Implementation of framework critical to optimising economic benefits — Committee
Local officials on Monday said Ethiopian security forces have seized 64 million Ethiopian Birr (1.25 million U.S. dollars) worth of contraband gold.
In a press statement, Ethiopia Federal Police said the contraband gold haul was seized on Saturday through the joint efforts with the federal customs authority and the Oromia region militia force.
“A double-pickup vehicle travelling from Negelle city to Dolo Ber locality in Southeastern Ethiopia was seized along with 16 kilograms of contraband gold haul after it tried to break through a security checkpoint,” the statement said.
The driver of the vehicle has been arrested and is under investigation, it said.
Ethiopia has undertaken a mass sensitisation campaign to combat contraband mining activities that have been partly blamed for unsatisfactory mining revenues in previous years.
Included in the campaign is a push to bring artisanal miners into the formal mining market.
German vaccine developer, BioNTech, reports strong 1st quarter results
German vaccine developer, BioNTech, announced strong first quarter turnover and profits on Monday, with both figures significantly up year-on-year.
Net profits rose to 3.7 billion euros (3.9 billion dollars) from 1.13 billion euros in the same months of the previous year.
Turnover rose from 2.05 billion euros in 2021 to 6.37 billion euros.
BioNTech also confirmed its forecast of a turnover between 13 billion euros and 17 billion euros for the current year for its COVID-19 vaccine.
The German bioscience firm and its U.S. partner, Pfizer, are currently working on further versions of their COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron variant, and to provide protection against a range of other coronavirus variants.
“Data from clinical studies that began in January is expected in the coming weeks and will be provided to regulators,” BioNTech said.
Over the last year, the company made a net profit of 10.3 billion euros.
Turnover reached nearly 19 billion euros.
