From 13 to 15 October 2026, the city of Nuremberg, Germany, hosted Chillventa, one of the world's largest trade fairs for refrigeration, air conditioning, and ventilation. On this occasion, Said El Harch, U-3ARC Vice President and Director of Alpha Refrigeration Service, carried Africa's…

On 24 September 2026, in Yaoundé, the 4th African Refrigeration Day marked a historic turning point. Under the high patronage of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Mr. Joseph Dion Ngute, and around the theme "Refrigeration speaks to humanity," sector stakeholders laid the foundations…

On the occasion of African Refrigeration Day, celebrated on September 24th by the Union of Association of African actors in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, its president, Madi Sakandé, addresses African technicians—through their associations—as well as government officials and…

In Africa, refrigeration is still seen as a luxury. That is a deadly mistake. Refrigeration is the backbone of our food, health, and digital sovereignty. But not only that. It is time to make it a matter of state, not a comfort option. Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC

Mile 12, Lagos –…

Behind the Dr. Charity Kpabep Award lies a woman whose life story embodies a struggle: the fight for knowledge transfer, excellence, and the recognition of women in a male-dominated field. 

Who was she?

Dr. Charity Maeleera Kpabep was a Nigerian refrigeration engineer and trainer at a…

Aissatou Ly du Sénégal et Mudenge Honest Hope du Rwanda décrochent la première place avec un score remarquable de 87/100. Un binôme qui incarne la rigueur technique, l’excellence féminine et l’engagement pour un froid africain durable. Les résultats ont été proclamés le samedi…

Mudenge Honest Hope of Rwanda and Aissatou Ly of Senegal take first place with an outstanding score of 87/100. A duo that embodies technical rigor, female excellence, and a commitment to sustainable refrigeration in Africa. July 2026 – The 2026 Dr. Charity Kpabep competition, organized by…

On June 26, the world celebrated World Refrigeration Day under the theme "Cool Intelligence." For Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC, this intelligence goes beyond just technical know-how. It is a matter of responsibility, adaptation, and sovereignty for Africa. In a no-nonsense message, he…

Engineer Marcello Collantin, a historic figure at Centro Studi Galileo, releases a practical guide to refrigeration maintenance and repair, adapted to the continent's realities through the expert review of Madi Sakandé.

"A good technician doesn't just fix things. He diagnoses, he…

« Comment pouvons‑nous nourrir plus d’un milliard d’Africains si vous, décideurs du continent, considérez encore la réfrigération comme un luxe et taxez les équipements de froid de 40 % à 111 % ? »
Cette question, posée par Madi Sakandé, expert international et président…

How can we feed more than 1 billion people if YOU, African policymaker, consider refrigeration as a luxury and over‑tax cooling equipment imports from 40% to 111%?”. This blunt question, asked by Madi Sakandé – international expert and President of U‑3ARC – at the Rome Nutrition…

The Chinese Association of Refrigeration (CAR) and the Union of African Refrigeration and Air‑Conditioning Associations (U‑3ARC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing on 8 April 2026, marking a new phase of technical cooperation between China and Africa in the refrigeration,…

Milan (Italy), March 25, 2026 – On the sidelines of the international MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort trade show in Milan, U-3ARC Vice-President Saïd El Harch, Madi Sakandé (New Cold Akademy), and Marco Buoni (Centro Studi Galileo) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)…

Redaction: Lassane OUÉDRAOGO

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. From February 16 to 20, 2026, U-3ARC reached a new milestone in its mission to build skills across the continent. The New Cold Akademy, the training center led by Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC, was officially launched with an…

Madi Sakandé and Basile Seburikoko represented the continent at the global alliance of refrigeration and air conditioning associations.

Author: Lassané OUÉDRAOGO

At the internal technical seminar of the AASA (Associate Society Alliance) held in Las Vegas on February 2, 2026, U-3ARC was…

January 22, 2026 – A date to remember.

Today, African universities are taking a historic step forward. A decisive step toward decarbonizing Africa’s education sector was taken today. The Green TERRE Foundation (GTF) and the Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and…

Statutory General Assembly of the APFC (Association of Professionals and Stakeholders in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) was held on December 13, 2025, at the Cardinal Paul Zoungrana National Center in Ouagadougou. Preceded by a public conference, General Assembly, punctuated by…

Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Niger Refrigeration Professionals Association (APFN) was held on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at the EMIG in Niamey. Restructuring of the sector was the focus of discussions during which financial and activity reports were reviewed and approved. The…

U-3ARC, a professional and pan-African organization through and through, continues to carry out solidarity initiatives and structure Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sector in Africa and the world. Taking advantage of the fulfillment of a promise made at the Burkinabe Ministry of…

International Conference on the Promotion of Refrigeration in Africa (CIVUFA) concluded on the evening of November 12, 2025, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. RAC sector, present in numerous economic sectors and at the heart of international trade, now deserves greater understanding and…

Eco-friendly refrigerants are unfortunately flammable. Yet another tragedy occurred on November 8, 2025, in Plateau State, Nigeria, following those of Sunday, August 17, and September 26. The explosion, which proved fatal for a technician named Peter, was reported to us by Ahmed Ibrahim…

In China, from October 26 to 30, 2025, Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC, participated in the Autumn Meeting of the United Nations RTOC (Refrigeration Technical Options Committee), where he is an International Expert-Consultant Member.

Following the RTOC 2025 Spring Meeting in Denmark,…

After an initial meeting in Dakar with RENAFF members, U-3ARC President Madi Sakandé met on Thursday, October 16, 2025, in Keur Massar, a suburb of Dakar, with members of the FENPROF (National Federation of Refrigeration Professionals of Senegal) corporation. The foundations for a new…

On a working visit to Senegal, Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC, took advantage of his visit to the capital, Dakar, to meet with members of Executive Board of RENAFF (National Network of Women Refrigeration Engineers of Senegal) on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.

Women Refrigeration and Air…

U-3ARC, in collaboration with its partners, is organizing 1st International Conference for the Popularization of Refrigeration in Africa on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. This meeting, which will feature several panels, will focus on the theme:…

This September 24, 2025, in keeping with a traditional annual celebration, U-3ARC will commemorate 4th Edition of African Refrigeration Day. Once again, this will be an opportunity to highlight the importance of the refrigeration and air conditioning sector for Africa's economic and social…

For one week, from Sunday, September 14 to Saturday, September 20, 2025, around ten refrigeration technicians from seven African member associations of U-3ARC participated in a training course at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. The seminar, which is part of the U-3ARC-IIFIIR…

When addressing this topic, my thoughts went to Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, which despite its enormous potentials, in terms of solar energy, suffers from a glaring electricity deficit.

Mr. FONJU Bernard FUELANCHA, Barrister and Solicitor of the Cameroon Bar Association.

Managing…

On July 24th and 25th, 2025, the city of Douala (Cameroon) pulsed to the rhythm of refrigeration. But not just any kind—this was the kind that preserves vaccines, protects food supplies, fuels value chains... and yet remains invisible. Thanks to the Association of Refrigeration and Air…

On June 28, 2025, U-3ARC held an international webinar on a vital topic: “Refrigeration, Hygiene, Safety, and the Environment.” Led by experts from across Africa, the event highlighted the public health and environmental challenges tied to effective cold chain management on the…

Across the world, June 26th is dedicated to the celebration of Refrigeration. Africa is no exception.

From Burkina Faso to Côte d'Ivoire, including Madagascar… refrigeration technicians, gathered within their national associations, are celebrating or have celebrated World Refrigeration…

On the occasion of the celebration of World Refrigeration Day, a delegation from U-3ARC, chaired by Madi Sakandé, was invited to Paris by the IIR (International Institute of Refrigeration). The importance of the cold chain for the agri-food industry and sustainable socio-economic…

A large delegation from U-3ARC participated in the 21st European Conference on New Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technologies in Milan on June 12 and 13, 2025. This participation was marked by the presentations of President Madi Sakandé and Saïd El Harch, VP, upon « Cold chain, food…

U-3ARC is launching a new competition, called the ALIOUA AWARD, reserved for African refrigeration technicians men. This highly stimulating award, scheduled to kick off on June 15, 2025, will help raise the level of the profession, the trades, and cohesion within the corporation.

Like the…

This is an opinion piece by the President of our organization, Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (U-3ARC), Madi Sakandé, published in the media outlet Japan Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News. It is the second part of an editorial…

The president of the Union of African Associations of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Actors (U-3ARC), Madi Sakandé, spoke on Tuesday, May 20, in Casablanca, Morocco, about innovations and regulatory transition concerning refrigerant fluids on the continent. Lassané…

For pan-African professional association of RAC sector, U-3ARC, to fully play its role as a catalyst for growth, development, and innovation, an ambitious and inclusive communication strategy must be implemented. However, only financial strength can guarantee independence.

In this digital…

Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC and UNIDO Certified Trainer, and Saïd El Harch, Cerified Trainer, F-Gas Certifier & Vice-President of U-3ARC, recently delivered a theoretical and practical training session on "Licensing Systems and Data Communication" from May 6 to 8, 2025, for Ozone…

In Africa, refrigeration technicians play a crucial role in vital sectors such as health and agriculture. Yet, they often work with outdated equipment, limiting their efficiency and compromising compliance with environmental standards. This technological lag leads to significant economic…

In city of Tahoua, center town of the region of the same name, commonly known as Ader, approximately 500 km northeast of Niamey, a serious accident following the explosion of a flammable refrigerant left four people seriously injured on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

The series of serious…

Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC and UNIDO Certified Trainer, delivered a three-day theoretical and practical training session on "Licensing Systems and Data Communication" for Ozone Coordinators from five African countries at the Centro Studi Galileo in Bologna, in collaboration with ATF…

The Dr Charity Kpabep Awards 2025, organized by U-3ARC in collaboration with the NGO World Refrigeration Day, is officially underway! This competition, dedicated to African women active in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sector, aims to promote female participation in RAC and…

Le saviez-vous ? Dans la quasi-totalité des pays africains, le secteur Froid & Climatisation, subit une taxation exorbitante de droits de douane sur l’importation des équipements.

Au Burkina Faso, il est de l’ordre de 48%. Le Soudan (111%) et le Zimbabwe (80%) figurent en tête des…

Did you know? In nearly all African countries, the refrigeration and air conditioning sector faces exorbitant customs duties on imported equipment.

In Burkina Faso, these duties amount to 48%. Sudan (111%) and Zimbabwe (80%) top the list of countries that fail to incentivize the sector…

On Friday, March 28, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., a fire broke out in the store of a refrigeration and air conditioning retailer in Niamey, the capital of Niger. While the causes have not yet been determined, it remains certain that many air conditioners and household appliances, containing R600,…

Over 300 refrigeration technicians participated in a webinar training session on data center cooling systems. The event took place on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

This training, the 40th organized by U-3ARC to equip its members, focused on the theme " Precision Systems : Data Center Cooling:…

In October 2014, following a training session he conducted for national experts from 26 Francophone and Lusophone countries in Cotonou on behalf of UNEP, Madi Sakandé, a refrigeration industry specialist, conceived the idea of uniting African HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning,…

Annoncé au mois de novembre 2024 lors de l’Assemblée générale élective de U-3ARC à Tunis, El Andalouss Formation à la Carte, le Centro Studi Galileo et U-3ARC ont signé ce mercredi 26 février à Tunis un Protocole d'accord pour la promotion et la diffusion des formations RACHP en…

Announced in November 2024 during U-3ARC’s General Assembly in Tunis, El Andalouss Formation à la Carte, the Centro Studi Galileo, and U-3ARC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, February 26th in Tunis to promote and expand RACHP (Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and…

Le Président de U-3ARC, Madi Sakandé invité spécial de la conférence d’hiver de ASHRAE qui a réuni du 8 au 12 février à Orlando, en Floride, près de 3 800 participants. Cette rencontre de haut niveau a donné lieu à plus de 400 réunions de comités, 111 séances techniques et…

U-3ARC President Madi Sakandé was a special guest at the ASHRAE Winter Conference, which brought together nearly 3,800 participants from February 8 to 12 in Orlando, Florida. This high-level meeting included over 400 committee meetings, 111 technical sessions, and numerous networking and…

Can refrigeration help achieve food and nutritional self-sufficiency?

This is the big question posed by journalist MAHAMADOU Almoctar from the newspaper RACINES. MAHAMADOU Almoctar participated, along with about sixty journalists, in the webinar organized by U-3ARC on January 14, 2025, on…

U-3ARC, which has just elected a new Executive Board, has decided to roll out its action plan. Among the first measures, it is a question of highlighting companies in the RAC sector and creating and intensifying their networking. In this organization, the census has a special place. Its…

The 2024 Edition of Seafood 4 Africa, organized by FENIP (Federation of Moroccan Fishing Industries) and held from December 4 to 6, 2024 in Dakhla, counted the participation of U-3ARC, represented by Mr. Saïd El Harch, its Vice-President.

Editorial Staff

At Seafood 2024, which has just…

ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum, ESEF 2024, organized by ECOWAS, from November 28 to 29 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, counted the participation of U-3ARC. The meeting, which focused on "Towards a just energy transition in West Africa", allowed Madi Sakandé, President of U-3ARC, to discuss the…

The very first Training and Certification center in Africa for U-3ARC members is operational. The result of a partnership between U-3ARC and the Centro Studi Galileo, Mr. Zouhaier Landoulsi's EAFC (El Andalouss Formation à la Carte) is ready to welcome learners.

Editorial Staff

In the…

Subregional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for West Africa is organizing its 16^th Annual Meeting of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT16), from 19 to 22 November 2024, in Praia, Cape Verde. This was an opportunity for U-3ARC to make its voice heard,…

New refrigerants are certainly eco-responsible, but they are nonetheless flammable. Because they are flammable, they necessarily require prior training for refrigeration technicians, with adequate tools and kits. Any mishandling of these refrigerants could lead to a series of fatal…

Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Professionals of Cameroon (APFCC) actively participated in the First International Cassava Festival, “All Kassava”, which is being held from November 11 to 16, 2024 in Douala. Food conservation solutions were presented.

Editor…

During 4th General Assembly (GA) of U-3ARC, which is held on November 7, 8 and 9, 2024 in Tunis, on the theme "Refrigeration unites Africa for its development", a new Executive Board was installed by the Election Committee on Friday, November 8.

Daouda MBaye, Editor-in-Chief

In parallel…