In early September, the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, visited the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) in Kigali, Rwanda during the Africa Food Systems Annual Summit to get a closer look at new solutions to underpin food security, economic stability, and public health in the country. Officially launched in 2020, the Programme has been enabled by over $20m of funding from the UK Government. ACES is a collaborative effort led by UNEP U4E in ...Read More
Rwanda’s Environment Minister Formally Opens Africa’s Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain Centre
The 4-6 March 2024 saw a significant milestone for the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) with the Phase 1 launch event marking the official opening of the ACES headquarters on the Rubirizi Campus in Kigali. Led by Rwanda's Minister of Environment, Hon. Minister Dr. Jeanne D'Arc Mujawamariya: "The launch of ACES represents a pivotal moment in our journey towards sustainable cooling solutions. By collaborating across sectors, we can address pressing ...Read More
African Farming Communities Kick-start Cold-chain in Continent
Farmers, fishers and community leaders from across Rwanda are joining sustainable cooling experts to begin an innovative training programme that will kick-start roll-out of clean cold-chain systems in Africa. Over 100 farmers, fishers and community leaders will work with experts from the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) in the launch of its flagship training and knowledge building programme, where they will learn how clean-cold technology can ...Read More
New GCF Readiness Programme Funding to Support Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Cooling in Rwanda
At a workshop in Kigali at the end of May, the Government of Rwanda, through the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), announced funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Programme which will contribute to the implementation of appliance standards, a product registration system and related aspects of the Rwanda Cooling Initiative (R-COOL), as well as operationalisation of the first Rwandan SPOKE (Specialized Outreach and Knowledge Establishment) of the Africa Centre of ...Read More
Funding to Help Developing Countries Phase Out Use of Damaging Climate Gases Announced
Developing countries will receive £4 million to drive down the emissions of harmful hydrofluorocarbons generated by outdated air conditioning units, cooling refrigeration and cold supply chains, the UK government announced on 20 April 2023 ahead of a reception in No.10 Downing Street for climate scientists serving on the Independent Assessment Panels for the UN Montreal Protocol, along with members of the United Nations Environment Programme United for Efficiency (UNEP U4E) African Centre of ...Read More
ACES Stakeholders Convene in the UK for Strategic Discussions
This month key stakeholders in the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) convened in the UK to finalize immediate actions to operationalize the centre, exchange insights, and build strategic networks with government officials, industry, and academia. ACES is based in Kigali, Rwanda, and its aim is to accelerate the deployment of sustainable cold-chain solutions in Africa to improve livelihoods, health, food and nutritional security. This will be achieved ...Read More
REMA, Defra and IFC Sign a Statement of Cooperation on the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain
On behalf of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES), the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) for the Rwanda Ministry of Environment, and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) were pleased to sign a statement of cooperation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at COP27. This statement expresses the intent to facilitate collaboration with innovators participating in the IFC’s TechEmerge Sustainable ...Read More
ACES Welcomes Carrier as Its First Industry Partner
This week, the African Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) was pleased to announce Carrier Global Corporation as its first formal industry partner. The collaboration will help to advance the Centre’s work on sustainable cold chain development in Africa and supports Carrier’s focus on expanding the cold chain. As a leading global provider of innovative healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions, Carrier will bring their ...Read More
“Help Us to Understand Priority Gaps Where ACES Can Be of Service”
Brian Holuj, Strategic Delivery Lead for the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) on behalf of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United for Efficiency (U4E), overviews the ACES Engagement Day hosted on Friday, 21 October for Global Off-Grid Solar Forum attendees to further cold chain collaboration. A rainy season downpour could not dampen the enthusiastic deliberations of the more than 70 experts gathered at the ACES headquarters on 21 October ...Read More
Centre for Sustainable Cooling and the Indian State of Haryana Sign a Memorandum of Understanding to Develop a Cold Chain Centre of Excellence
More than 50 research, industry and government partners from programmes across the UK, EU and Africa came together last week at The Local to Global Cold-chain Summit hosted by the Centre for Sustainable Cooling at the University of Birmingham. Participants shared their knowledge and discussed research and innovation needs and collaboration opportunities to operationalise sustainable, equitable and resilient cold-chains for food and health globally and take the next steps towards delivering ...Read More
