A two-day workshop was recently held in Kigali at the Highland Suites Hotel, organized by ICU – Institute for University Cooperation – as part of the project Strengthen Capacity for Sustainable Cooling and Refrigeration in Rwanda. The initiative is implemented in partnership with REMA (Rwanda Environment Management Authority) and funded by the CCAC (Climate and Clean Air Coalition).
The event brought together 19 participants, including representatives from the private sector (importers, vendors, and technicians of refrigeration and air conditioning systems in Rwanda), the public sector (including the ministry responsible for environmental issues), and partner institutions such as REMA, ICU, and the local CCAC representative.
Key outcomes of the workshop included:
- Completion of stakeholder interviews and finalization of the sector needs assessment;
- Validation of the proposed organizational structure for sustainable cooling governance;
- Presentation and discussion of a draft gender analysis report, including actionable recommendations.
Day 1
- Opening remarks from ICU, CCAC, and REMA;
- Presentation of the stakeholder engagement plan by Maurizio Casarci (NEXUS expert, ICU HQ Rome);
- Consultations, questionnaires, and focus group discussions on the optimal project governance structure;
- Final validation and operational recommendations.
Day 2
- Introduction to gender mainstreaming in the cooling sector;
- Theoretical and practical insights on gender and refrigeration;
- Data collection and consultations for the gender analysis;
- Gender-sensitive strategies and final recommendations, followed by wrap-up and closing remarks.
An important step forward in promoting a more sustainable, inclusive, and coordinated cooling system in Rwanda.
