Vytelle Expands to Brisbane, Australia with Sixteenth Global Bovine In Vitro Fertilisation Laboratory

BRISBANE, Australia,, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vytelle, a precision livestock company, is progressing on their five–year plan to provide accessible, hormone–free, bovine in vitro fertilisation to producers across the globe. Announced today, Vytelle has expanded to Brisbane, Australia with its sixteenth global laboratory.
""
Vytelle's integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence based genetic analytics engine.""The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data–driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress, replicating the right genetics faster.

The Brisbane–based, Australia laboratory brings accessibility to modern reproduction technology like never before to Australia's eastern states' beef herds. Vytelle's hormone–free in vitro fertilisation process, including their proprietary media, will deliver high–quality embryos to producers allowing them to make more valuable calves, faster to maximise sustainability.

"Vytelle is the fastest growing bovine IVF company in the world," commented Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle. She continued, "We are thrilled to open our doors in Brisbane, positioning Vytelle to serve 70% of the total beef herd in Australia from this location."

"Vytelle has a long history in Australia through its Vytelle SENSE phenotypic data capture technology to measure and select for feed efficiency. With this investment, Vytelle is positioned to help Australian producers improve efficiencies and make faster genetic progress across the supply chain to consistently market more efficient and sustainable beef. "The large–scale adoption of IVF will be driven by the successful use of frozen embryos," stated Andrew Donoghue, Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand. He continued, “Unlike other technologies, the Vytelle system allows us to deliver frozen results producers can count on, providing reliable IVF to herds historically underserved with fresh programs."

The Australian–based team is serving beef and dairy producers with on–farm ovum pick–ups immediately. Visit www.vytelle.com or contact Andrew Donoghue at [email protected] or +61 428 442 1555 to accelerate your herd's genetic progress today.

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GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8874359)

GLASSBEL and HALIO Collaborate to Strengthen Value of Smart Glass for EU and the Middle East Markets

HAYWARD, Calif., July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HALIO, designer of the world's fastest, most beautiful, eco–friendly, and technologically advanced architectural smart glass, announced today a partnership with GLASSBEL, a European–based leader in architectural and interior glass manufacturing.

  • Markets are demanding innovative, energy–efficient facades.
  • Integrating HALIO's technology into GLASSBEL's Insulated Glass Units (IGU's) provides an immediate/impactful solution, by offering fast, sustainable smart glass to a wide range of European and Middle Eastern customers.
  • Smart glass significantly impacts building occupant well–being.
  • HALIO significantly reduces energy costs and reduces any building's carbon footprint.
  • HALIO's ASTM2141 certification and patented design provide proven durability.

This partnership leverages GLASSBEL's extensive experience and network to further expand the availability and delivery of HALIO technology.

"We are excited to partner with HALIO. Their smart glass solution is the best available, offering unparalleled speed, facade uniformity, and aesthetically pleasing neutral colors. It's a game–changer," stated Dmitri Sobolevski, CEO of GLASSBEL.

"Our partnership with GLASSBEL is an exciting milestone for HALIO. Their commitment to quality, expertise in glass fabrication, and geographical reach, makes this an ideal partnership for our customers in Europe and the Middle East. We're proud to jointly offer the fastest, energy–efficient and utmost beautiful smart glass in the market," emphasized Bruce Sohn, CEO of HALIO.

About HALIO:

HALIO Smart Glass is the world's fastest and most advanced electrochromic technology, enabling control of daylight to minimize glare while optimizing energy savings by reducing solar heat gain. HALIO powered IGUs are available directly from HALIO and third–party fabricators, including Viracon and GLASSBEL with various glass coatings and configurations. Explore HALIO at www.halioinc.com.

About GLASSBEL:

GLASSBEL has an established legacy of successfully completing architectural projects. We are deeply committed to precision and innovation, combining meticulous diligence, innovative glass processing techniques, and a relentless pursuit of excellence to consistently deliver exceptional solutions that surpass our customer's expectations. We tailor each project to meet the unique requirements of our clients. Learn more at GLASSBEL.com.

Media Contact:
Carol Warren
[email protected]
714–890–4500

Corporate Contact:
Dmitry Lipkin
VP, Global Marketing
[email protected]


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8873794)

What Nigerians need to know about Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment Programme

Roseau, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nigeria is currently facing economic challenges, despite having the largest economy in Africa. The country's debt grew a staggering 500 per cent under the former President, Muhammadu Buhari. The World Bank revised Nigeria's gross domestic product (GDP) earlier this year, in the recent Nigeria Development Update (NDU).

The NDU report is released biannually by the World Bank and evaluates Nigeria's current economic and social developments and long–term prospects on a global scale. The report also focuses on Nigeria's economic and policy issues and analyses medium–term development challenges.

These economic and political challenges are causing Nigerian citizens to face great uncertainty, many of whom are hoping to see positive changes with the new president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Nigerians are continuously seeking alternative methods to protect themselves and their families' future, and one economical way of achieving this can be through the investment migration industry. Several factors influence Nigerians' choices in selecting a host country's CBI programme. Nigerians desire their dual citizenship to ensure economic and political stability in a host country that creates safety and security for both personal and business activities.

The Commonwealth of Dominica offers Nigerians opportunities that include encouraging and supporting business growth and a family–friendly environment.

Nigerians can access these opportunities through Dominica's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme and obtain dual citizenship in exchange for contributing investments towards one of the programme's investment options. There are additional requirements when applying for dual citizenship, which include background and due diligence checks that may have additional fees applied.

Access to quality healthcare and educational facilities is important for Nigerians and their families, these facilities have international standards that offer advanced medical practices and schools that encourage further studies in Dominica or anywhere else around the world.

Dominica's dual citizenship has one of the most affordable CBI programmes in the Eastern Caribbean region.

How do Nigerians benefit from Dominica's CBI Programme?

Dual citizenship is a key to opening possibilities that come with Dominica's dual citizenship, Nigerians can become part of the greater global community and increase their chances of ease of access to global markets that they were unable to previously.

Dominica is an English–speaking country, making it easier to communicate with the locals and with the Government of Dominica.

Nigerians can establish their businesses and expand their existing business ventures in Dominica. This will open more possibilities for creating permanent jobs and support local entrepreneurs with their small businesses.

Dominica offers offshore financial services to Nigerians who want to make international transactions and remittances back home. The CBI programme forms avenues for wealth management services and opportunities to protect assets and generational wealth.

The country also has many projects that are currently running through Dominica's CBI, which will yield profitable results in their developing stages once completed, these will support the economic development of the country and improve the livelihoods of all citizens.

Nigerians can visit and live in Dominica with their family members whom they had applied for dual citizenship. Dominica is a tropical island paradise with picturesque landscapes and endless leisure activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Nigerian applicants are not required to undergo a series of exams to apply, nor do they need to live in Dominica for some time to qualify for dual citizenship.


Investment options available for dual citizenship

Nigerians can choose from the Economic Diversification Fund or Dominica's Real Estate investment options. These investment options are also efficient for large families.

The Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) is a non–refundable contribution towards financially supporting private or public initiatives in Dominica. These initiatives include construction and development projects, renovation of hospitals, ecotourism, and agriculture. The contribution funds depend on the number of family members included in the applicant:

  • The main applicant is 77,000,000 (US$100,000)
  • A married couple's contribution is 15,000,000 (US$150,000)
  • A family of four contributions is 134,000,000 (US$175,000)
  • For any additional family member under 18 years of age is 19,000,000 (US$25,000)
  • And for any additional family member 18 years of age and over is 38,000,000 (US$50,000)

Dominica's Real Estate investment option has government–approved luxurious properties around the country that offer exceptional returns on investments. From 153,000,000 (US$200,000). Any real estate properties purchased must own for a minimum of three years, or five years should the future purchaser be a CBI applicant. Dominica's real estate fees are as follows:

  • The main applicant is 19,000,000 (US$25,000)
  • For a family of four is 26,000,000 (US$35,000)
  • For a family of five is 38,000,000 (US$50,000)
  • For any additional family member is 19,000,000 (US$25,000)

Dominica has award–winning luxury properties such as the Secret Bay. The eco–luxury resort featured in Travel + Leisure as the "#1 Best Resort Hotel in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas" in 2022 and is expanding its amenities and villas that are expected to be available from 2025, Dominica's CBI investors contribute to Secret Bay's success, as it offers high returns on investments. There are other luxury resorts and villas can cater to the needs of Nigerian investors' long–term investment goals, such as Jungle Bay, and InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort and Spa.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8873917)

Recursion annonce sa collaboration avec NVIDIA qui investit 50 millions de dollars pour l'accélération de la mise au point de d'innovants modèles de base dans la découverte de médicaments basée sur l'IA

SALT LAKE CITY, TORONTO et MONTRÉAL, 13 juill. 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recursion (NASDAQ: RXRX), socit biotechnologique au stade clinique chef de file dans le dcodage biologique pour l'industrialisation de la dcouverte de mdicaments, a annonc aujourd'hui un investissement de 50 millions de dollars de NVIDIA, effectu sous forme de Placement priv dans les socits ouvertes (PPSO) Recursion a galement annonc son intention, en collaboration avec NVIDIA, d'acclrer le dveloppement de ses modles biologiques et chimiques bass sur l'IA afin de les optimiser et de les distribuer aux socits biotechnologiques en utilisant les services infonuagiques de NVIDIA.

Notre collaboration avec NVIDIA reprsente l'union de deux socits de premier plan pour contribuer rsoudre l'un des plus grands dfis au monde, la dcouverte de mdicaments , a dclar Chris Gibson, cofondateur et chef de la direction de Recursion. Grce notre puissant ensemble de donnes et aux capacits informatiques acclres de NVIDIA, nous avons l'intention de crer des modles biologiques et chimiques de base, et ce, une chelle sans prcdent relativement ce qui a t fait dans le domaine biologique .

Recursion prvoit d'utiliser son vaste et exclusif ensemble de donnes biologiques et chimiques, dpassant 23 ptaoctets et 3 000 milliards de gnes et de relations des gnes et des composs consultables, afin d'acclrer la formation de modles de base sur le nuage NVIDIA DGX en vue d'une ventuelle licence commerciale/diffusion sur BioNeMo, le service infonuagique de NVIDIA pour l'IA gnrative dans le domaine de la dcouverte de mdicaments. NVIDIA aidera galement optimiser et faire voluer les modles de base Recursion en s'appuyant sur la pile IA et l'expertise informatique complte de NVIDIA. BioNeMo a t annonc au dbut de l'anne comme un service infonuagique pour l'IA gnrative destine la dcouverte de mdicaments, offrant des outils pour personnaliser et dployer rapidement des modles biomolculaires de pointe l'chelle, spcifiques un domaine, par le biais de services API en nuage. Recursion prvoit d'utiliser ce logiciel pour soutenir sa rserve de projets interne ainsi que ses partenaires actuels et futurs.

L'IA gnrative est un outil innovant pour dcouvrir de nouveaux mdicaments et traitements , a dclar Jensen Huang, fondateur et chef de la direction de NVIDIA. Nous sommes ravis de collaborer avec l'quipe de classe mondiale de Recursion, qui effectue un travail innovant en biologie et chimie numriques avec NVIDIA DGX et le logiciel NVIDIA AI afin d'acclrer le dveloppement des plus grands modles d'IA gnrative biomolculaire au monde et la dcouverte de mdicaments pour les socits biotechnologiques et pharmaceutiques

Recursion, par l'acquisition rcente de Valence Discovery, vise acclrer le dveloppement de nouvelles technologies pour alimenter l'industrie biopharmaceutique, tout en dmocratisant l'accs aux modles grande chelle qui ont un impact maximal sur la dcouverte de mdicaments.

propos de Recursion
Recursion (NASDAQ: RXRX) est une socit biotechnologique en stade clinique, chef de file dans son domaine, qui dcode les donnes biologiques pour industrialiser la recherche de nouveaux mdicaments. Pour s'acquitter de sa mission, Recursion OS, plateforme mise au point partir de technologies varies, tend continuellement l'un des plus grands ensembles de donnes chimiques et biologiques au monde. Recursion s'appuie sur des algorithmes d'apprentissage automatique sophistiqus pour extraire de son ensemble de donnes une collection de billions de relations consultables dans les domaines de la biologie et de la chimie, qui ne sont pas limites par les biais humains. Par la possession et l'exploitation de l'un des plus puissants des superordinateurs au monde, et des recherches exprimentales menes une chelle exprimentale massive – jusqu' des millions d'expriences en laboratoire humide hebdomadaires – et une chelle de calcul massive, Recursion unit la technologie, la biologie et la chimie pour faire progresser l'avenir de la mdecine.

Recursion est base Salt Lake City, o elle est membre fondateur de BioHive, le collectif de l'industrie des sciences de la vie de l'Utah. Recursion possde galement des bureaux Toronto, Montral et dans la rgion de San Francisco Bay. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site www.Recursion.com, ou connectez–vous sur Twitter et LinkedIn.

Personne–ressource pour les mdias
[email protected]

Contact auprs des investisseurs
[email protected]

noncs prospectifs
Ce document contient des informations qui incluent ou sont bases sur des noncs prospectifs au sens du Securities Litigation Reform Act de 1995, y compris, mais sans s'y limiter, celles concernant l'acclration et l'avancement du dveloppement des modles de fondation de l'IA, ainsi que l'optimisation, l'octroi de licences et la distribution de ces modles; l'utilisation du logiciel BioNeMo pour soutenir le pipeline interne de Recursion ainsi que les partenaires industriels actuels et futurs de Recursion ; Recursion acclrant le dveloppement de nouvelles technologies grce l'acquisition de Valence Discovery; ainsi que toutes les autres dclarations qui ne constituent pas des faits historiques. Les noncs prospectifs peuvent inclure ou non des mots d'identification tels que prvoit , fera , s'attend , anticipe , a l'intention de , croit , potentiel , continue et des termes similaires. Ces noncs sont soumis des risques connus ou inconnus et des incertitudes qui pourraient faire en sorte que les rsultats rels diffrent matriellement de ceux exprims ou sous–entendus dans ces noncs, y compris, mais sans s'y limiter : les dfis inhrents la recherche et au dveloppement pharmaceutiques, y compris le calendrier et les rsultats des programmes prcliniques et cliniques, o le risque d'chec est lev et o l'chec peut survenir n'importe quel stade avant ou aprs l'approbation rglementaire en raison d'un manque d'efficacit suffisante, de considrations de scurit ou d'autres facteurs; notre capacit exploiter et amliorer notre plate–forme de dcouverte de mdicaments; notre capacit obtenir un financement pour les activits de dveloppement et d'autres objectifs de l'entreprise; le succs de nos activits de collaboration; notre capacit obtenir l'approbation rglementaire des mdicaments candidats et les commercialiser; notre capacit obtenir, maintenir et appliquer les protections de la proprit intellectuelle; les cyberattaques ou autres perturbations de nos systmes technologiques; notre capacit attirer, motiver et retenir des employs cls et grer notre croissance; l'inflation et d'autres questions macroconomiques; et d'autres risques et incertitudes tels que ceux dcrits sous la rubrique Facteurs de risque dans les documents que nous avons dposs auprs de la U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities and Exchange Commission, y compris notre rapport annuel sur le formulaire 10–K. Toutes les dclarations prospectives sont bases sur les estimations, projections et hypothses actuelles de la direction, et Recursion ne s'engage pas corriger ou mettre jour ces dclarations, que ce soit la suite de nouvelles informations, de dveloppements futurs ou autres, sauf dans la mesure o la loi applicable l'exige.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8873841)

Recursion kündigt Zusammenarbeit und Investition in Höhe von 50 Millionen USD von NVIDIA zur Beschleunigung bahnbrechender Modelle für die KI-gestützte Wirkstoffforschung an

SALT LAKE CITY, TORONTO und MONTRÉAL, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recursion (NASDAQ: RXRX), ein fhrendes, im klinischen Stadium ttiges TechBio–Unternehmen, das die Biologie dekodiert, um die Arzneimittelforschung zu industrialisieren, hat heute eine Investition in Hhe von 50 Mio. USD durch NVIDIA bekanntgegeben, die als PIPE–Transaktion (Private Investment in Public Equity) durchgefhrt wurde. Recursion kndigte auerdem Plne an, die Entwicklung seiner KI–Grundlagenmodelle fr Biologie und Chemie zu beschleunigen, die in Zusammenarbeit mit NVIDIA optimiert und ber NVIDIA–Cloud–Dienste an Biotechnologieunternehmen vertrieben werden sollen.

"Unsere Zusammenarbeit mit NVIDIA reprsentiert zwei erstklassige Unternehmen, die sich zusammentun, um bei der Lsung einer der schwierigsten Herausforderungen der Welt, der Arzneimittelforschung, zu helfen", so Dr. Chris Gibson, Mitbegrnder und CEO von Recursion. "Mit unserem leistungsstarken Datensatz und den beschleunigten Rechenkapazitten von NVIDIA beabsichtigen wir, bahnbrechende Grundlagenmodelle in der Biologie und Chemie in einem Umfang zu schaffen, wie es sie im biologischen Bereich noch nie gegeben hat."

Recursion plant, seinen riesigen proprietren biologischen und chemischen Datensatz, der mehr als 23 Petabyte und 3 Billionen durchsuchbare Gen– und Verbindungsbeziehungen umfasst, zu nutzen, um das Training von Basismodellen auf der NVIDIA DGX Cloud fr eine mgliche kommerzielle Lizenz/Verffentlichung auf BioNeMo, dem Cloud–Service fr generative KI in der Arzneimittelforschung von NVIDIA, zu beschleunigen. NVIDIA wird auch bei der Optimierung und Skalierung von Foundation–Modellen von Recursion helfen, indem es den NVIDIA KI–Stack und die Expertise von NVIDIA im Bereich des Full–Stack–Computings nutzt. BioNeMo wurde Anfang des Jahres als Cloud–Service fr generative KI in der Arzneimittelforschung angekndigt und bietet Tools zur schnellen Anpassung und Bereitstellung domnenspezifischer, hochmoderner biomolekularer Modelle in groem Mastab ber Cloud–APIs. Recursion beabsichtigt, diese Software zur Untersttzung seiner internen Pipeline sowie seiner derzeitigen und zuknftigen Partner zu verwenden.

"Generative KI ist ein revolutionres Werkzeug zur Entdeckung neuer Medikamente und Behandlungen", so Jensen Huang, Grnder und CEO von NVIDIA. "Wir freuen uns ber die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Weltklasse–Team von Recursion, das mit NVIDIA DGX und NVIDIA KI–Software Pionierarbeit in der digitalen Biologie und Chemie leistet, um die Entwicklung der weltweit grten biomolekularen generativen KI–Modelle und die Medikamentenentwicklung fr Biotech– und Pharmaunternehmen zu beschleunigen."

Mit der krzlichen bernahme von Valence Discovery zielt Recursion darauf ab, die Entwicklung neuer Technologien fr die Biopharmabranche zu beschleunigen und gleichzeitig den Zugang zu Modellen in groem Mastab zu demokratisieren, die bei der Entdeckung von Medikamenten maximale Wirkung haben.

ber Recursion
Recursion (NASDAQ: RXRX) ist ein im klinischen Stadium ttiges TechBio–Unternehmen und fhrend auf dem Gebiet der Entschlsselung der Biologie zur Industrialisierung der Arzneimittelforschung. Grundlage fr diese Aufgabe ist das Recursion OS, eine Plattform, die auf verschiedenen Technologien basiert und einen der weltweit grten proprietren biologischen und chemischen Datenstze kontinuierlich erweitert. Recursion nutzt hochentwickelte Algorithmen des maschinellen Lernens, um aus seinem Datensatz eine Sammlung von Billionen von durchsuchbaren Beziehungen in der Biologie und Chemie abzuleiten, die nicht durch menschliche Voreingenommenheit eingeschrnkt sind. Durch die Beherrschung eines enormen Umfangs an Experimenten "" bis zu Millionen von Nasslaborexperimente pro Woche "" und eines enormen rechnerischen Umfangs "" das Unternehmen besitzt und betreibt einen der leistungsstrksten Supercomputer der Welt "" vereint Recursion Technologie, Biologie und Chemie, um die Zukunft der Medizin voranzutreiben.

Recursion hat seinen Hauptsitz in Salt Lake City, wo es ein Grndungsmitglied von BioHive, dem Branchenverband der Biowissenschaften in Utah, ist. Recursion hat auch Niederlassungen in Toronto, Montral und der San Francisco Bay Area. Erfahren Sie mehr unter www.Recursion.com oder vernetzen Sie sich auf Twitter und LinkedIn.

Medienkontakt
[email protected]

Anlegerkontakt
[email protected]

Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen
Dieses Dokument enthlt Informationen, die "zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen" im Sinne des Securities Litigation Reform Act von 1995 enthalten oder darauf beruhen, einschlielich, aber nicht beschrnkt auf Aussagen ber die Beschleunigung und den Fortschritt der Entwicklung von KI–Grundlagenmodellen sowie die Optimierung, Lizenzierung und den Vertrieb solcher Modelle; die Verwendung der BioNeMo–Software zur Untersttzung der internen Pipeline von Recursion sowie der aktuellen und zuknftigen Branchenpartner von Recursion; die Beschleunigung der Entwicklung neuer Technologien durch die bernahme von Valence Discovery durch Recursion; und alle anderen Aussagen, die keine historischen Fakten darstellen. Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen knnen identifizierende Wrter wie "planen", "werden", "erwarten", "antizipieren", "beabsichtigen", "glauben", "potenziell", "fortsetzen" und hnliche Begriffe enthalten. Diese Aussagen unterliegen bekannten oder unbekannten Risiken und Ungewissheiten, die dazu fhren knnen, dass die tatschlichen Ergebnisse wesentlich von den in diesen Aussagen ausgedrckten oder implizierten Ergebnissen abweichen, einschlielich, aber nicht beschrnkt auf: Herausforderungen, die der pharmazeutischen Forschung und Entwicklung inhrent sind, einschlielich des Zeitplans und der Ergebnisse prklinischer und klinischer Programme, bei denen das Risiko des Scheiterns hoch ist und ein Scheitern in jeder Phase vor oder nach der behrdlichen Zulassung aufgrund unzureichender Wirksamkeit, Sicherheitserwgungen oder anderer Faktoren eintreten kann; unsere Fhigkeit, unsere Arzneimittelforschungsplattform zu nutzen und zu verbessern; unsere Fhigkeit, Finanzmittel fr Entwicklungsaktivitten und andere Unternehmenszwecke zu erhalten; der Erfolg unserer Kooperationsaktivitten; unsere Fhigkeit, die behrdliche Zulassung von Arzneimittelkandidaten zu erhalten und diese letztendlich zu vermarkten; unsere Fhigkeit, den Schutz unseres geistigen Eigentums zu erhalten, aufrechtzuerhalten und durchzusetzen; Cyberangriffe oder andere Strungen unserer Technologiesysteme; unsere Fhigkeit, wichtige Mitarbeiter zu gewinnen, zu motivieren und zu halten und unser Wachstum zu steuern; Inflation und andere makrokonomische Probleme; sowie andere Risiken und Ungewissheiten, wie sie unter der berschrift "Risikofaktoren" in unseren Unterlagen bei der U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission beschrieben sind, einschlielich unseres Jahresberichts auf Formular 10–K. Alle zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen basieren auf den aktuellen Schtzungen, Prognosen und Annahmen des Managements, und Recursion bernimmt keine Verpflichtung, solche Aussagen zu korrigieren oder zu aktualisieren, sei es aufgrund neuer Informationen, zuknftiger Entwicklungen oder aus anderen Grnden, es sei denn, dies ist gesetzlich vorgeschrieben.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8873841)

Twenty-five Years After the Creation of the International Criminal Court

By Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Jul 13 2023 – On the night of 17 July 1998, the outcome of the Diplomatic Conference convened to create the International Criminal Court was still uncertain. Hundreds of state representatives and civil society organizations assembled in the FAO headquarters in Rome, holding their breath in anticipation.

Finally, after midnight, euphoric delegations could applaud the outcome of the vote: 120 states in favour, 7 against and 21 abstentions. A long-standing dream was to become reality: the creation of a permanent criminal court to investigate and try perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The crime of aggression was also included, but only in a programmatic way pending agreement about its definition and the conditions under which the Court could exercise jurisdiction. These questions were only resolved 12 years later in the first review conference held in Kampala, Uganda in 2010.

In the 25 years that followed the adoption of the Statute, successive judges and prosecutors contributed to operationalizing this Court, simultaneously desired and feared by different actors of the international community. States and civil society expected much of this unparalleled institution and its potential to impact positively on conflict resolution.

The creation of an international court with jurisdiction over international crimes was not in and of itself something new. The International Criminal Court followed the steps of the post-war Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals, as well as those created by the United Nations Security Council 50 years later for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi

However, the establishment of the first permanent international criminal jurisdiction, represented a key paradigm shift. Contrary to special tribunals, the International Criminal Court was not created to exercise jurisdiction solely in predetermined situations but to decide for itself, fully independently, where to investigate and who to prosecute. The ability to select situations in the world where to intervene gave it powers never previously granted to any other court.

To counterbalance this ambitious mandate, the Court was conceived as a complementary institution of last resort, with the power to act only in those cases of inaction or lack of genuine action by national systems.

Furthermore, despite its global vocation, the International Criminal Court was not granted universal jurisdiction. Unless the United Nations Security Council requests the Court to act, the Court may only investigate and prosecute in situations in which the states in whose territories the crime are committed or the states of nationality of the perpetrators are parties to the Rome Statute.

In its 25 years of operations and within the parameters set by its constituent treaty, the Court has demonstrated its capacity to investigate and prosecute in multiple situations of extremely grave crimes in Africa, Asia, America and Europe. It has also demonstrated the possibility of involving the victims of those crimes in its proceedings and of repairing the harm suffered by hundreds of thousands of them, either directly and indirectly.

For the first time, the Rome Statute introduced elements of reparative justice which allow victims to participate in the proceedings to make observations and to request reparation. These elements were later incorporated by the legal frameworks of other international courts and today form an integral part of international criminal justice.

The Court has achieved significant accomplishments, but has also suffered difficulties in its functioning. Currently, the Assembly of States Parties is undertaking, together with the Court and civil society, a holistic review to strengthen of the Rome Statute system by accelerating proceedings and improving the performance, governance, and work culture of the Court.

This review also seeks to strengthen cooperation by states and to design suitable strategies to increase political support and protect the institution and everyone who collaborate with it against threats and attacks.

Today, the Rome Statute has 123 state parties. This is a significant number that comprises two thirds of states in the international community. However, it is still insufficient to achieve the Court’s global aspirations.

Broadening the universality of the Court is of crucial importance. Today the world needs more justice than ever. The atrocities of the twentieth century that led to the creation of the Court have not ceased and there is a growing erosion of multilateralism and the rule of law.

Despite current circumstances, there is cause for hope. The international community has redoubled its demand for justice and multiplied the initiatives to make it a reality. The establishment of the Court reaffirmed the obligation to investigate and prosecute and contributed to consolidate the concept that justice is an indispensable component of sustainable peace.

In addition to proceedings by the International Criminal Court and other international tribunals, more states are willing to exercise universal jurisdiction over international crimes. New mechanisms are being created to ensure the collection and preservation of evidence that may assist these international or national efforts.

We are seeing the emergence of a global justice system, or a justice “eco-system”, within which international and national courts have a role to play – sometimes a central role, sometimes a complementary or supporting one.

In July 1998, the Court was an idea yet to be realized. Twenty-five years after its creation, the hope is that more states will join this historical effort to maximize its potential to impart justice in our tumultuous world.

Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi is President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute; Former Judge and former President of the International Criminal Court.

IPS UN Bureau

 


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Human Rights Concerns Ahead of Zimbabwe Polls

Analysts are concerned about pre-election violence and intimidation ahead of next month's Zimbabwean poll. Credit: Ignatius Banda/IPS

Analysts are concerned about pre-election violence and intimidation ahead of next month’s Zimbabwean poll. Credit: Ignatius Banda/IPS

By Ignatius Banda
BULAWAYO, Jul 13 2023 – Zimbabwe holds general elections next month amid growing human rights and press freedom concerns in what analysts say could mar conditions for undisputed poll results.

Lawyers representing opposition political activists have not been spared assaults from police and suspected ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) party supporters as economic conditions worsen.

In January, Kudzayi Kadzere, a human rights lawyer, was beaten up by police and his arm broken after being dispatched to a local police station in the capital city, Harare, to represent arrested opposition political party supporters. The police accused him of being a “criminal nuisance.”

Early this month, the country’s security forces allegedly attacked Obey Shava, a human rights lawyer who has represented several opposition Citizens for Coalition for Change (CCC) officials and other human rights abuse victims. Unknown assailants broke his legs.

However, the country’s main political opposition led by Nelson Chamisa, the CCC, was quick to point fingers at ruling party activists and the country’s secret police for Shava’s attack. The CCC has routinely been tipped to win successive elections without success.

These incidents have been met with widespread condemnation on the eve of what is seen as crucial elections slated for 23 August, with the British parliament discussing and raising concerns early this month about what is seen as deteriorating human rights conditions in Zimbabwe ahead of the polls.

“What we are seeing in this election cycle is lawfare or the weaponisation of the law,” said Ringisai Chikohomero, a senior analyst at the  Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria, South Africa.

“This has led to a lot of prosecution and persecution, and what this has done is to create an atmosphere of fear that you can be locked up for a long time without actually going to trial,” Chikohomero told IPS.

These comments come when human rights organisations say almost a hundred political prisoners are incarcerated, with former opposition legislator Job Sikhala having spent more than a year behind bars and accused of obstruction of justice.

Amnesty International has condemned Sikhala’s long detention, with Flavia Mwangovya, Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Amnesty International saying in a May statement  that “there is a worrying restriction of civic space underway in Zimbabwe with growing attempts to persecute anyone who dares to freely express themselves.”

The developments come amid escalating economic hardships, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa accusing the business sector of deliberately sabotaging the economy to stoke anti-government sentiment.

While Mnangagwa has used the campaign trail and radio jingles to denounce violence and appeal for peaceful elections, human rights defenders have questioned the continuing human rights abuses despite its condemnation from the highest office in the land.

“The challenge about the pre-election conditions is that can it be proven that there have been systematic human rights violations,” said Piers Pogue, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“Though international observers from the EU are coming, it is quite clear that six weeks before elections doesn’t constitute long-term observation,” Pogue told IPS.

Already, police have banned or placed stringent conditions for opposition political rallies, such as outlawing the chanting of slogans, further setting the stage for possible confrontations and running battles with party supporters as has happened in past elections.

However, analysts say there is a need for the country to move from continued disputed poll outcomes, and one of the recommendations is to have long-term observer teams from such groups as the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

“Ideally, the AU and SADC should have deployed longer-term observer teams. We have seen in the past that only long-term missions manage to get to grips with election conditions. Differences between long and short-term observer missions expose the contradictions of how electoral conditions are assessed,” Pigou said.

Zimbabwe’s elections have for years hogged regional and international headlines after successive controversial victories by the founding Zanu (PF) party amid decades-old worsening economic conditions; with eleven presidential candidates in next month’s general election, the stage could be set for yet another contentious poll outcome.

Meanwhile, as election day approaches, the Zimbabwe Catholic  Bishops Conference has added its voice to concerns about the pre-election conditions, appealing to voters to exercise their democratic right to vote.

“Do not be intimidated, coerced or manipulated to vote against your will. Please refuse to be used in violent attacks against your fellow brothers and sisters,” the Catholic bishops said on 9 July.

The clerics also appealed to the country’s security services, long accused of doing the ruling party’s bidding, to maintain law and order without taking sides.

“To members of the security sector, we appeal to you to work to maintain peace and justice and let all the perpetrators of political violence be held accountable,” the bishops said.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 


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