Egypt: Training in collaboration with United Nations

The commitment of Centro Studi Galileo to increase knowledge and skills on Refrigeration and Air Conditioning throughout the world proceeds relentlessly: the latest international event is thus the first one to happen fully face-to-face after the pandemic breakout; the workshop was held in Egypt starting 28th June until 8th July 2021 and titled “Train-the-Trainers, Alternative Refrigerants Good Service Practice”.

The training was delivered by Centro Studi Galileo’s Expert Trainer Mr Gianfranco Cattabriga, in cooperation with the Italian Association of Refrigeration Technicians - ATF and the United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP OzonAction, represented by Mr Eng Ayman Eltalouny - Coordinator International Partnerships. The workshop took place in the freshly inaugurated and equipped Sharabia training centre, where 30 national Master Trainers gathered from three training centres across the country, thus carefully selected by the three governmental entities participating in the training programme: the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Trade and Industry, whose Under-Secretary and high-level Officials additionally visited the facility during the first lesson days. 

During a ceremony held in the premises of the General Court of the Ministry of Manpower on 15th July, the Minister of Environment - Dr Yasmine Fouad, the Minister of Manpower - Mr Muhammad Saafan, and the Minister of Social Solidarity - Dr Nevin Al-Kabbaj, handed over the 30 certificates of completion of Centro Studi Galileo’s training to the Master Trainers. Dr Yasmine Fouad confirmed that the training program, implemented through the Ozone Unit and its Officer - Mr Dr Ezzat Lewis Hannalla Agaiby, within the framework of international cooperation protocols, supporting Egypt’s international procedures and commitments aimed at reducing global warming while protecting the ozone layer. 

The Minister of Environment further noted that the successful Master Trainers are additionally granted the internationally recognised F-Gas Certification, accredited by the European Union; the licence is awarded to the trainers who positively passed the final assessment that was carried out by CSG Director General - Mr Eng Marco Buoni, who’s further President of the European RAC Association AREA, representing 24 national Associations of contractors from 21 EU Countries. 

On 6th July, in the prestigious premises of the JW Marriott Cairo, AREA President Mr Buoni additionally presented “An Outlook of Global HVACR Policies and Impacts on Markets” in occasion of the homonymous UNEP-ASHRAE Seminar. Developing countries will start placing policies related to the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol, to leapfrog the use of high(er)-GWP refrigerants and applications; this session shed light on the dynamics of global policies, to better understand the implication to HVACR sectors.

These activities all happened in the frame of ATF’s and UNEP OzonAction’s joint project, part of the implementation of HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMPs) Stage II of Egypt, which includes several technical components addressing the needs of the servicing sector. Its purpose is to facilitate the training of local trainers from the established national training centres, for them to be certified, trained and tested against the European F-Gas Certification. 

The project’s main objectives are to pre-assess the Master Trainers, as well as the training venues and the concerning equipment, prepare tailored training syllabus, finally delivering the theory and hands-on practical training, following EU’s standards, to conclude with the assessment. The project will thus be a useful basis to start a future training and certification scheme in Egypt, adhering to the implementation measures that are necessary to respect the Kigali Amendment, which was already signed by 122 Countries worldwide.