WORLD REFRIGERATION DAY 2026 :  “The intelligence of Refrigeration is the intelligence of adaptation” Madi Sakandé

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 calls on governments to turn commitments into concrete actions and to make refrigeration a lever for sustainable and independent development.

Dear professionals, dear friends of refrigeration, dear African decision-makers,

June 26th is our day. It's the day when the entire world, at the invitation of Steve Gill and World Refrigeration Day, focuses its attention on this life-saving profession. This year's theme, "Cool Intelligence," is perfectly timed. Because the intelligence we're talking about, for us Africans, is first and foremost an intelligence of responsibility. An intelligence that tells us : Africa can no longer be a dumping ground for technologies from elsewhere. 
We cannot import equipment designed for other climates, using fluids we don't understand, and which become waste once they break down. That's not progress. It's disguised dependency. 

The intelligence of refrigeration is the intelligence of adaptation. 

It's choosing technologies that correspond to our realities. It's training our young people to master them. It's about forging strategic partnerships that give us control over our own future, not just import bills.

U-3ARC is committed to this fight. 

Not to close borders. To open them intelligently. By negotiating, training, certifying, and pooling resources. So that refrigeration in Africa becomes a lever of sovereignty, not a form of control.But this commitment is not enough without clear political will. To African leaders, I say : Conventions like the Kampala Convention exist. They pave the way for sustainable, safe, and responsible refrigeration. But they struggle to be implemented. Due to a lack of resources, a lack of will, and sometimes a lack of vision. It's time to move from words to action.It's time to invest in an African refrigeration policy. 

Because every breakdown, every leak, every piece of abandoned equipment is a loss for our economies, for our health, for our environment. The intelligence of refrigeration is not just technical. It is political. It is strategic. This June 26th, we celebrate a profession, but we also call for a renewed commitment. Let us make this day a moment of truth. Refrigeration is our profession. Intelligence is our strength. Africa is our battleground.

Madi Sakande, President of U-3ARC