U-3ARC U-3ARC Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
U-3ARC Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Celebration of the Second World Refrigeration Day 2020 in Burkina Faso

From September 24 to 26, 2020, unforgettable events of utmost importance took place in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso. Indeed, it is on these dates that the African actors of refrigeration put on the baptismal font their Pan-African association called Union of African Associations of Actors of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning U-3ARC. Out of twenty-nine countries invited, only eleven were able to send their representatives because of the restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Constitutive Assembly was held on September 24, 2020 at the Palm Beach Hotel under the high presidency of His Excellency the Minister of African Integration and Burkinabe’s Abroad. It followed the filing of files for the receipt and a press conference in the evening. The program continued the next day with a popular cross on a main artery of the city in the morning and in the evening the visit of the Traditional Authority Moro Naaba Baongo and the President of the Republic His Excellency Mr. Roch Marc Christian KABORE.

The second highlight of the Burkina Faso meeting was undeniably the delayed celebration of the second World Cold Day at the Hotel Pacific in Ouaga. Established to be celebrated every June 26 of the year, this day has been reduced to September 26, 2020 because of border closures due to COVID 19 in different countries.

If in the first edition in 2019, the refrigeration sector was examined from a national angle, this time it was examined on an African scale. Indeed, the Burkinabe friends have put the small dishes in the big ones by associating their African pairs from Mali, Rwanda, Tunisia, Niger, Benin, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Nigeria, Guinea and the Comoros.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change, represented by Mr. Samuel PARE and no less Coordinator of the National Ozone Office of Burkina Faso.

Elie OUEDRAOGO, the vice-president of the Organizing Committee, in his opening speech welcomed the participants and every success to the proceedings. He was attended by the representative of U-3ARC member countries Raoudha MASSAOUDI and the Italian Ambassador to Burkina Faso.

By videoconference addressed to the audience, the initiator of the World Refrigeration Day WRD Stephen GILL from Great Britain, the President of the Association of refrigeration in Europe AREA Marco BUONI from Italy and John AKUABUE from Nigeria, a dean member of the Executive Board of U-3ARC. Mr. Gill spoke about the importance of the refrigeration and the celebration of a day dedicated to it. Mr. BUONI returned to AREA's journey, taking into account the requirements of the Kigali Amendment, the number of trained technicians, certified in the various standards in Italy, Europe and the world. He also highlighted the full potential of his AREA association in terms of training, training centers and equipment.

U-3ARC President Madi SAKANDE thanked the country's authorities for their contribution to the success of the various events. He also thanked the sponsors: Daikin, Solstar, Samsung, Banque Commerciale du Burkina BCB, NASCO, New Cold System, African Energy Corporation, AFP / PME without forgetting the two national organizing sister associations AITFB and APFC of Burkina Faso. The President returned to the importance of refrigeration which, far from being a luxury, is a factor of development. He also recalled the wish of the President of the Republic to see the U-3ARC extend to many countries across the continent and of his willingness to make a plea to his peers for a reconsideration of their position towards - view of the refrigeration sector, a driver of development. Madi spoke about the unprecedented case of a secretariat within his board dedicated to female mobilization in the profession and headed by a woman in the person of Mrs. Raoudha Massaoudi from Tunisia.

The representative of the Minister of the Environment, Mr. PARE, in his launch speech, assured the taking into account and the follow-up of the recommendations that will emerge from this meeting.

At the coffee break, the participants took the opportunity to visit the stands presented by the various sponsors and take the family photo.

After the break, place for the debates with as moderator the representative of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Crafts of Burkina Faso Mr. Harouna KABORE. Many state structures represented: National Education, Higher Education, Vocational Training, Department of Energy etc.

The questions included, among others:

  • the needs of a continental association and the short, medium and long term action plans of the U-3ARC;
  • the role, not well known by the participants, of the National Ozone Offices;
  • the rare case of a woman president of a refrigeration and air conditioning association in Tunisia;
  • U-3ARC's watch on imported equipment and a privilege to energy efficiency;
  • monitoring of the energy label policy.

Satisfactory answers have been given to these questions. The thirteen-point U-3ARC action plans were briefly presented by Adlain EYARMWEN from DR Congo. Madi SAKANDE concluded that the BNO and refrigeration specialists are best partners to achieve their goals. He advocates complementarity between the BNOs and the national refrigeration associations for the happiness of all. Interviews and a dinner at the Hotel put an end to the event of the day.