Month: June 2021

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South African Afrikaners Group Trains Farmers in Self-Defense

In South Africa, a group called Afriforum has launched self-defense training for white commercial farmers. The group says the farmers are vulnerable to attacks, which it says are driven by tensions over unequal farmland distribution more than 25 years after the end of apartheid.

South African farmer Shernice Potgieter, a young single mother, lived in a tranquil, remote rural farmhouse with her daughter, Denise, and two dogs for eight years.

That peaceful existence was shattered on a summer morning when she returned home after dropping Denise off at school.

Potgieter recalls horror when two men emerged from the cornfield, tied her up and ransacked her farmhouse.

“This is the passage where they made me lay down,” she said pointing an area on her farm. “I had to lay [sic] here so that I couldn’t see outside. When it started, I just thought to myself, ‘Today I’m losing my life.’ When I saw them coming for me, the first reaction was, ‘Today I am going to die.’ I was worried about my daughter and what would happen to her, say something would’ve happened to me.”

While Potgieter survived the ordeal, Afrikaner rights group Afriforum says 59 white farmers were killed in 2020 alone, a 30% increase in fatalities from 2019.

Although the motive for these attacks has not always been attributed to racial tensions, Afriforum says most perpetrators are Black.

In January, the group began a self-defense program for commercial farmers, the majority of them white Afrikaners.

Afriforum legal and risk manager Marnus Kemfer described the substance and goal of the training.

“The first aspect of the training will be how to use a firearm. We showed them how to use this firearm in and around the house. We then also issued them with digital radio, we actually give them training in how exactly to utilize this radio. In the end, we want all of these farmers and their neighbors to have an effective communication network,” Kemfer said.

Tensions spiked in October 2020 when a white farmer was killed and his body found tied to a pole in the town of Senekal, in the eastern part of the Free State province.

The incident heightened racial tensions in the area, and politically-motivated protests followed.

Racial anger, observers say, is fueled by the fact that white farmers still own 70% of South Africa’s commercial farms 27 years after the end of apartheid.

Groups representing white farmers, like Transvaal Agricultural Union South Africa (TLU SA), accuse authorities of failing to protect them.

Black farmers also have been victimized by these attacks, but to a lesser degree, says the farmers union.

Chris Van Zyl, the chairman of the Transvaal union, emphasized the need for farmers to defend themselves against these criminal acts.

“We cannot expect that the police will ensure 24 hours, seven days a week presence in areas which is troubled by violent criminals. The local inhabitants need to organize themselves and they must be trained to enable them to withstand a violent, criminal attack,” Van Zyl said.

South Africa’s national police declined several requests for an interview, but police statistics show 49 white farmers were killed between April 2019 and April 2020. That’s out of more than 21,000 murders nationwide — where the majority of the victims are Black.

President Cyril Ramaphosa last year urged South Africans not to rally communities along racial lines.

In March, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party accused Afriforum of being racist for opposing farmland expropriation without compensation.

Afriforum says it is extending a helping hand to whomever needs guidance and assistance irrespective of race.

Source: Voice of America

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US Renews Condemnation of Nigeria on Its Suspension of Twitter

The United States has renewed its condemnation of Nigeria for its recent suspension of Twitter, a move that senior U.S. officials said is a sign of restricting political space in the largest country in West Africa.

Nigerian authorities indefinitely suspended Twitter earlier this month after the U.S.-based social media company deleted a tweet by the country’s President Muhammadu Buhari for violating its terms of service.

“The Twitter suspension was very concerning and remains a source of concern,” said Akunna Cook, deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs, during a Monday webinar hosted by the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

Cook, a daughter of Nigerian immigrants, said the country can “play a constructive role” in West Africa but “signs of closing of political space” and signs of restricting free speech are worrisome.

The Nigerian government’s subsequent threats to arrest and prosecute its citizens who use Twitter has drawn wide criticism from the West and international human rights organizations. Nigerian authorities said they banned Twitter because it was persistently being used “for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

Separately, Cook on Monday called China a “strategic competitor” on the continent, while urging Beijing to have “greater transparency” when giving loans to African countries.

“Transparency limits corruption,” said the deputy assistant secretary of state. “China has become a large lender to African countries and many large borrowers from China are struggling, struggling with debt sustainability.”

The State Department’s top official on African affairs also said there will be “more robust engagements” between the U.S. and Africa under President Joe Biden’s administration but stopped short of elaborating whether there will be a U.S.-Africa summit in 2022, the same year as a planned Russia-Africa summit.

Source: Voice of America

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Cameroon Albinos Ask for Greater Attention, Care

International Albinism Awareness Day on June 13 has been observed in Cameroon, with albinos asking for more government and community care and protection. Those living with this hereditary genetic condition that reduces melanin pigment in skin, hair and eyes, say stigma, violence, superstition and killing have greatly lessened, but abuses have not been eliminated.

One hundred and sixty albinos and their family members assembled at the World Association for Advocacy and Solidarity of Albinos office in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, to mark International Albinism Awareness Day.

Among them is 16-year-old albino Ronald Essi, who said he was abandoned because of his condition.

Essi said he wants to become a police officer to defend his country Cameroon and punish civilians who abuse albinos’ rights. He said his mother abandoned him when he was two years old. He said his grandmother resisted family pressure to kill him. He said he has been living in the streets since 2015, when his grandmother died.

Essi said a Catholic priest rescued him from the street and sent him to a school in Yaoundé.

Essi is one of the about 2,200 albinos the government says live in Cameroon.

This year Cameroon reported that prejudice and discrimination against albinos in employment and social life had lowered drastically. The government said hunting down albinos for their body parts has been eliminated from many communities.

Witch doctors who claim that albinos bring wealth and good luck to people who have access to their body parts are disappearing. In many communities, albino babies are no longer considered signs of misfortune and buried alive or starved until they die.

Jean-Jacques Ndoudoumou, the founding president of the World Association for Advocacy and Solidarity of Albinos, says albinos are gradually being accepted by communities.

He said the association he leads is happy, as people are increasingly accepting albinos as normal human beings. He said many albinos have graduated from universities and are using the knowledge they acquire to contribute to developing Cameroon. He said complaints of stigma and violence on albinos have greatly declined and there are now marriages between albinos and people without the condition.

Ndoudoumou said his association has instructed all its members to continue teaching people albinos are normal human beings who need special assistance.

Gregoire Amindeh is member of The Association for the Promotion of the Rights of Albinos.

Amindeh said that although Cameroon’s government has done a lot, albinos still urgently need special reading glasses and handheld magnifiers to stop their high school dropout rate from low vision. He said they need subsidies to be treated in hospitals since their skin is extremely sensitive to the sun and can develop cancer. He said skin cancers remain a major cause of death in African albinos.

Pauline Irene Nguene, Cameroon’s minister of social affairs, says albinos are placed in the group of people with special protection needs. She said Cameroon ensures the socio-economic integration and protection of albinos, and immediately intervenes to protect albinos whenever cases of abuse are reported.

She said in 2020, staff of her ministry visited more than a hundred villages where abuses of the rights of albinos were reported. She said civilians in the villages were taught in their local languages to respect the health, education and social rights of albinos. She said the government has continued to lobby for private enterprises, schools and outside organizations not to reject albinos looking for positions in their institutions.

Nguene said 60 government offices created in Cameroon’s administrative units receive complaints and immediately help albinos in need.

International Albinism Awareness Day is observed by the United Nations on June 13 every year. This year’s theme, “Strength Beyond All Odds,” according to the U.N. highlights the achievements of people with albinism all over the world.

Source: Voice of America

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Cameroon Aids CAR Citizens Displaced by Ongoing Post-Election Violence

Cameroon has offered huge consignments of food and mattresses to at least 3,000 displaced persons said to be in dire need on its eastern border with the Central African Republic. Most of the people, displaced by violence following December presidential elections in the CAR, say they lost everything and that ongoing unrest keeps them from returning home.

At least 700 displaced people from the Central African Republic turned out in Kentzou, an administrative unit on Cameroon’s eastern border with the CAR, Friday to receive assistance from the host country. One day earlier, Cameroon said it had sent a delegation led by Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji to eastern Cameroon to help those displaced by the CAR crisis.

Nji visited several border villages and administrative units, including Kentzou and Garoua-Boulai. Nji said he distributed food and humanitarian assistance from the government of Cameroon. He said Cameroon decided to assist displaced persons after local government officials said the Central Africans were living in poverty.

He said the government of Cameroon mobilized 17 trucks to transport and donate mattresses, blankets, buckets and food to at least 3,400 displaced people. He said President Paul Biya instructed him to tell the displaced persons to live in peace and respect Cameroon’s laws. He said Cameroon wants to know when the displaced will want to voluntarily return to the CAR.

The violence that sparked the exodus involves armed groups and has been ongoing since Austin-Archange Touadera was reelected president in December. Much of the trouble is centered on border areas. It is suspected that fleeing rebels are among the displaced persons.

Nji said Cameroon was delighted that the items will improve the living conditions of the displaced persons until they go home.

Donatien Barka, the mayor of Kentzou, however, said host communities have been reporting clashes with the displaced Central Africans and that the area is no longer secure.

Barka said between 2017 and 2020, some 32,000 people displaced by the fighting have sought refuge in Kentzou. He said the influx inundated the 28,000 inhabitants of Kentzou and that theft of food and cattle, and conflicts over lodging and farmlands were reported daily. He said Cameroon reinforced its military in Kentzou in January when rebels protesting the CAR leadership came to Kentzou illegally.

Barka said he did not have updated figures of the number of displaced people remaining in Kentzou because movement across the porous border is uncontrolled. He said when there is fighting in the CAR, people cross over to Cameroon. He said his wish is for the displaced persons to return to their country.

Martial Beti-Marace, the CAR’s ambassador to Cameroon, says peace is gradually returning to the CAR and civilians who fled fighting should agree to voluntarily return to their country.

Speaking from the CAR’s capital Bangui, he said democratic institutions are gradually being put in place after the December 27 elections in which a majority of CAR civilians chose Touadera as their president. He said a majority of civilians who fled bloody conflicts between government troops and rebels in the CAR have voluntarily returned and are living in peace in their towns and villages.

Beti-Marace said Cameroon and the CAR are both struggling to maintain a collective peace because a crisis in either country affects them both. He said Cameroon and the CAR are trying to convince displaced persons to return home and contribute to the development of their country.

Violence among armed groups since 2013 has forced close to a million Central Africans to flee to neighboring Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.

Cameroon shares a 900-kilometer border with the CAR. Cameroon’s Territorial Administration Ministry says Cameroon has taken in and is home to more 300,000 displaced Central Africans.

Source: Voice of America

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Layout International จับมือ Sophi.io เพื่อทำให้งานพิมพ์เป็นอัตโนมัติเต็มรูปแบบ

การรวม NewsPublish ของ Layout International เข้ากับกลไก AI และ ML อัจฉริยะของ Sophi.io นั้นจะช่วยลดขั้นตอนการจัดรูปแบบการพิมพ์ที่ใช้เวลานานหลายชั่วโมงให้เหลือเพียงไม่กี่นาที

โตรอนโต, June 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophi.io ชุดเครื่องมือเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพ การคาดการณ์ และระบบอัตโนมัติที่ขับเคลื่อนด้วย AI ที่พัฒนาโดย The Globe and Mail ได้ร่วมมือกับ Layout International ซัพพลายเออร์เทคโนโลยีระดับองค์กรที่ทันสมัย​เพื่อพลิกโฉมการผลิตงานพิมพ์ Sophi จะเป็นผู้ให้บริการเทคโนโลยี AI/ML อัจฉริยะเพื่อทำให้เวิร์กโฟลว์การผลิตงานพิมพ์แบบครบวงจรเป็นอัตโนมัติเต็มรูปแบบ เพื่อประหยัดเวลาและค่าใช้จ่ายให้กับผู้เผยแพร่ และช่วยให้พวกเขาสามารถมุ่งเน้นกับการสร้างเนื้อหาคุณภาพสูง

โดยปกติแล้วการจัดรูปแบบการพิมพ์มักเป็นกระบวนการที่ใช้เวลานานและยุ่งยาก ซึ่งข้องเกี่ยวกับบรรณาธิการและนักออกแบบหน้ากระดาษหลายคน และใช้เวลาหลายชั่วโมงกว่าจะเสร็จ หากไม่มีข้อจำกัดที่เข้มงวดของเทมเพลต ลูกค้า Layout International จะสามารถสร้างกระดาษที่พร้อมสำหรับการพิมพ์ที่ไม่ต่างจากกระดาษที่จัดเตรียมโดยนักออกแบบหน้ากระดาษ และกระบวนการทั้งหมดใช้เวลาเพียงไม่กี่นาที และสำหรับลูกค้ากว่า 200 รายของ Layout International ความร่วมมือนี้หมายถึงการผสานรวม Sophi เข้ากับเวิร์กโฟลว์บรรณาธิการ NewsPublish ในปัจจุบันของตนได้อย่างราบรื่น

“เรารู้สึกตื่นเต้นที่การทำงานร่วมกับ Sophi.io จะช่วยให้เราสามารถนำเสนอความสามารถใหม่ๆ ที่ทันสมัย แก่ลูกค้าในรูปแบบโซลูชันการพิมพ์อัตโนมัติแบบครบวงจรที่เพิ่มประสิทธิภาพขึ้นเป็นอย่างมาก ลูกค้าของเราจะสามารถใช้งานและเรียกใช้กระดาษพิมพ์ใหม่ได้ภายในไม่กี่นาที ทุกเมื่อที่ต้องการ ทั้งหมดภายในระบบการจัดการเนื้อหา NewsPublish Enterprise ที่พวกเขาใช้ทุกๆ วัน” Jean-Michel Habis, CEO ของ Layout International กล่าว

ชุดเครื่องมือของ Sophi ออกแบบมาเพื่อระบุเนื้อหาที่มีค่าที่สุดขององค์กร (ไม่ใช่เนื้อหาที่ได้รับความนิยมมากที่สุด แต่เป็นเนื้อหาที่ขับเคลื่อนให้เกิดการเปลี่ยนแปลงหรือการเก็บรักษา หรือเกณฑ์ชี้วัดที่สำคัญที่สุดสำหรับองค์กร) และจัดวางในตำแหน่งที่มีค่าที่สุดในระบบดิจิทัลเอนทิตี หรือหลัง Paywall เมื่อรายได้จากการสมัครสมาชิกมากกว่ารายได้จากการโฆษณาที่คาดการณ์ไว้ นอกจาก Sophi.io จะเป็นผู้ขับเคลื่อน NewsPublish แล้ว Sophi ยังให้บริการ Paywall ระบบอัตโนมัติบนไซต์แบบไดนามิกเรียลไทม์เต็มรูปแบบที่ปรับแต่งได้ตามต้องการ และโซลูชันการวิเคราะห์แก่ผู้เผยแพร่ทั่วโลก

“การจัดรูปแบบการพิมพ์นั้นเป็นงานใหญ่” Greg Doufas หัวหน้าเจ้าหน้าที่ฝ่ายเทคโนโลยีที่ The Globe and Mail กล่าว “เราเห็นว่าการร่วมมือกับ Layout International ทำให้ผู้เผยแพร่มีอิสระในการสร้างเนื้อหาและองค์ประกอบการออกแบบเฉพาะ ที่นักออกแบบหน้ากระดาษต้องการทำ สิ่งที่ดีที่สุดก็คือ NewsPublish ที่ขับเคลื่อนโดย Sophi.io นั้นทำงานได้ดีขึ้นและชาญฉลาดยิ่งขึ้นทุกๆ วัน ดังนั้นโซลูชันนี้จะช่วยให้ลูกค้า Layout International มีเทคโนโลยีที่ทันสมัยอยู่เสมอ”

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Ghassan Halawi
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ghalawi@layoutintl.com

เกี่ยวกับ Sophi.io
Sophi.io (https://www.sophi.io) เป็นชุดเครื่องมือเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพและการคาดการณ์ที่ขับเคลื่อนด้วย AI ซึ่งช่วยให้ผู้เผยแพร่เนื้อหาตัดสินใจเชิงกลยุทธ์และยุทธวิธีที่สำคัญ โซลูชันของ Sophi มีให้บริการตั้งแต่ Sophi Site Automation และ Sophi for Paywalls ไปจนถึง Sophi Analytics ซึ่งเป็นระบบสนับสนุนการตัดสินใจสำหรับผู้เผยแพร่เนื้อหา Sophi ถูกออกแบบมาเพื่อปรับปรุงเมตริกที่มีความสำคัญต่อธุรกิจของคุณมากที่สุด เช่น การรักษาผู้สมัครสมาชิกและการเข้าซื้อกิจการ การมีส่วนร่วม ความใหม่ ความถี่และปริมาณ

ติดต่อด้านสื่อ Sophi.io
Jamie Rubenovitch
หัวหน้าฝ่ายการตลาด, Sophi.io
The Globe and Mail
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Malawi Expresses Regret Over Expulsion of Its Diplomats From South Africa

Malawi’s government said Saturday that it had received news of its diplomats’ alleged misconduct in South Africa with regret and that it would punish those involved when they returned home.

South Africa on Friday declared all Malawian diplomats persona non grata for abusing diplomatic privileges and gave them 72 hours to leave the country.

South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations said in a statement that the action followed an investigation that found the diplomats had been buying duty-free alcohol with cash and then reselling it to retailers.

A Malawi government spokesperson, Gospel Kazako, told local media Saturday that the government had already talked with some of its South Africa-based diplomats.

“What they are saying is that they are being accused of abusing the tax privileges that they had,” Kazako said. “You know, according to the Vienna Convention of 1961, diplomats have certain privileges, and one of the privileges is that of not paying tax in the hosting country on certain items and certain services. Alcohol is one of those items, so there was abuse, according to South African government.”

The South African Revenue Service said the scandal, which also involved diplomats from other countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Lesotho, had led to the estimated loss of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes every month. It has not yet been determined how long the illegal enterprise was operating.

Not ‘normal consumption’

John Chikago, Malawi’s former high commissioner to South Africa, told VOA the matter was strange and surprising.

“We buy with the diplomatic card, and you can’t just buy any amount, unless you have a party at your house or there is national day [celebration] for your country,” he said. “But if it is normal consumption, you should buy only one bottle or two bottles. But they were buying cartons. How? So, it appears there was a syndicate.”

Chikago said the issue could tarnish the image of Malawian diplomats in other embassies.

“That is the image we are giving to South Africa — that we are corrupt people, because embassies are the image of Malawi — so it must stop,” he said.

Sheriff Kaisi, a political science lecturer at Blantyre International University, dismissed fears that the incident would affect diplomatic relations between Malawi and South Africa. But he said the image of ordinary Malawians living in South Africa could be affected.

“We have quite a number of citizens living in South Africa,” he said. “They will be seen as people who are not trustworthy, people who cannot follow rules of the game.”

However, Malawi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Friday evening that the Malawi government had conveyed regret to the South African government about the conduct of the diplomats involved, and that it would take appropriate action when the diplomats returned to Malawi.

Source: Voice of America

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UN: Thousands of Tigray Children Risk Death from Starvation, Malnutrition

United Nations agencies are warning that tens of thousands of children in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray province are at risk of death from starvation and malnutrition-related illnesses because aid agencies cannot reach the region with humanitarian relief.

Conflict-ridden Tigray remains off-limits to United Nations and private aid agencies despite Ethiopian government promises they would have unfettered access to the region.

UNICEF spokesman James Elder told reporters Friday in Geneva the region is on the brink of famine, adding that, without immediate assistance, Tigray will face a crisis not seen in a decade.

“We are seeing more and more young children and babies slide dangerously close to sickness and potential death from malnutrition, so we have rung alarm bells and alarm bells and here we are now,” he said. “We now have the largest number of people classified as food-insecure in a decade since Somalia. And, as I say that, [there is the] very real risk of deaths of tens of thousands of children.”

An estimated quarter-million people died in the devastating 2010-2011 Somali famine, more than half of them children under the age of five. The United Nations says more than 350,000 people in Tigray are on the verge of famine. It warns an estimated 33,000 severely malnourished children in inaccessible areas are at high risk of death.

The World Health Organization says its teams and mobile health clinics are ready to go into Tigray and administer care but have been turned away by the warring parties.

WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said access to the region is key to tackling what she called a public health emergency.

“Malnourished children are more likely to contract … any of the infectious diseases, and die of it, such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and measles. Malaria and malnutrition is a lethal combination,” she said. “So, we are over 350 severe acute malnutrition cases among children under five years of age last week only. That was just last week, 18 of them with complications.”

Harris said the WHO is kicking off a cholera vaccination campaign Saturday, as the disease thrives during the rainy season, which begins this month. She said 4,000 people will be inoculated as a preventive measure as Tigray has had outbreaks in the past.

But the campaign’s success requires safe access by health workers, she added.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered troops into the region in November to neutralize leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which ruled the continent’s second most populous country for nearly three decades.

Ahmed, recipient of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, said he sent troops to the area in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps.

The prime minister promised the violence would be short-lived, but the fighting continues and atrocities such as rape are increasing.

Source: Voice of America

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CNH Industrial names designated CEO of On-Highway busines

CNH INDUSTRIAL N.V.

Gerrit Marx President Commercial and Specialty Vehicles CNH Industrial

London, June 11, 2021

As work proceeds apace to deliver the previously announced spin-off of its On-Highway business, CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) has named Gerrit Marx as the designated Chief Executive Officer of the new entity, which is expected to assume independent operations in early 2022.

The new On-Highway business will include the following brands and their respective activities: IVECO (heavy, medium and light commercial vehicles), IVECO ASTRA (heavy-duty trucks), IVECO BUS and Heuliez Bus (buses and coaches), Magirus (firefighting vehicles), Iveco Defence Vehicles (defense and civil protection vehicles), FPT Industrial (powertrain technologies) and Iveco Capital (Financial Services).

Gerrit Marx joined CNH Industrial as President of Commercial and Specialty Vehicles in January 2019. Mr. Marx has some 20ars of experience in roles of increasing importance at organizations which include McKinsey & Company, Daimler AG, Skoda and most recently at global equity firm Bain Capital. He has worked across different geographies and in a variety of industrial segments, with specific, in-depth focus on automotive industries.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to congratulate Gerrit on this appointment. We are confident that his expertise in commercial vehicles, together with his demonstrated leadership of our Commercial and Specialty Vehicles segment, will serve him well in taking the new company forward,” said Suzanne Heywood, Chair of the CNH Industrial Board of Directors.

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com

Media contact:

Francesco Polsinelli
Corporate Communications Manager, Europe
CNH Industrial
Tel: +39 335 1776091
Email: mediarelations@cnhind.com

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Nyxoah Issues First Quarter 2021 Results

Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium – June 10, 2021, 11:45pm CET / 5:45pm ET – Nyxoah SA (Euronext Brussels: NYXH) (“Nyxoah” or the “Company”), a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), today announced its unaudited, interim financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021.  In addition, Mr. Janke Dittmer has informed the Company that he will resign from his position as director immediately prior to and contingent upon the completion of an initial public offering in the United States.

First Quarter 2021 Results

  For the three month period ended March 31
(in thousands of EUR) 2021 2020
Revenue                                     185                      —
Cost of goods sold                            (52) —
Gross Profit                                     133                  —
General and administrative expenses (1,818) (1,178)
Research and development expenses (852) (7)
Clinical expenses (342) (177)
Manufacturing expenses (901) (62)
Quality assurance and regulatory expenses (325) (25)
Patents Fees & Related (674) (58)
Therapy Development expenses (548) (352)
Other operating income/(expenses) 4 (191)
Operating loss for the period                              (5,323)               (2,050)
Financial income 4 19
Financial expense (325) (336)
Loss for the period before taxes                           (5,644)               (2,367)
Income Taxes (25) (13)
Loss for the period                           (5,669)               (2,380)
Other comprehensive loss    
Items that may be subsequently reclassified to profit or loss (net of tax)    
Currency translation differences (70) 272
Total comprehensive loss for the year, net of tax                            (5,739)               (2,108)
Loss attributable to equity holders                           (5,739)               (2,108)

Revenue

Revenue was €185,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to no revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in revenue was attributable to the Company’s commercialization of the Genio® system in Europe, which began in July 2020.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold was €52,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to no cost for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in cost of goods sold was attributable to the sales of the Genio® system in Europe, which began in July 2020.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by €0.6 million, or 54%, from €1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €1.8 million for the three-months ended March 31, 2021 mainly due to an increase in consulting expenses. The increase in consulting and contractors’ fees includes variable compensations for an amount of €253,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and €498,000 for the three-months ended March 31, 2021 related to a cash-settled share based payment transaction.

Research and Development Expenses. Before capitalization of €311,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, research and development expenses increased by €0.5 million, or 168%, from €318,000 (or €7,000 after capitalization of €311,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, due to an increase in staff and consulting costs to support the Company’s R&D activities.

Clinical Expenses. Before capitalization of €1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and capitalization of €568,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, clinical expenses increased by €1.1 million, or 139%, from €0.7 million (or €177,000 after capitalization of €568,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (or €342,000 after capitalization of €1.4 million). The increase in the expenses was mainly due to an increase in staff and consulting to support the completion of the BETTER SLEEP trial implantations, continuous recruitment for the EliSA trial and the ongoing DREAM IDE trial in the United States.

Manufacturing Expenses. Before capitalization of €215,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and €578,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, manufacturing expenses increased by €0.5 million, or 74%, from €0.6 million (or €62,000 after capitalization of €578,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €1.1 million (or €901,000 after capitalization of €215,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase was mainly due to an increase in staff, in the production and engineering team to support capacity and yield improvement, and in purchasing raw materials to support an increase in production.

Quality Assurance and Regulatory Expenses. Before capitalization of €133,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and €263,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, quality assurance and regulatory expenses increased by €170,000, or 59%, from €288,000 (or €25,000 after capitalization of €263,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €458,000 (or €325,000 after capitalization of €133,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase was mainly due to an increase in staff and QA & regulatory activities to support the manufacturing scaling-up process.

Patent Fees & Related Expenses. Before capitalization of €56,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, patent fees & related expenses increased by €560,000, or 491%, from €114,000 (or €58,000 after capitalization of €56,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to expenses related to the in-licensing agreement with Vanderbilt University.

Therapy Development Expenses. Therapy Development expenses increased by €196,000, or 56%, from €352,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €0.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase in the expenses was mainly due to an increase in staff and consulting to support the launch the commercialization of the Genio® system in Europe.

Other Operating Income / (Expenses). The Company had other operating expenses of €191,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and operating income of €4,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase in expenses was mainly due to the impact of the initial measurement and re-measurement of the financial debt.

Operating Loss

The increase of operating loss from €2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to €5.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, or a change of €3.3 million, was due to increases of activities in all departments. The Company currently conducting three clinical trials to continue gathering clinical data and obtain regulatory approvals. In June 2020, the Company obtained IDE approval to start the DREAM trial in the United States. In line with this strategy, the Company continues to invest in research and development to improve and develop the next generation of the Genio® system and prepare for scaling-up of production capacities.

Cash Position

Cash and cash equivalents totaled €86.2 million on March 31, 2021, as compared to €92.3 million on December 31, 2020.

Net cash used in operations was €4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to €1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase of €3.0 million was primarily due to an increase in a loss for the period of €3.3 million that was mainly attributable to increased general and administrative expenses, research and development expenses, manufacturing expenses and therapy development expenses, which were offset by a positive variation in the working capital of €0.5 million.

Net cash used in investing activities for each of the three months ended March 31, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2020 was €1.8 million.

Net cash used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was €104,000 compared to €24.8 million of net cash provided by financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2020. The decrease was due to a lack of capital increase during the first quarter of 2021.

Outlook for 2021

The Company’s business, operational, and clinical outlook for 2021 include the following expected milestones and goals:

  • Ramp up EU revenue and build a dedicated sales team in Germany
  • Open second independent manufacturing site in Belgium, in addition to existing site in Israel
  • Complete DREAM pivotal trial enrollment

First quarter report 2021
Nyxoah’s financial report for the three months ended March 31, 2021, including details of the unaudited consolidated results, are available on the investor page of Nyxoah’s website (https://investors.nyxoah.com/financials).

About Nyxoah
Nyxoah is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Nyxoah’s lead solution is the Genio® system, a CE-validated, patient-centered, next generation hypoglossal neurostimulation therapy for OSA, the world’s most common sleep disordered breathing condition that is associated with increased mortality risk and comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, depression and stroke.

Following the successful completion of the BLAST OSA study in patients with moderate to severe OSA, the Genio® system received its European CE Mark in 2019. The Company is currently conducting the BETTER SLEEP study in Australia and New Zealand for therapy indication expansion, the DREAM IDE pivotal study for FDA approval and a post-marketing EliSA study in Europe to confirm the long-term safety and efficacy of the Genio® system.

For more information, please visit http://www.nyxoah.com/.

Caution – CE marked since 2019. Investigational device in the United States. Limited by U.S. federal
law to investigational use in the United States.

Forward-looking statements
Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company’s or, as appropriate, the Company directors’ or managements’ current expectations regarding the Genio® system; planned and ongoing clinical studies of the Genio® system; the potential advantages of the Genio® system; Nyxoah’s goals with respect to the development, regulatory pathway and potential use of the Genio® system; the utility of clinical data in potentially obtaining FDA approval of the Genio® system; and the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, performance, prospects, growth and strategies. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities are not guarantees of future performance and should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. In addition, even if actual results or developments are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in future periods. No representations and warranties are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person’s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

For further information, please contact:
Nyxoah
Fabian Suarez, Chief Financial Officer
fabian.suarez@nyxoah.com
+32 10 22 24 55

Gilmartin Group
Vivian Cervantes

vivian.cervantes@gilmartinir.com

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Nyxoah files Registration Statement for Proposed Initial Public Offering in the United States

Nyxoah files Registration Statement for Proposed Initial Public Offering in the United States

Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium – June 10, 2021, 11:30pm CET / 5:30pm ET – Nyxoah SA (Euronext Brussels: NYXH) (“Nyxoah” or the “Company”), a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), today announced that the Company has publicly filed a registration statement on Form F-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to a proposed initial public offering of its ordinary shares, which are expected to be listed on the NASDAQ Global Market in the United States.  The number of ordinary shares to be offered and the price for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

Nyxoah’s ordinary shares are currently listed on Euronext Brussels under the symbol “NYXH”. An application has been made to list the ordinary shares on the NASDAQ Global Market under the same symbol.

Piper Sandler, Stifel and Cantor are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. Degroof Petercam is acting as a manager.

A registration statement on Form F-1 has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective. The ordinary shares may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification or publication of an offering prospectus under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

The proposed offering of ordinary shares in the United States will be made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the proposed offering can be obtained from Piper Sandler & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, by e-mail at prospectus@psc.com, or by phone at (800) 747-3924; Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated at Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104, by telephone at (415) 364-2720, or by email at syndprospectus@stifel.com; or Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 499 Park Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10022; email: prospectus@cantor.com.

Contacts:

Nyxoah
Fabian Suarez, Chief Financial Officer
fabian.suarez@nyxoah.com
+32 10 22 24 55

Gilmartin Group
Vivian Cervantes
vivian.cervantes@gilmartinir.com

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