Siemens committed to improving Africa through technology

The need for improved infrastructure in Africa has long been talked about. Africa is one of the world’s fast urbanising regions and It is projected that by 2050 there will be more than 1.2 billion African city dwellers. With more people moving to cities demand is increasing for efficient and sustainable infrastructure, such as energy, transportation and water, as well as healthcare.

Siemens though are one global company committed to its responsibility as a good corporate citizen and raising standards across the three sectors of industry, energy and healthcare. With a proud history of more than 150 years in the continent, Siemens’ comprehensive environmental portfolio includes a wide range of technologies and solutions for sustainable infrastructure development. These include:

• Industrial automation solutions that increase factory productivity and rail transportation solutions that move people and goods efficiently, to water technologies that can provide clean drinking water for the approximately 300 million Africans who don’t have access to it.

• Wind and solar energy technologies that produce clean energy to transmission and distribution technologies that can get electricity to the about 560 million Africans who don’t have access.

• Medical imaging technologies that can detect diseases early to laboratory diagnostic systems that that help provide affordable healthcare to more than half of the African population who need it.

One of the primary drivers of economic growth on the continent are minerals and resources that the world needs, such as oil, natural gas and precious metals.Africa also holds about 10 percent of the world's proven oil reserves, while South Africa has the world‘s largest deposits of platinum and is the second biggest gold exporter.

CEO of Siemens Africa, Sigmar Proebstl, said, “The technology is available to extract these resources safely and efficiently.

“Siemens technologies can help improve the efficiency, productivity and flexibility of these industries, so vital to Africa’s further development.

“Africa‘s diversity matches our own commitment to being a company as diverse as the world in which we operate in order to tap the creative potential of this diversity for maximum advantage.”

Siemens takes its responsibilities toward African society seriously, engaging in extensive education and community aid initiatives.

As Proebstl explained, “In Mvezo, a remote village in South Africa together with the Mvezo Development Trust we are building a high-school that will provide much needed education to about 700 children.

“The school will be a showcase in sustainable technologies. It will be powered by off grid solar energy, include energy efficient lighting and clean water will be purified with the water filtration systems. One of those children could grow up to follow in the footsteps of the inspirational Nelson Mandela, who was born there.”