

November 8, 2022

Energy and Water Development Corp. and KB Engineering Tapped for Sustainable Water and Energy Project in South Africa

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2022 / Energy and Water Development Corp., (OTCQB:EAWD) (“EAWD”), an innovator in alternative energy and green tech, has signed a letter of intent with Trioflex Incubator (Pty) Ltd and KB Engineering GmbH to develop and implement renewable energy and water harvesting technology in South Africa.

https://www.accesswire.com/users/newswire/images/724405/eawd.jpeg

Trioflex Incubator and KB Engineering were appointed through a competitive bidding process with the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in South Africa’s Free State province as part of the Presidential District Development Model programs in infrastructure and agriculture, and renewable energy projects.

“Water scarcity and infrastructure limitations of the current power supply continue to hinder development in South Africa and many other areas in the world in need of developing effective, efficient and sustainable off-grid production of drinking water and extended solar energy storage. Implementation of renewable energy and water harvesting technology projects will help improve lives and support the economic growth initiatives of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality,” said Irma Velazquez, MSc, CEO of EAWD.

“There is a growing need for additional, reliable sources of power and water generation worldwide, and South Africa is no exception. Through the Trioflex Incubator, the partnership between EAWD and KB Engineering brings the proven technology and engineering experience to create sustainable production of water and energy while also developing skills and creating jobs within our community to further our goal of eradicating poverty,” said Thapelo Mokoena, CEO of Trioflex Incubator-Strategic Partner of Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality.

Me. TPM Lebenya, the Municipal Manager of Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, thanked Trioflex Incubator and KB Engineering for arranging such an important meeting, and applauded Mr. Mokoena for vision and perseverance, as these interactions will go a long way in improving the economy of the district and livelihood of its people.

The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality encompasses the six local municipalities of Dihlabeng, Maluti-A-Phofung, Mantsopa, Nketoana, Phumelela and Setsoto. It is committed to creating integrated, self-reliant and sustainable communities by improving living conditions and developing a conducive environment for business opportunities and job creation. Key priorities include sustainable infrastructure, local economic development, job creation, tourism, agriculture and rural development, social development, sports, arts and culture, community participation and financial viability.

“The interest and support from the local government in South Africa to work with local communities in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality to develop sources of sustainable energy and water is encouraging,” said Norbert Kajüter, Managing Director, KB Engineering. “This cooperation and partnership will benefit communities going forward as we work with them on installation.”

EAWD and KB Engineering are working collaboratively to develop turnkey sustainable energy and water production plans worldwide, including other areas of southern Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, North America and Europe.

About Energy and Water Development Corp

Energy and Water Development Corp. is an engineering solutions company focused on delivering innovative and sustainable solutions of water and energy. EAWD builds water and energy systems out of already-existing, proven technologies, utilizing their technical know-how to customize solutions to their clients’ needs. The company offers design, construction, maintenance and specialty consulting services to private companies, government entities and non-government organizations (NGOs). For more information, please visit www.energy-water.com.

About KB Engineering

The company KB Engineering was founded in 2018 by Norbert Ferdinand Kajüter and Rolf Barlag in Ibbenbüren, Germany. The company founders do have a mechanical background, each with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. KB Engineering is a global company responsible for sales activities for well-known international customers. The main business area of KB Engineering is the design of building material plants and the development of new, innovative products. The product areas in the building materials sector are mainly aerated concrete, sand-lime bricks, ceramic bricks, concrete and refractory products and insulation boards. KB Engineering is recognized for its close cooperation with clients as well as by its neutrality, since there is no supplier relationship. The company’s core values are sustainability and trusting relationships with clients.

The mission of KB Engineering is to develop sustainable production facilities, with their own (regenerative) energy generation as far as possible. For more information, please visit www.kb-engineering.de.

About Trioflex Incubator

Trioflex Incubator is 100 % Black Owned and Managed, Trioflex is Accredited by QCTO as a Training Provider – ARTISAN DEVELOPMENT. Trioflex is also accredited by QCTO and Department of Higher Education and Training as TRADE TEST CENTRE. Trioflex is a Strategic Partner of Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality appointed to train Artisans and be a source of funding for unfunded projects as per DDM ONE PLAN. Trioflex Incubator secured a partnership with KB Engineering. Trioflex is also a business Incubator – developing entrepreneurs to become successful. Trioflex also secured the partnership with Department of Higher Education and Training as the technical partner, and through its partnership with KB Engineering, secured relationship with EAWD.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding EAWD’s operations and expansion plans. When used in this press release, forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “target,” “could,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Items contemplating or making assumptions about actual or potential future production and sales, market size, collaborations, and trends or operating results also constitute such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors (many of which are beyond the Company’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward looking statements, including those found in EAWD’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is on file with the SEC and available from the Company’s website at https://energy-water.com/investors/.

EAWD has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and assumptions about future events. While management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EAWD’s control. You are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available at that time. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company does not undertake, and expressly disclaims, any duty to update or revise our forward-looking statements based on new information, future events or otherwise.

Media contact:
Maureen Richardson, River Communications
+ 914-686-5599
mrichardson@riverinc.com

Investor Relations contact:
Bret Shapiro, CoreIR
BretS@coreir.com

SOURCE: Energy and Water Development Corp. (EAWD)

November 8, 2022

Just In Time For The Holidays Crurated Announces More Fractional Barrel Auctions Backed by NFT Technology With Winemakers Across France and Italy

For gift giving, collecting, or every day enjoyment new calendar features some of Europe’s finest producers and covers the remainder of 2022

Crurated Barrels November and December Calendar

Just In Time For The Holidays Crurated Announces More Fractional Barrel Auctions Backed by NFT Technology With Winemakers Across France and Italy. For gift giving, collecting, or every day enjoyment new calendar features some of Europe’s finest producers and covers the remainder of 2022

LONDON, Nov. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the holiday and gift giving season right around the corner, Crurated, a blockchain and member-based wine community, has released a new barrel auction calendar for the remainder of 2022. The offering features some of the finest winemakers from France and Italy and extends the fractional barrel sales after a successful first round of auctions. The recently announced program allows Crurated members to purchase fractions of barrels that are certified through blockchain and NFT technology.

The offering also gives buyers the ability to customize bottle formats and labels for the gift recipient or themselves. Many of the producers on the platform rarely or never make larger format bottles even though collectors and buyers often ask for them. Fractional barrels now allow producers to determine the exact number and sizes of bottles that are needed. In many cases, the only way to have larger formats for the wines being auctioned is exclusively through Crurated.

The next round of fractional barrel auctions include:

Domaine Gerorges Mugneret-Gibourg — November 7-13
- Vosne-Romanée “La Colombière” 2021
- Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Feusselottes” Cuvée Augustin 2021
- Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021

Domaine Pierre Girardin — November 14-20
- Échezeaux Grand Cru 2021
- Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2021
- Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021
- Richebourg Grand Cru 2021
Montevertine — November 21-27
- Le Pergole Torte 2020

Domaine Y. Clerget — December 5-11
- Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2021
- Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Verseuil 2021
- Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens 2021

Domaine Hubert Lignier — December 12-18
- Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Bio 2021
- Morey Saint-Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes Bio 2021
- Morey-Saint-Denis Trilogie Bio 2021
- Bourgogne Pinot Noir Grand Chaliot 2021
Domaine Bruno Colin — December 19-25
- Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021

“When we launched barrel sales, we knew what we were offering our members was unique. Little did we know that barrels would sell out so quickly and in some cases within 24 hours,” said Alfonso de Gaetano, founder of Crurated. “Our team is pleased to be announcing a new slate of auctions with some of Europe’s most sought-after wines and just in time for the holidays.”

About Crurated
Launched in 2021 with an emphasis on France and Italy, Crurated is a membership-based wine community designed to connect connoisseurs directly with world-class producers. A team of specialists provides personalized services and authentic experiences, while Crurated’s seamless logistics service guarantees quality and provenance thanks to secure wine cellar storage and innovative blockchain technology. For more on Crurated, visit crurated.com.

Michael Volpatt
michael@larkinvolpatt.com
415 994 8864

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ee03a3c2-35fd-4334-9adb-d2f8c7c2a7e9

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c848d052-fe03-4cdb-becd-c00e6a4cdb57

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8691599

November 8, 2022November 9, 2022

Minister backs study on other countries’ experience on road maintenance

Luanda – Angola’s minister of State for Economic Coordination Manuel Nunes Júnior said Tuesday in Luanda that the country needs to study the experiences from the region-based countries in terms of construction and maintenance of roads.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the meeting of the Road Funds Association of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries,

Manuel Nunes recalled that Angola built and repaired several kilometers of roads since it achieved the peace in 2002.

But, he went on, the country has not been very successful in terms of maintenance of the road infrastructure.

In 2002, Angola took very important steps in terms of the rehabilitation of roads throughout the national territory, which led to significant improvements in terms of the movement of people and goods in the country”, the minister said.

However, he pointed to the quality of the road infrastructure in the southern region of the continent and other African countries which, according to him, deserve to be studied and applied in the framework of the association.

The official said that the best practices of the countries in the region should be studied, mainly when it comes to making investments in roads, in view of shortage of financial resources.

In his turn, the chairperson of the Road Funds Association Ângelo Macuacua said that the organisation controls one million kilometers of classified roads in
the southern region, which represents a third of the roads on the continent.

“The organisation’s mission is to exchange experience to seek and mobilise funds to maintain their quality and improve circulation”, he underlined.

The continent, he added, has many difficulties in obtaining funds to maintain the roads. And it is up to each country to mobilise and obtain funding to improve its road network.

Data from the Road Fund show that Angola has a road network of more than 14,000 kilometres.

Representatives from Comoros, Lesotho, Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are participating in the event.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

November 8, 2022November 9, 2022

Light is life Electrifying the last mile: connecting rural communities to renewable energy

When Anne Nyendwa started her shop, she didn’t have any electricity. Like 568 million people across sub-Saharan Africa — which represents three quarters of the world’s population without electricity — the mother of four in the rural village of Sitolo, Malawi relied on daylight hours to do business.

Then she heard about solar-battery minigrids — off-grid, stand-alone electricity networks not connected to the national electricity grid. While the upfront costs, such as internal wiring and meter connection fees can be more expensive than other solar solutions like solar home systems, the quality and reliability of electricity provided is higher, allowing for higher consumption of electricity including for income-generating activities. While conventional grids powered by polluting fossil fuels tend to prioritize more privileged neighbourhoods in urban areas, solar minigrids offer exciting potential to provide access to electricity in rural areas like Sitolo.

So when she had the opportunity to test the solar battery minigrid in Sitolo through a UNDP-supported project, she joined 665 households in trying it out.

“My business has grown so much since I got connected to the electricity.”

“I have a shop that opens early and closes as late as 9 p.m. because I have electricity. I make about MK50,000 (US$50) in sales per day. I have many customers beyond this area who come here for the cold or frozen beverages. The money I make allows me to pay my employees at the farm, pay for school fees and provide for my family,” she said.

Getting electricity to the last mile

Now Anne has also expanded her business to venture into animal and crop farming, and she’s acquired more appliances, connecting her house to the same electricity for home use.”I am very happy because we have access to services like those living in urban areas,” she said.

By providing reliable and affordable electricity, solar minigrids like the one in Sitolo, can deeply improve people’s lives. But currently, these solutions are not being deployed at the scale and pace needed to bridge the energy access gap where it is most needed.

The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) aims to build on the existing work done across the minigrids space to enable this scale-up. A country-led technical assistance programme, the AMP is funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute and the African Development Bank. It aims to make renewable energy minigrids commercially viable and unlock opportunities for private investors to electrify off-grid communities .

With a focus on cost-reduction and innovative business models, the programme will work with countries to put in place the policies and regulations that enable large-scale private investment, creating the conditions for renewable energy minigrids to be deployed at scale. AMP will also curate, generate and disseminate knowledge on the minigrid scale-up opportunity across the continent.

Africa’s average electrification rate is 48.4 percent, and in eight African countries, this rate is lower than 20 percent. Despite an upward trend in electricity access since 2013, recent data shows a reversal of gains during the COVID-19 pandemic — it’s estimated that due to the pandemic, 15 million sub-Saharan Africans who had recently gained basic electricity access lost the ability to pay for it. Unless electrification efforts are significantly scaled up, 670 million people will remain without access to electricity by 2030 with 9 out of 10 likely to live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Fueling the future

Access to electricity is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to unlock development benefits for the world’s poorest. It also has knock-on impacts on how communities can access information; on the ability of communities to provide healthy and disease-free cooked food; access to education, health services and hospital facilities; legal services and more, with myriad implications for a person’s future.

Before the installation of the solar minigrid in Sitolo Primary school, donations from parents were used to buy batteries and kerosene which were expensive and unsustainable in the long term. Now, more learners attend night studies, and in turn, there has been an increase in the pass rate of pupils going to secondary school. Edmark N’dlamini, a 14-year-old student, said: “When you have lights, you can plan your study time better. My friends and I are confident that we will pass these Primary School Leaving Certificate Exams at first attempt, because we have been studying a lot.”

Elsewhere in Malawi, health facilities powered by mini-grids now have reliable power sources to support general lighting– especially important during child delivery and emergency night-time health care; for refrigeration of vaccines and other medicines; and to power up medical and diagnostic equipment.

Minigrids also have important environmental benefits. Minigrid systems usually replace fossil fuels like diesel and kerosene. And unlike centralized generation requiring long-distance transmission grids, the installation of decentralized solutions such as minigrids does not involve heavy disruption to natural habitats. For instance, a standard 30 metre-wide Right-of-Way for equivalent transmission lines requires the clearance of around one square kilometre of forest, land or bush for every 30 kilometres in length. In comparison, a typical 1 MWp minigrid would occupy roughly 1 percent of a square kilometre next to the community it serves.

Transforming energy markets

Yet the major challenge in scaling minigrids is mobilizing private sector investment. While solar solutions have emerged as a strong, least-cost option to ramp up electricity provision across sub-Saharan Africa, and with disruptive digital trends in mobile money, digital platforms and data collection paving the way for wider use, the minigrids market in Africa remains nascent.

Except in a few markets, nearly all current investments in minigrids are in the form of grants and non-commercial, patient capital. If minigrids are to truly scale, there is a need to access large volumes of commercial financing, coupled with de-risking activities to attract the private investment necessary to deploy minigrids at scale.

In Togo, where 16 percent of the rural population has access to electricity, a partnership with Desert Technologies has already seen 10,000 solar street lamps installed countrywide, through the community development emergency programme (PUDC-Togo), produced through UNDP’s Global Procurement Unit.

Towards UNDP’s pledge to mobilize partners to enable 500 million additional people to have access to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy by 2025, in Togo, the goal is to support 1.5 million people living in rural and semi-urban areas with a total of 100,000 street lamps.

The solar street lights and public lighting have also increased safety and security in the wider community at night, where off-grid street lights also double as connection hubs, providing people with a convenient recharging station for phones or small appliances.

A just energy transition will enable every community and individual to enjoy reliable, sustainable and affordable energy and the immense opportunities it brings. Photos: Shutterstock (left and centre), UNDP/Aurélia Rusek (right)

Towards COP27

A just and equitable energy transition will be front and centre at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm-el Sheikh, with countries attempting to define what that transition looks like, especially amid the ongoing energy crisis and deepening climate emergency.

A critical piece of the conversation must be that a just energy transition is one that enables every individual, every community, to have access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy and the immense opportunities it brings. With its new Sustainable Energy Hub, UNDP aims to mobilize partners to spur this transformation of energy markets and help countries build energy systems that work for everyone, leaving no one behind. UNDP, along with the GEF, RMI and the Africa Development Bank Group, will formally launch the Africa Minigrids Program at COP27, with an event to discuss the minigrid opportunity in Africa.

The event, entitled Africa’s Just Energy Transition: Scaling Up Renewable Energy Minigrids for People and Planet, will take place on 15 November at 11:45 a.m. at the UNDP Pavilion. It will also be broadcast live online.

Source: UN Development Programme

November 8, 2022November 9, 2022

Malawi Receives 2.9 Million Doses of Cholera Vaccines, as the Outbreak Spreads Across the Country

Lilongwe, 7 November 2022 – A consignment of 2.9 million doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) has arrived in Malawi at a critical time as cholera continues to spread across Malawi. OCV is recommended for use during cholera outbreak to contain outbreaks and to limit the spread of the outbreak into new areas.

As of 7 November, Malawi has recorded 6,253 cholera cases and 188 deaths from 27 affected districts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) through The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision facilitated procurement of these vaccines for the Malawi Government, funded by the Global Alliance of Vaccines (GAVI).

The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners are supporting the Government of Malawi through the Ministry of Health to provide clinical care at dedicated treatment centers established closer to communities, train health care workers, strengthen water treatment systems, distribute essential supplies, and raise awareness on hygiene practices and prevention methods.

“The OCV campaign that will be carried over the next few weeks is just one of the country’s strategies to strengthen the ongoing cholera response and preparedness in Malawi. The campaign will target 2.9 million Malawians comprising of adults and children aged one year and above living in highly cholera-affected districts. In addition, we encourage early health seeking behaviour for treatment among all citizens, the provision of safe water and sanitation, and positive hygiene behaviour practices, which are critical to prevent and control the transmission of cholera,” said Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda.

This is the second consignment of cholera vaccines received by Malawi with support from GAVI, ICG, UNICEF and WHO. The first campaign of May 2022 reached over one and half million people.

This second campaign will prioritize 14 districts with high number of cholera cases namely Karonga, Rumphi, Mzimba North, Mzimba South, Likoma, Nkhatabay, Chitipa, Lilongwe, Salima, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Nsanje, Zomba, and Blantyre. The targeted districts have been determined following in-depth analysis of historic and current epidemiological data and current risk factors.

Source: UN Children’s Fund