Egypt’s Ministry of Environment launched on Tuesday the National Initiative for Sustainable Entrepreneurs (NISE) to support green economy.
The initiative is launched in partnership with the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) and MedWaves (the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production).
The initiative targets all stakeholders within the domain of entrepreneurship and sustainable economy in Egypt, who will receive substantial technical assistance as well as have access to stimulating business linkages.
Furthermore, they will benefit from an excellent training program that should qualify them to share the acquired know-how with a wider base of entrepreneurs nationwide.
The training includes 140 entrepreneurs in greater Cairo and Upper Egypt. The best 16 will benefit from an eight-month incubation stage that ultimately qualifies them to lead the way in sustainable entrepreneurship in Egypt.
The launch was attended by Sylvie Fontain, representative of the Delegation of the European Union to Egypt, Giorgio Mosangini, representing MedWaves, Hossam Allam, representing CEDARE and Heba Sharawy, representing the Ministry of Environment.
“NISE gathers multiple stakeholders (Business Support Organisations, Financial Institutions, Policy Makers, etc.) for the common goal of promoting the creation of sustainable and circular businesses which meet Egyptian main environmental challenges," Mosangini said.
Moreover, Allam, stated that they were “proud to launch the NISE at a time when the Egyptian government, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, is focusing on fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and making substantial progress in that direction.”
In her speech, Sharawy said “The project’s main goal is to foster the transition to green economy and sustainable management of marine resources. It also aims to create jobs and to introduce environmental and sustainability standards to small and micro enterprises in Egypt”.
The NISE is launched within the framework of Egypt’s SwitchMed Down the Nile Project to support sustainable economy and green and blue entrepreneurship. It is in-line with Egypt’s efforts to encourage medium, small, and micro enterprises and with Egypt Vision 2030.
Source: ahramonline Mahmoud Bakr
Swiss packaging solutions provider SIG is teaming up with Egyptian waste management company Tagaddod to recycle its used beverage and food cartons in Egypt.
The partnership between SIG and Tagaddod is being implemented through the “recycle for good” project. The initiative launched on 4 October 2022 aims to collect and recycle used SIG-branded beverage and food cartons in Egypt. The packaging solutions provider based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland, wants to use this initiative to support the transition to a circular economy in the North African country. “Currently in Egypt, barely 60% of the waste produced per year is collected, and less than 20% of it is properly disposed of or recycled,” says SIG.
Egypt produces an average of 95 million tonnes of waste each year. SIG is drawing on the expertise of Tagaddod, an Egyptian energy and waste management company, to reduce its environmental impact in the country. Tagaddod is the first company in Egypt to enable direct household and food service industry waste collection through tech-based solutions. Its app allows consumers and businesses in the food service industry to arrange collection of their used beverage cartons in exchange for rewards.
The collected used cartons will be transported through Tagaddod’s logistics network to a factory where they are pulped. Separated from other products, the pulp is used to make new paper-based products (packaging) and the extruded or moulded plastic components to form other products such as boards, pallets, furniture, desks and tiles for construction.
Nour El Assal, CEO and co-founder at Tagaddod added: “We are delighted to be partnering with SIG on the ‘Recycle for Good’ programme, which is another breakthrough for Tagaddod in transforming its vision into actions, using our technology and resources. Tagaddod has the infrastructure, network, and vision to further mobilise and accelerate Egypt’s transition towards a circular economy. With this initiative, we will expand our reach to retract high-grade, high value food-grade cartons and put them back in circulation, while creating reliable additional income for households and waste collectors. It is long term positive impact and value creation at their best.”
As government representatives begin to the finalise the agenda for the COP27 climate change conference in Egypt next month, for pre-COP planning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo capital, Kinshasa, Secretary-General António Guterres told journalists in New York that the work ahead is “as immense as the climate impacts we are seeing around the world”.
“A third of Pakistan flooded. Europe’s hottest summer in 500 years. The Philippines hammered. The whole of Cuba in black-out. And here, in the United States, Hurricane Ian has delivered a brutal reminder that no country and no economy is immune from the climate crisis,” he highlighted.
And while “climate chaos gallops ahead, climate action has stalled,” he added.
Faulty maths
The top UN Official underscored the importance of COP27 while warning that the collective commitments of G20 leading industrialized nations governments are coming “far too little, and far too late”.
“The actions of the wealthiest developed and emerging economies simply don’t add up.,” he said, pointing out that current pledges and policies are “shutting the door” on limiting global temperature to 2°C, let alone meet the 1.5°C goal.
Mr. Guterres warned, “we are in a life-or-death struggle for our own safety today and our survival tomorrow,” saying there is no time for pointing fingers or “twiddling thumbs” but instead requires “a quantum level compromise between developed and emerging economies”.
“The world can’t wait,” he spelled out. “Emissions are at an all-time high and rising”.
And he said that while pursuing their own “drop-in-the-bucket initiatives” international financial institutions must overhaul their business approaches to combat climate change.
Backsliding
Meanwhile, as the planet burns, the Ukraine war is putting climate action on the back burner and the dynamic climate actors in the business world continue to be hampered by “obsolete regulatory frameworks, red tape and harmful subsidies that send the wrong signals”.
Meaningful progress must be made to address loss and damage beyond countries’ abilities to adapt as well as financial support for climate action, upheld the UN chief
Decisions must be made now on the question of loss and damage as “failure to act” will lead to “more loss of trust and more climate damage,” he said, describing it as “a moral imperative that cannot be ignored”.
Action ‘litmus test’
COP27 is “the number one litmus test” of how seriously governments take the growing climate toll on the most vulnerable countries.
“This week’s pre-COP can determine how this crucial issue will be handled in Sharm el-Shaikh,” he informed the media, noting that the world needs clarity from developed countries on the delivery of their $100 billion pledge to support climate action in developing countries.
Moreover, adaptation and resilience funding must represent half of all climate finance; multilateral development banks “must raise their game”; and emerging economies need support to back renewable energy and build resilience.
While the Resilience and Sustainability Trust led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a good start, major multilateral development bank shareholders must be the driving force for transformative change, he continued.
“On every climate front, the only solution is solidarity and decisive action”.
The Secretary-General chief upheld that by showing up at COP27 in Sharm el-Shaikh, all countries – led by the G-20 – can demonstrate that “climate action truly is the top global priority that it must be”.
Step up climate adaptation support
Meanwhile in Kinshasa, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned environment ministers and others that the window of opportunity to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis is closing.
She stressed that greater support for climate adaptation in developing countries “must be a global priority”, particularly progress on adaptation finance.
Ms. Mohammed recalled that at last year’s COP26 conference in Glasgow, developed nations had promised to double adaptation support to $40 billion dollars a year by 2025.
The UN deputy chief called for a clear roadmap on how the funding will be delivered, starting this year.
She added that $40 billion is “only a fraction of the $300 billion that will be needed annually by developing countries for adaptation by 2030”.
Counting every moment
Ms. Mohammed underscored that the world “desperately needs hope”.
“We need progress…that shows that leaders fully comprehend the scale of the emergency we face and the value of COP, as a space where world leaders come together to solve problems and take responsibility,” she said.
“Every moment counts”.
The deputy chief said that it is time to prove that we are moving in the right direction “with an outcome that shows our collective commitment to addressing the climate crisis because people, and the children here today, and the planet matter”.
Source: UN News
Quartet Textile agrees to treat its wastewater to reduce industrial pollution in Egypt. Last week, the Egyptian textile manufacturing company approved a project to build a wastewater treatment plant near its premises.
The Egyptian Pollution Abatement Programme (EPAP) is now in its third phase, the programme will see the construction of an industrial wastewater treatment plant in Sadat, a town in the Menufeya governorate, in the coming months. The treatment plant will take care of the effluent of the Egyptian company Quartet Textile, which specialises in textile manufacturing.
In this North African country, wastewater from the textile industry is discharged into irrigation systems, which pollute crops, and into waterways, posing a risk to aquatic biodiversity. The Quartet plant will have a treatment capacity of 3,500 m3 of effluent per day, according to the Egyptian Ministry of the Environment. The treated wastewater will be returned to nature.
Commissioning in February 2023
The Egyptian authorities expect the Quartet Textile Company wastewater treatment plant to be delivered in February 2023. €6 million will be required to cover all expenses related to the wastewater treatment project. €152.3 million budgeted for the implementation of Phase III of the EPAP programme.
In August 2022, the European Union (EU) awarded a grant of 4 million euros to Egypt for this component of the programme. The rest of the funding is provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the French Development Agency (AFD) and the German development agency Kreditanstaltfür Wiederaufbau (KfW).
The Industrial Pollution Control Programme will also help Egyptian industry to improve its performance and comply with environmental laws and regulations, as well as reduce energy and resource consumption in order to promote sustainable development.
Source: Afrik21
Regional authorities in Egypt, the host country of the 2022 UN climate conference (COP27), are ramping up initiatives designed to improve the country’s environmental credentials, and speed up its transition to a low carbon economy. The event will begin on 4 November, in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Several COP27-related initiatives are underway in Egypt: they include projects related to sustainable transport, waste recycling, women's health, the transition to clean energy, sustainable cities, adaptation measures in the water and agriculture sector, and the links between peace and climate.
“The Egyptian Government recognises the huge responsibility of organising a successful conference”, says Dr. Samir Tantawy, a climate change expert at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). “The summit needs to demonstrate the damage caused by the climate crisis, particularly in developing countries. For example, the Aswan , in southern Egypt, has experienced storms, snow and heavy rain for the first time. Developing countries need to be properly compensated”.
Beyond COP27, Egypt is working towards a 2050 national climate strategy, which is based around the reduction of emissions in all sectors, and adaptation to potential changes in the climate – in agriculture, water resources, coastal areas, and health.
The national strategy also aims to bring civil society, the government, and citizens together, at the local, regional, and national levels. A number of civil society organizations are participating in workshops and seminars to raise awareness of the summit, in the hope that it will help Egypt to achieve its climate strategy goals.
In preparation for the Climate Summit, the regional authorities in the Red Sea Governorate, in cooperation with a number of other state organisations, is holding a series of events aimed at raising awareness of environmental and sustainability concerns. These workshops will continue through to November, and the opening of the Conference.
Egypt's hosting of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh is seen as a great opportunity to promote international climate action, and to unify the demands of African and developing countries, particularly when it comes to issues of financing, and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
UN News will provide full coverage of COP27, including news and features, and a daily episodes of our flagship news podcast The Lid Is On. Subscribe on all major podcast platforms.
Lafarge Egypt teamed up with Ostool for Land Transportation, a subsidiary of Raya Holding for Financial Investments (RAYA), to convert all fleet trucks serving Lafarge to operate on natural gas.
The move will reduce carbon footprint and promote sustainable development, according to a recent press release.
Commenting on this, CEO of Lafarge Egypt, Jimmy Khan, said: “We are part of this world, live its daily challenges, share the responsibility for finding solutions and implementing them through our work. We strongly believe in the vitality of environmental sustainability as well as fighting climate change, where we contribute to achieving Holcim’s vision––the vision for a future that builds progress for people and the planet.”
CEO of Ostool Logistics, Tamer Badrawi, noted: “We acknowledge our responsibility towards the current and the future. Ostool promotes green initiatives in its plans for the near future. Likewise, the company works on converting all its 300 trucks in all fields to operate on natural gas, integrating the environmental aspect is our top priority.”
The new collaboration, which is a continuation to the two firms' fruitful and long-lasting partnership, offers a safer, healthier, and greener business model, and reflects the two companies’ adoption of sustainable development goals, green initiatives, as well as Egypt’s ‘Vision 2030’.
Powered by more than 1,500 employees, Lafarge Egypt is a member of Holcim Group and a key player in the construction materials industry.
Source: Zawya
Following L’Oréal Group’s announcement of its new sustainability program “L’Oréal for the Future” in 2020 and the latest set of ambitions for 2030, L’Oréal Egypt today holds the closing ceremony of the 2nd edition of L’Oreal Supplier Sustainability Summit in Egypt, in attendance of Mr. Benoit Julia, L’Oreal Egypt Managing Director, and virtual attendance for H.E Dr. Rania Al Mashat, as well as numerous suppliers who exchanged sustainable manufacturing technologies in achieving sustainable development objectives.
In her speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, said: “Ensuring a comprehensive and effective economic growth requires adherence to sustainability standards, especially by the private sector, which is one of the main drivers of growth. By this means, the Egyptian government is working on many aspects to expand private sector’s role in achieving sustainable and inclusive development and promoting innovation, as it believes that the private sector is a key partner in unlocking the potential of the Egyptian economy.” She highlighted that Egypt places green transformation at the top of its priorities, and integrates climate action into all development aspects, as it is not possible to achieve sustainable development without taking into account the promotion of climate action. She explained that in light of Egypt's hosting and presidency of the COP27, Egypt launched the National Climate Change Strategy 2050. It also announced its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to reduce emissions, within the framework of achieving the National Development Vision 2030 to ensure a green, fair and inclusive transformation.
Al-Mashat indicated that, for this purpose, the Ministry of International Cooperation is working with multilateral and bilateral development partners to encourage the private sector to follow environmental, social and governance standards (ESG), through development financing and technical support, in a way that stimulates impact investment, enhances the sustainability of value chains, and creates stimulating partnerships for inclusive growth between the public and private sectors. She pointed out that in 2020 and 2021, the private sector received $4.7 billion in development funds from development partners, representing 23% of the total development funding settled by the ministry for development projects.
L’Oreal Egypt launched its 1st Supplier Sustainability Summit in Egypt last year, uniting all suppliers to join L’Oréal’s sustainable journey and adapt more sustainable practices in their business model. As a pioneer company to tackle the topic of the point of sales production materials (POSM) and its transformation towards sustainable practices.
There was a series of diversified online and offline activities carried out since 2021 in order to open up the path for insight, interaction, co-creation, and engagement with the suppliers. To lead the change in Egypt and to onboard L’Oréal Egypt eco-system, focusing on suppliers as phase 1.
In April 2021, L’Oréal Egypt launched its first “Supplier Sustainability Summit” to onboard and empower its suppliers and strategic partners to achieve the 2030 vision, and L’Oréal’s ambitious targets.
- To share “L’Oréal for the Future” vision & KPIs
- Raise awareness, upskill, and share expertise with suppliers
- Onboard suppliers towards more sustainable practices
During his speech, Mr. Benoit Julia, L’Oréal Egypt’s Managing Director, stated: “We are proud today to celebrate the suppliers early adapters through our second edition of the Supplier Sustainability Summit, who joined L’Oreal journey and interest in implementing eco-friendly approaches and utilizing environmentally friendly materials in their products.
Benoit highlighted L’Oréal focuses its efforts on implementing sustainability in all the countries in which it operates. And its role in supporting Egypt’s efforts in environmental sustainability through targeted initiatives that are in line with L’Oréal’s strategy “L’Oreal for the future” and which they work to be a catalyst for change by empowering suppliers aiming for a better environment.
At the Supplier Sustainability Summit, L’Oréal introduced a new platform for suppliers to publicly discuss the implementable change that could make the entire POSM production process more sustainable, through respecting the 14 Golden Rules that reflect “How L'Oréal Is Pushing POSM Suppliers to Become More Sustainable”.
During the 1st L’Oreal Supplier Sustainability Summit, which was attended by more than 80 suppliers, L’Oréal shared its vision to reach 100% eco-design for its “POSM – Point of Sales Merchandising Materials”, and become the pioneer company in introducing eco-design concepts in Egypt, with the aim of reducing resources’ usage and waste.
The L’Oréal Egypt Supplier Sustainability Summit is also aiming at creating a platform to develop and discuss the different stakeholders’ efforts that contribute to achieving the SDGs, hammering on the challenges faced by the environment, and its impact on climate action; most importantly, the crucial need to engage the private sector and onboard their eco-system to achieve tangible changes.
The 2nd edition of the Supplier Sustainability Summit took place in March 2022, and was dedicated to the early adapters who strive to join the sustainability journey. Furthermore, the summit was led by the L’Oréal team and Mr. Hesham El Essawy Founder and CEO of HEDS Designs & HEDS Academy, and it was divided into three parts: theoretical sessions, practical execution, and evaluation. The aim was to support and join the suppliers’ transformation journey towards becoming more sustainable. During the closing ceremony, the suppliers had the opportunity to showcase their sustainable operations and methods for implementing their transition, and they were commended for their efforts.
Hesham El Essawy Founder and CEO of HEDS Designs & HEDS Academy commented, “L'Oreal is an example of a true Sustainability partner of success, not only with us in HEDS as a sustainability-based Design Solutions consultants, but with all other business partners from suppliers and manufacturers in Egypt. We are proud this year of our success in taking part in implementing L'Oréal's vision of sustainable development through creative collaboration, training and development, to achieve impressive and sustainable results. We hope to continue the same approach locally with L'Oreal to keep pace with Egypt's 2030 strategy for sustainable development, and globally at the COP27 conference” The sustainability strategy “L’Oréal for the Future” lays down the Group’s set of ambitions for 2030, taking a specific tracks approach, accelerating its internal transformation, and empowering its external business ecosystem. L'Oréal is committed to working with its partners to deal with urgent social and ecological challenges, promote more sustainable consumption, and protect the planet for a better tomorrow.
It is worth noting that L’Oréal Egypt has been committed to achieving sustainability since 2013 with the inauguration of its factory in Egypt, located at the 10th of Ramadan city. The piece of art factory with 50 million euro investment, and export hub factory to MENA region, was awarded twice by the FEI due to its sustainable practices implemented. Furthermore, L’Oréal proceeded with various initiatives, such as its efforts in developing PCR packages instead of virgin plastic in hair care products, as well as reducing the company's carbon emissions by -41%, water waste by -24%, and waste by -45%. The factory also completed the first phase of its renewable solar panel station in 2020, with a target to reach neutral energy by 2025.
Source: Press release
Karm Architecture Lab uses traditional techniques to promote airflow and cooling
As the Middle East developed, energy use driven by air conditioners has, along with carbon emissions, grown hugely.
In 1990, World Bank figures indicate, cooling internal spaces in the Middle East accounted for about 25 terawatt hours of electricity. By 2016, the figure had risen 400 per cent, to 125 TWH.
Meanwhile, the Middle East and North Africa’s carbon dioxide emissions almost triple, from about 864,000 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide in 1990 to about 2,556,000 kilotonnes in 2019.
As development continues, and the planet and the region continue to heat up, there seems little prospect of anything other than ongoing increases in electricity demand to keep buildings cool.
Indeed, other World Bank statistics indicate that, by the middle of this century, the number of air-conditioning units around the globe will increase threefold, to five billion.
But some architects, such as Karim El Kafrawi and his partners at the architectural practice he co-founded, the Karm Architecture Lab (KAL), based in Egypt, are finding ways to keep buildings cool that do not depend on air-con.
Looking to the past for solutions
Thanks to shading, extra-thick walls, airflow corridors and other features, some of KAL's buildings can be comfortable without air conditioning, even during the height of summer.
What is more, Mr El Kafrawi hopes this approach offers a better experience for those inside the building and makes housing more affordable to the less well off.
“We’ve forgotten the ancient methods or historic methods of how to deal with passive cooling or passive heating,” he says.
“With the adoption of technology through air conditioning, everybody said, ‘We don’t need to worry about that any more.’ That was at a time when we thought energy availability was infinite. Of course now we’ve realised this is not the case.”
Medieval Cairo is one place where the old-style methods, such as wind towers to create airflow, were used. Where wind towers were impractical because of the high density of buildings, designers used other simple ways to create positive or negative air pressure and keep air moving.
“If you walk through the entrance you get this gradual flow that the deeper you go in, the cooler it gets,” Mr El Kafrawi says.
“The way they did that was positioning openings for daylight and for air to come in certain places, so that when the door opens ... suddenly hot air is in one place and cool air comes and moves where hot air is.”
Ceiling height could also be adjusted to promote airflow, while having a large thermal mass ― thick walls ― was another approach.
Methods embraced by five-star hotel
KAL designed much of Wadi Sabarah, a boutique five-star hotel in Marsa Alam on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. At this property, thick walls help to keep temperatures down.
Coral limestone, discarded by developers and available locally (thereby reducing carbon emissions for transport), was tested for its structural properties and used to form 80-centimetre-thick walls in the three-storey, 10-metre-tall building.
These are thick not just to reduce heating, but for structural reasons, because reinforced concrete was not used in the parts of the hotel designed by Mr El Kafrawi’s practice.
Guest rooms are protected from direct sunlight, yet have views of the sea, while a wind tunnel effect is created by the organisation of passageways and guest rooms.
“We’re able to use those rooms, even in the summer ― we’re talking about temperatures that go up to 45ºC, 46ºC ― and I can state for a fact that those rooms in the summer, around July, August, all you need is a ceiling fan. You don’t need air conditioning,” Mr El Kafrawi says.
“That means that the operator will have a dramatic reduction in air-conditioning use, and people are getting to enjoy natural ventilation and natural cooling, passive cooling in the building, which is transformative.
“It’s not just a matter of reducing the electricity and saving the environment and reducing energy consumption … it’s about really trying to have people experience things on a natural level.
“There’s a big difference between a space that is conditioned by mechanical cooling or heating and one that is natural. It feels different. It changes the way you feel about yourself, your experience.”
Committed to sustainability
An architect since 2005 (and the son of an architect, Kamal El Kafrawi, who designed Qatar University), Mr El Kafrawi co-founded a solar power company, KarmSolar, in 2011, before his architectural/construction practice, Karm Architecture Lab (KAL), was founded the following year. Mr El Kafrawi says the company has achieved success through its "collaborative team-oriented approach" to design and construction.
“We came together on this idea: wouldn’t it be interesting to develop a holistic approach where we could combine renewable energy plus using traditional techniques that existed in Egypt, such that communities could be completely self-sufficient or self-reliant on what they have,” he says.
While KAL's focus is on using traditional modes of cooling in a modern context, Mr El Kafrawi says the UAE has buildings with more high-tech approaches, such as shades that close when the sun is overhead. An example is Al Bahr Towers in Abu Dhabi. While such designs use “very interesting, fascinating ways” to prevent heating, his approach is “very different”.
“We’re really focusing on mixing old and new, so solar technology, using new building materials and combining them with old materials. That’s a pretty unique thing in Egypt.” he says.
“There are only a handful of architects that I know that are attempting to do the same thing and who are doing some really nice work as well. They are really on the fringes, but it’s growing.”
Another KAL project is the Grove Residential Complex in Cairo, where a mix of apartments are integrated around one another’s green spaces. A connecting courtyard offers “a natural cooling environment”.
“It helps ventilate all the apartments naturally,” he says. “At the same time, it also created a safe public space, or semi-public space, for the residents to use. So it has this sense of community.
“We hoped it would encourage the idea of community integration, which is not that common in a lot of the new developments here in Egypt.”
As well as being more environmentally friendly, the approach Mr El Kafrawi and his practice have adopted should also, he says, put affordable housing within reach of more people.
Solar panels on the roof of a standard building may provide only 10 per cent or 15 per cent of energy needs. But if the building is much more efficient because it employs natural ways to keep temperatures down, this figure may be as high as 60, 70 or 80 per cent. At Wadi Sabarah, solar power provides 100 per cent.
“Everyday people can re-adopt those traditional solutions in their own housing. If they adopt those traditional solutions it will reduce their impact on the environment while making their living standards better, because they’re living under better conditions,” Mr El Kafrawi says.
Source: The National News
Delivery Hero, the world’s leading local delivery platform and the parent company of MENA’s leading brand “talabat”, announced that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative (“UNGC”), in line with its intention to build a company that future generations can be proud of. The UNGC is a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. In becoming a participant, Delivery Hero proudly joins more than 15,000 companies and 3,800 non-business entities, based in over 160 countries worldwide, that actively commit to taking responsibility for their environmental and social impact. With the decision to join the UNGC, Delivery Hero is committing to uphold the UNGC principles, and contribute to the development of a more sustainable environment through its CSR & Sustainability initiatives, including its existing sustainable packaging program and global food donation scheme. This participation is driven by one of the company’s core values: “we are Heroes because we care.”
Jeffrey Oatham, Senior Director of CSR, Sustainability and Safety at Delivery Hero, said: “We’re very proud to be putting our name to the UN Global Compact, underlining our ongoing commitment to making responsible choices in all areas of our business. We recognise that this comes with greater responsibility to disclose and constantly improve our business activities. Keeping this top of mind, we will continue to examine our global practices in order to maximize Delivery Hero’s capacity for positive impact, using the UNGC as a guide to always strive for higher standards.”
Source: Zawya
Infinity and Africa Finance Corporation will acquire Lekela Power in deal that includes 2.8-gigawatt portfolio of wind power and greenfield projects
Egypt’s Infinity Group will become Africa’s largest renewable energy company when it, along with Africa Finance Corporation, acquires Lekela Power in an undisclosed deal that is expected to close this year, the parties said on Monday.
British private equity firm Actis and Mainstream Renewable Power agreed to sell their stakes of 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively in Lekela.
Lekela, founded in 2015, is Africa’s largest independent power producer.
The proposed acquisition includes Lekela’s 1-gigawatt portfolio of operational wind power projects in Egypt, Senegal and South Africa, and a 1.8-gigawatt pipeline of projects in development across the continent. It is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
“The acquisition of Lekela is a milestone for us at Infinity, as it not only becomes the largest such acquisition in the history of the continent, but also signifies the continuous growth and expansion of Infinity’s efforts to create a sustainable supply of clean green energy,” said Infinity co-founder and chief executive Nayer Fouad.
Africa’s installed renewable energy capacity is set to grow from more than 54 gigawatts in 2020 to more than 530 gigawatts by 2040, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Solar photovoltaic technology will rise to 340 gigawatts and wind to 90 gigawatts.
In addition to combating climate change, increasing renewable energy resources will help to drive energy access in the continent, as almost half of Africa’s population does not have access to electricity.
Egypt, which is to host the UN climate change conference Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh in November, has committed to sourcing 42 per cent of its total electricity from renewable energy by 2035. Its installed renewable energy capacity was at 31 per cent last year, surpassing its 20 per cent target.
Infinity, founded in 2014, provides solar, wind and waste-to-energy power solutions for homes, companies and cities across Egypt.
Infinity’s projects include six power plants in Aswan’s Benban Solar Park with a capacity of 235 Megawatt peak, a complex that covers 37 square kilometres.
Infinity EV is building the largest electric vehicle charging network in Egypt, with more than 300 points installed to date.
In 2020, Infinity and Abu Dhabi’s clean energy company Masdar established the joint venture Infinity Power to develop utility-scale solar and wind power projects in Egypt and Africa.
AFC was established in 2007 as a catalyst for private sector-led infrastructure investment across Africa.
The company is developing and funding projects that take advantage of Africa’s abundant solar, wind, hydro and thermal energy resources, while managing the population’s urgent needs. It has financed more than 2,000MW of power generation and has beneficial ownership interests in 485MW, of which 135MW is sourced from renewable energy.
“We are focused on reducing Africa’s massive energy deficit through expanding the quantum of electricity using the various energy sources available throughout the continent,” said AFC president and chief executive, Samaila Zubairu.
“Working together with our partner, Infinity, we aim to more than double the capacity of our joint operating assets over the next four years, which stands at 1.4 gigawatts after the Lekela acquisition,” he said.
The Lekela platform includes five operational wind farms in South Africa with a capacity of 624MW, a 252MW wind farm in Egypt and a 159MW wind farm in Senegal, as well as development opportunities in Egypt, Ghana and Senegal.
Actis and Mainstream said the planned exit “reflects the successful culmination of their partnership strategy for Lekela, following a comprehensive value creation approach”.
Mainstream specialises in the development of onshore and offshore wind and solar projects.
The Actis Energy Infrastructure team has invested in more than 70 renewable energy projects to date, generating approximately 11 gigawatts of renewable energy globally.
“We’re proud to leave Lekela strongly positioned for its next phase of growth as an acknowledged sustainability leader supplying much-needed clean energy to communities across Africa,” said Lucy Heintz, partner and head of energy infrastructure at Actis.
Source: The National News
