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African Development Bank (AfDB) has unveiled its new Climate Action Window (CAW) Technical Assistance Facility at COP29

Before the conference, which is running in Baku from 11-22 November, the organisation stated its intention to mobilise additional resources for climate action in Africa and to launch a new approach to assess African economies. Following this, it has taken a ‘major step’ to address the continent’s climate finance gap by launching a new funding call with an initial allocation of US$56mn.

The CAW Technical Assistance Facility will support the preparation, financing and implementation of adaption and mitigation projects aligned with the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Adaption Plans (NAPs). It will aim to transform the development of climate projects across 37 low-income countries in the continent and is backed by funding commitments from partners such as the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. It will be accepting proposals from governments, regional organisations, NGOs, and Un agencies in ADF countries via its online portal.

“The CAW provides a veritable channel for countries to meet their global climate commitments,” remarked Kevin Kariuki, vice president of power, energy, and climate change at AfDB. “This facility will ensure that projects in Africa’s most climate-vulnerable regions are well positioned to attract significant funding, creating a win-win scenario where countries can achieve climate targets, while advancing sustainable development."

Enabling adaption projects in Africa

The launch was supported by a number of stakeholders from the countries that are set to benefit from the initiative who welcomed the new initiative.

“I would like to thank the African Development Bank and its partners, as these funds will finance the resilience of our people,” commented Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Assahoré Konan Jacques. “Specific activities have been identified and targeted, and I call on the African Development Bank to learn from the challenges other funds have faced, ensuring that CAW succeeds where others have struggled.”

Fatima Haram Acyl, the Chad Minister for Economy and Planning, added, “For countries like Chad, climate vulnerability is not just a term. Our people face floods, droughts, and immense losses, and we need real, fast-acting solutions. The CAW presents an opportunity to deliver transformative projects that strengthen our communities' resilience.”

Max Andonirina Fontaine, Madagascar’s Minister of Environment, surmised, “The CAW enables African nations to pilot initiatives that truly address our needs. With its flexible approach, we can, for example, fund ecotourism projects in Madagascar that both protect forests and create jobs – support that Africa urgently needs.”

A Lintec CSD2500B Containerised Asphalt Mixing Plant has been supporting Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA) in its work on the New Dodoma Msalato International Airport in Tanzania

The project is aimed at enhancing the infrastructure and connectivity of Tanzania’s political capital and the wider East African region. Once fully operational, it is expected to accommodate 1.5 million passengers annually. With investment from the Tanzanian Government and a loan from the African Development Bank, construction is taking place in two phases. The first is focused on the runway and terminal, while the second will be implemented based on demand.

For its work on the project, POWERCHINA purchased the mixing plant from Lintec & Linnhoff which began production in September 2023. The plant has been helping to build key facilities since this time, including a new apron, taxiway, runway, and auxiliary roads.

Construction has also been underway on new hangars, terminals, firefighting units, electromechanical installations, and a new airfield tower. As a result of these efforts, the project has reportedly reached the halfway point and is expected to be completed by April 2025.

Excelling in Tanzania

The Lintec Containerised Asphalt Mixing Plants feature a modular construction that allows for easy transportation and convenient installation. The Lintec CSD2500B model has a capacity of 160 tph and a batch size of 1650/1600 kg.

Prioritising sustainability with pollution control units and optional recycling units, the design also ensures security with a central lockable access point and features convenient walkways along with staircases for easy maintenance. These are but some of the features that led to POWERCHINA purchasing the plant for the project – a decision that continued the company’s long-standing relationship with Lintec & Linnhoff having used it for a number of projects dating back to 2010.

“Several factors drove our decision to invest in the Lintec CSD2500B Containerised Asphalt Mixing Plant,” said a spokesperson from POWERCHINA. “Firstly, we prioritise safety and reliability in all our operations, and with Lintec & Linnhoff’s German-engineered equipment, we are confident in the highest standards of performance and quality. In addition, the Lintec CSD2500B’s containerised design ensures uninterrupted operations despite Tanzania’s challenging rainy seasons, while its modular construction delivers cost efficiency through low transport expenses and easy installation.”

In Kenya, a Linnhoff  TSD1500 Asphalt Mixing Plant has been proving its worth on rural road projects in Kenya. Click here to learn more

Providing fresh air to underground workers, removing dust and noxious gases, regulating temperature, there are few aspects more critical to a modern mine than an effective ventilation system

With worker safety now one of the most paramount concerns of mining companies, it has never been more important for them to ensure an effective, well-planned underground mining ventilation system is in place.

Fortunately, there are a range of innovative equipment and service providers who are able to support mines as they seek to provide air flows in sufficient quantity and quality to ensure their workforce is safe. Take the likes of Unique Ventilation and Support Systems (UVSS), one of the largest ventilation manufacturing companies in Africa. With a client based across the continent – working with household names such as Anglo American, Goldfields, Sibanye, Impala, and more – UVSS boasts more than 85 years of experience in the sector, and is utilising this in its mission to become the market leader in Africa for the design, development, fabrication and supply of total integrated mining and industrial related ventilation systems, underground support and ancillary equipment.

African Review held a short Q&A with Jeremy Pettitt (JP), group - sales & business development manager at UVSS, to understand more about this vital service the company provides to the sector. Discover the full article in the November issue of African Review here

Genie, a leader in the aerials industry, has launched a new, future-focused design for its core slab scissor lift product line

The company has further improved the performance and lowered the total cost of ownership for Next-Generation Genie GST-1932, GS-2632, GS-3232, GS-2646, GS-3246, and GS-4046 scissor lifts. A noticeable change in the form of a curved linkage design results in reduced machine weight, allowing Genie to use right-sized components for lower replacement part cost.

“Genie’s Next-Generation Scissor Lifts are redefining the standard for slab scissor lifts and moving this classic MEWP category into the future,” remarked Christian Dube, senior global product manager. “Our priority when redesigning these lifts was to drive lower cost of ownership, improve serviceability, and enhance the user experience – all while delivering the quality that our customers and the industry expect from Genie.”

The company has also sought to eliminate rust and limit opportunity to damage through a number of design changes including a new chassis to mitigate stagnant water and reinforced steel in targeted locations to reduce damage.

“On their own, each individual update is an incremental improvement. But, when considered together as a system, and across the product line, the result is a family of machines that add value by reducing costs while improving performance and serviceability,” Dube added.

Overall, there are fewer serviceable components than with previous generations; of the components that remain, at least 70% have commonality across the product line. This simplifies machine fleet management and should increase uptime. According to Genie, fleet management is further improved by incorporating a consistent parts layout in easy-to-access locations; a win for service technicians who work on multiple models.

Operators are also set to benefit from a re-designed platform to improve productivity when working at height. On the popular GS-1932, standard fixed guard rails allow users to drive through most common doors without the need to pause and fold guardrails down. The platform is 20% larger, offering more room for two people to work comfortably indoors. Across the range, operators will notice other subtle details that enhance comfort at height.

Genie has also highlighted that the new Smart Link platform controller is completely redesigned to be 30% lighter than the previous version, complete with a more ergonomic design. Because it is modular, parts of the controller can be replaced without requiring replacement of the whole – another example of reducing parts replacement cost.

Schneider Electric East Africa, a specialist in energy management and automation, has launched an eCommerce platform

Designed to cater to a diverse market, it includes tier 2 channels and represents a step towards modernising its procurement process and reinforces the company’s market presence. This is the assessment of Geraldine Sande, channel sales leader for Schneider Electric East Africa, who commented, “With the eCommerce platform, customers can access the required products locally, conveniently, faster and at their desired location without intermediary intervention.”

The portal lists a range of products and primarily targets end users in the residential space who would often have to travel far to a distributor, and commercial customers.

Sande explained that the platform also targets ‘specifiers’ – the individuals involved in projects and those who create bills of quantities (BOQs) or requests for quotations (RFQs) and need to know the available product options, as well as companies that require reliable supply chains for maintenance and operations.

“We noticed a gap in the market in terms of brand visibility in Kenya,” Sande continued. “Many people would ask if Schneider Electric was present in Kenya because we did not have a website (the website will go live in 2025) or any formal digital footprint. Instead, customers would find our partners on other Schneider Electric subsidiary platforms. The customer would also need to have a list of partners online and thus have insight about which solution is found from which channel partner.

“Given this, we felt there was a need to utilise another vehicle to be in front of the customer whenever someone is searching for a product and ensure the product is easily accessible, aside from going through our existing distribution channels.”

Sande stressed that the new platform is not designed to erode the market share of resellers and distributors but can instead bring potential benefits to their businesses.

“From the distributor's perspective, the platform will benefit them by increasing their sell-out. Distributors often hold a lot of stock, and the e-commerce platform provides them with another avenue to reach customers they were not previously tapping into. This represents an incremental business opportunity for our distributors,” concludes Sande.

Bosch Rexroth Africa’s Training Department has launched a modular training workstation in order to enhance its training services and address the shortage of hydraulic and pneumatic skills in Africa

Available to customers, training, providers and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as well as universities, the workstation is designed to be customisable and adaptable – enabling it to meet unique training needs of users.

The workstation aims to provide participants with practical experience with real-world equipment and machinery for industries such as fitting, millwright, diesel, mechanics, earth-moving and mechatronics and can accommodate various courses.

Building a skilled workforce

Bosch Rexroth Africa Training Department is a registered and accredited training provider and this new initiative is aimed at supporting continuous learning and upskilling of crucial skills to be build a more competent workforce.

“By demonstrating the practical benefits and real-world applications of these training workstations, we hope to inspire current and future professionals to embrace continuous learning and development,” remarked Allen van Gert, group training manager.